310 
ARRIVAL AT SAMBATIKILA. 
little way from Sambatikila^ we met my guide who was 
coming to meet us ; our host, who the evening before had 
given him a. duck, had sent his little daughter with us to 
Sambatikila, and Arafanba, recollecting I suppose that this 
Bambara was by no means rich^ sent him back his duck ; I 
was rather surprised at this conduct in a Mahometan towards 
an infidel. My guide told me that the almamy was anxious to 
see me, and sorry that I had remained behind the evening 
before ; I told him jokingly, that the prince would soon have 
the pleasure of gratifying his curiosity. 
Jt \yas nearly nine o'clock in the morning, when we 
made our appearance at Sambatikila, which is surrounded 
by a double wall, ten or eleven feet high, and ten inches 
thick. We proceeded immediately to the almamy's, and 
were ushered into an ante-room, where we waited till some 
one went to announce us. The chief admitted us imme- 
diately to his presence, and we found him reclining under a 
little shed in his court ; he raised himself and extended his 
hand to me with the customary salutations, salam aUcoiim / 
alecoum salam ; enehinde ; a kind4 ; after having touched 
me, he rubbed his hand upon his face and chest, to com- 
municate the salutary efiect ^ for he is very religious, and 
has much faith in the sanctity of the Arabs. He was ex- 
tremely polite, and told me that he was happy to receive 
a man whose country was so near Mecca. I told him that I 
meant to go thither ; and he put many questions to Arafanba, 
who was eager to tell him all he had heard about me at 
Kankan. This old chief was dressed in the Arabian fashion ; 
his clothes were exceedingly clean ; he wore a turban of a 
red and white striped stuff manufactured in the country. 
Our visit was very short ; he lodged me in one of his son's 
houses, together with the two saracolets and the Foulah \ the 
son appeared to me very poor, but he gave us a neat habita- 
tion, and took great care that we should have warm water 
