256 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
to acquaint his majesty with our views in entering 
and our wish to pass through his country, and to 
request that he would, as soon as possible, give 
his answer, returned to Sego on the 26th, pro- 
mising to use his influence with the king in our 
favour. 
It was not until the 25th of April, 1819, that 
the man (Dhangina) I sent with Alley Low, 
from Samba Contaye, in Sept. 1818, reached 
Bamakoo, with my letters to Mr. Dochard, who 
up to that period had not received any decisive 
answer from Sego, although he had repeatedly 
sent messengers requesting to be made ac- 
quainted with the cause of the delay, which he 
was led to understand arose from the unsettled 
state of the war with the Massina Foolahs. 
That was saying nothing to our purpose : but 
as patience and perseverance offered us the only 
chance of success, both Mr. Dochard and myself 
were determined to make every sacrifice to the 
attainment of the object the British government 
had in view. 
In this state of anxious suspense did things 
remain with me at Baquelle, whence I de- 
spatched Dhangina a second time with letters 
and supplies to Mr. Dochard. The effects of 
our late retreat began to make themselves evi- 
dent in the health of the party ; many of the 
Europeans (one of whom was killed by lightning 
on the 20th of June) were dangerously ill with 
