Travels in Africa. 
17s 
the middle of December would bring him back 
to me, that I looked forward to that period with 
patient suspense, which was rendered the more 
supportable by occasional visits to the French 
officers, who, in common with myself, had to la- 
ment the loss of some of their companions from 
the effects of the late season, and were them- 
selves so constantly subject to fever and ague, 
that they had not been able to commence their 
operations for the building of their fort, in the 
selection and purchase of a spot for which they 
had hitherto found as much difficulty as I had 
in the prosecution of my journey. 
The latter end of December was fast ap- 
proaching, and no information had been received 
by me respecting Mr. Partarrieau, whose delay 
so long beyond the time I expected caused me 
many sleepless nights and uneasy moments ; 
this, added to the uncertainty I was in with re- 
spect to Mr. Dochard's proceedings, had such 
an effect on my spirits that, had I not enjoyed 
the advantage of the occasional and agreeable 
society of the French officers at Baquelle, I 
must have sunk under the load. 
The Christmas which I spent at Baquelle 
rolled over without any intelligence from him, 
and the first day of January 1819, being that on 
which I had fondly hoped to prosecute my jour- 
ney eastward, found me at Samba Contaye with 
