DIFFICULTY OF RETURNING. 113 
cheerfulness, and passed the time in dancing, singing, and 
amusing themselves. 1 was as pleased with their mirth as 
they could be themselves, for I was weary of seeing them 
tormented. When their gambols were over^ they filled their 
skins again, and took the road towards the camp, which we 
reached in an hour. 
I hoped that the camp would continue to approach 
nearer to the river ; but I was informed that we were not 
going further westward. I was in a state of complete desti- 
tution ; my clothes were in rags, and it was extremely un- 
pleasant to me to live upon alms, as I had done since I came 
amongst the Moors. I wished to inform the governor of 
the Senegal of my condition, and to request assistance from 
him ; but this I could not do without going to the mart. 
1 communicated to my marabout the desire I felt to make 
this journey, assigning as a reason, that I wanted to get 
new clothes, and to send for my goods. He consented at 
first, but after a moment's reflection, he proposed to conduct 
me to the king's camp, where I might write, and whence I 
might send my letter by one of the sons of Moctar-Boubou, 
chief of Podor, who would bring back the goods. This plan 
did not suit me : I told him therefore that they would not 
deliver my goods to a messenger, that I must write to the 
settlement, and that I must moreover go myself to procure 
some clothing. He raised some additional obstacles, which 
were the result of suspicion. Perceiving the cause, I assured 
him that if he objected to my journey 1 would give it up, 
and I would rather renounce my goods entirely than do any 
thing to displease him. This inspired him with confidence, 
and he promised to provide me with the means of undertaking 
the journey, but it was only after much hesitation and tardiness 
on his part that I was enabled to set off on the 9th of March. 
The preparations for this journey did not occupy much time, 
but they were embarrassing, for I had no means of hiding my 
notes, the seeds which I had collected, and gome mineral 
VOL. r. f 
