338 
CONVALESCENCE. 
I bought some fowls, as I wished to have food at 
once wholesome and succulent. The old negress cooked 
the fowls with a little rice. My appetite and strength 
gradually returned, and I was soon able to walk without 
a stick. I now anxiously looked forward for an oppor- 
tunity to depart; but, as it might be some time before such 
an opportunity should occur, 1 thought it advisable to 
look out for a guide to conduct me to Tangrera, a large 
town which, the natives informed me, was ten days' jour- 
ney from Time, in the direction of E. N. E. From Tan- 
grera caravans of Mandingo merchants frequently go to 
Jenne, Sego, Sansanding, and Yamina. I had considerable 
difficulty in procuring a guide, though there were in the vil- 
lage numbers of idle Mandingoes, who spent the whole day 
in gossipping at the banancoro. At length, I found one who 
promised to accompany me, but only, within two days of 
Tangrera, which I thought 1 might easily reach by joining a 
party of merchants on the road. 1 promised my guide a 
little iron saucepan, to which he had taken a great fancy, 
and which I generally used for my ablutions. He was also 
to have a pair of scissors, a yard and a half of beautiful co- 
loured cloth, and two sheets of paper. However, on the day 
appointed for our departure, he found some excuse for ab- 
senting himself. I saw that he was trifling with me, and I 
was obliged to put off my journey till another day. Baba 
continued to behave very ill and often spoke harshly to me. 
He seldom came to my hut, and when I bought any thing 
he contrived to make me pay more than its value, for the peo- 
ple who sold me provisions were his relations or friends. I 
have also one reproach to make against the old negress, who, 
in other respects, behaved very well to me. On market 
days I gave her some glass ornaments to purchase my weekly 
supply of grain ; but she always discovered that there was 
too little. To satisfy them, I ought to have provided suffi- 
cient for their maintenance as well as mine. 
