SIERRA-LEONE. 
145 
and thence 1 proceeded to Sierra-Leone. General Turner, 
governor of this English establishment, received me with 
kindness, and, in order to keep me in the colony, he offered 
me the superintendence of an indigo-factory, and attached 
to the situation (which he created for me J a salary of 3600 
francs, (£l50). 
This governor had no notion of the passion for activity 
which stimulated me, and he fancied he could gratify me 
with money — a generous mistake, for which I was grateful 
to him. Shortly after, in 1826', he was succeeded by Sir 
Neil Campbell, to whom I applied for 6000 francs to enable 
me to undertake my journey ; I met with the refusal which 
the meanness of my appearance, and what was called the 
extravagance of my scheme, had already procured me. Sir 
Neil Campbell did not mention M. Beaufort, but he spoke 
of Major Laing, from whom he said it would be unfair to at- 
tempt to snatch the glory of first arriving at Timbuctoo, 
and on this ground he rejected my proposal. 
The refusal of the French governors had distressed me, 
but that of the English governor did not affect me at all ; 
1 felt myself the more free : I thanked heaven that I was 
now able to break off my engagement with foreigners, to 
whom I was indebted for their generous hospitality, but who 
might perhaps in return have laid claim to the glory of a 
discovery, with which I hoped to do honour to France. I 
gave in my resignation, therefore, with as much eagerness as 
I had felt in giving up my little allowance of fifty francs a 
month. The sacrifice was so much the easier as I had saved 
nearly two thousand francs, and this treasure seemed to me 
to be sufficient to carry me all over the world. Lastly, there 
was a hope which tranquillised my mind as to the fate of 
my poor sister ; I had just heard of the premium offered by 
the Geographical Society of Paris to the first European who 
should reach Timbuctoo, and I said to myself: ^^Dead or 
alive, it shall be mine, and my sister shall receive it." 
VOL. I. L 
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