60 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
in honour of his arrival, and in order to amuse 
him. 
We had seen several of the chiefs of Western 
Africa, both moors and negroes, but never saw 
any so wretchedly poor and unlike what he in- 
tended to represent as this man ; he is intole- 
rably fond of rum, and would be for ever drunk 
if he could obtain the means of being so j his 
last demand was for two bottles of it, which I 
gave him. He left us on the 19th, in a state of 
excessive inebriety, as were most of his follow- 
ers. 
Aware of the great respectability Bon-ama, 
in his character of Mahomedan priest, would 
enjoy in all the countries in the interior, and of 
his having before offered his services to Gover- 
nor McCarthy, we endeavoured to prevail on him 
to accompany us to Sego, Tombuctoo, or fur- 
ther, but it was not without much difficulty and 
objection on his part, together with the pro- 
mise of a very large reward, that he could be 
induced to do so. He, however, at length agreed, 
in consideration of a recompense of five hun- 
dred pounds British, to accompany us to Tom- 
buctoo or Jinne, but no sum, however large, 
or other advantage, he said, would induce him 
to go further. He made it a previous article in 
his agreement, to be allowed to return to Cayor, 
to arrange some private affairs, and promised to 
