^12 TRAVELS IN AFRICA, 
sented, adding, however, that I should be ac- 
companied by a strong detachment to enforce 
the fulfilment of the promise I had made. This 
surprised me much indeed, as in all our former 
transactions he had implicitly relied on my 
word 5 but I must acknowledge in this instance 
I did not purpose keeping it, as I had formed a 
determination to make a forced march to Ba- 
quelle the night of my return to the camp, and 
thereby put it out of Almamy's power to serve 
me such a trick again. But he was too well 
aware of the advantage he now possessed over 
me to trust any longer to my word, and there- 
fore had recourse to the most efficacious means 
of forcing me to compliance. 
I really cannot give an idea of the state of my 
mind during the remainder of that night ; suffice 
it to say that, for the first time since leaving the 
coast, I began to suspect treachery, and a pre- 
determination on the part of Almamy and his 
chiefs to oppose our further progress. I still 
however had hopes, faint ones indeed, that time, 
patience, large presents, and explanatory con- 
versation with Almamy in private, would obtain 
the desired permission to proceed eastward. 
The following morning, after waiting nearly 
an hour for his highness Saada, who undertook 
to carry Almamy's orders into effect, we left 
Boolibany, accompanied by a party of about one 
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