TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
153 
Affairs were going on very amicably between 
Almamy and myself, since the moment of Mr. 
Dochard's departure, until the early part of Oc- 
tober^ previous to which I had purchased some 
horses and asses; a step, I told Almamy some 
time before, I should be obliged to take, in or- 
der to replace those I had lost by death, &c., to 
which he then made no objection. 
The last purchased was a fine Arabian mare, 
brought to me by a man from Foota Toro, 
whom I had, early in the preceding month, com- 
missioned to that effect. In a few days after 
the arrival of this animal at our camp, Almamy 
sent one of his vassals to let me know, that in 
consequence of my having purchased several 
horses without previously asking his permission, 
he expected I would pay him a custom or duty 
thereon, and until I might think fit to do so, he 
had given directions that none of the inhabitants 
of the country should dare, under any pretence 
whatever, to bring provisions to us. On this, 
as on all other occasions of messengers to me 
from Almamy, the chief of the town, Osman 
Comba, was present, but could not, in answer to 
a question of mine respecting the nature and 
amount of such custom, say more than it was 
the first time he had ever heard of any such 
custom being demanded by Almamy. Several 
of the oldest inhabitants of the town were ap- 
9 
