18 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA 
On the 20th, a messenger was despatched 
with small presents to Almamy and the men in 
authority about him, and to advise him of our 
approach. He was accompanied by a young 
chief, one of the prince's suit, likewise the bear- 
er of a message to the king from his brother. 
Finding it impossible, with the assistance of all 
the carriers we could procure, to move the 
whole of our baggage with any degree of regu- 
larity or safety, we decided on abandoning our 
two small field guns, with their shot and grape, 
and, having buried them about three feet beneath 
the surface, we made a fire, to conceal where 
the ground had been broken. By this means 
we got rid of three very heavy loads. Captain 
Campbell thought it better to dispose of them in 
that way than to make a present of them to Al- 
mamy, for although it was not likely he could 
make any use of them, yet the very circum- 
stance alone of possessing such destructive en- 
gines, and of having received them from us, 
might induce those nations with whom he occa- 
sionally wages war (and through which we were 
likely to travel), to entertain unfavourable opi- 
nions of us. 
When about to move on the forenoon of the 
20th, the prince commenced a long palaver with 
Captain Campbell on the subject of our proceed- 
ing without giving him previous notice. It had 
