13^ TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
that, if we would satisfy Almamy, he should sa- 
tisfy us," which was merely hinting, if we would 
give Almamy presents until he should say he had 
enough, we should be then allowed to proceed. 
We did not pretend to understand his meaning, 
and finding that nothing was to be obtained from 
them, we left the place, in order to consult with 
the officers, and decide on the step to be taken. 
After taking into consideration the then ad- 
vanced state of the season, the illness of almos 
the whole of the Europeans, and the reduced 
state of our means of subsistence, in consequence 
of the very great expenditure incurred to replace 
our animals (all those we had on leaving Kayaye 
having died), and the exorbitant presents to 
Almamy and his chiefs, ministers, &c., we came 
to the determination of remaining in Bondoo 
until after the rains, and sending forward an 
officer to Sego, to apprize the King of our being 
stopped by Almamy, and to ascertain beyond a 
doubt his intentions towards our intended en- 
trance into his country. A train of incidents, 
as tedious to relate as uninteresting to peruse, 
occurred between our making known to Al- 
mamy this our intention, and our establishing 
ourselves at Samba Contaye*, which we were 
* A small village^ about twenty-seven miles north from 
Boolibany, and fifteen miles from the Senegal, at BaguUc;, a 
village of Lower Kajaga or Galam. 
