114 TRAVELS IN THE 
soon as such permission should be obtained. A messenger was 
dispatched to Ali, who at this time was encamped near Benowm ; 
and as a present was necessary, in order to insure success, I sent 
him five garments of cotton cloth, which I purchased of Daman 
for one of my fowling-pieces. Fourteen days elapsed in settling 
this affair ; but, on the evening of the 26th of February, one of 
Ali's slaves arrived with directions, as he pretended, to conduct 
me in safety, as far as Goomba ; and told me I was to pay him 
one garment of blue cotton cloth for his attendance. My faith- 
ful boy observing that I was about to proceed without him, 
resolved to accompany me ; and told me, that though he wished 
me to turn back, he never had entertained any serious thoughts 
of deserting me, but had been advised to it by Johnson, with 
a view to induce me to return immediately for Gambia. 
Feb. 27th. I delivered most of my papers to Johnson, to 
convey them to Gambia as soon as possible, reserving a dupli- 
cate for myself, in case of accidents. I likewise left in Daman s 
possession a bundle of clothes, and other things that were not 
absolutely necessary ; for I wished to diminish my baggage as 
much as possible, that the Moors might have fewer induce- 
ments to plunder us. 
Things being thus adjusted, we departed from Jarra in the 
forenoon, and slept at Troomgoomba, a small walled village, 
inhabited by a mixture of Negroes and Moors. On the day 
following (Feb. 28th) we reached Quira ; and on the 29th, 
after a toilsome journey over a sandy country, we came to 
Compe, a watering place belonging to the Moors ; from whence 
on the morning following we proceeded to Deena, a large town, 
