TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
habitants of Senegal ; of the latter was Charles 
Joe, a mulatto of respectable connexions, and 
a man who had in many instances evinced much 
devotion to the interests of the expedition, and 
firm attachment to my person. Many of his 
friends then at Baquelle used all their influence 
and persuasion to induce him to leave me. He 
told them, however, that he had given his word 
never to desert the cause, and he would not 
break it. 
Having made all the preparations necessary 
for the departure of those officers and men, they 
embarked on the S9th of September on board 
the fleet returning to St. Louis, the command- 
ant of which, Mr. Le Blanc, received at his ta- 
ble Mr. Dochard. The vessels did not sail un- 
til the 30th : I accompanied them to Tuabo. 
On taking leave of my companions my feelings 
were such as I am unable to describe. I leave 
those who have themselves parted from friends 
whom they had every probability of never see- 
ing more, to judge what mine must have been ; 
suffice it to say, that my spirits for the re- 
mainder of that day were at their lowest ebb. 
From that unpleasant state of mind I was 
awakened by the reflection that the step I had 
taken was the only one which offered any pro- 
spect of success. I took advantage of a boat 
going to Fort St. Joseph on the 5th of October, 
for the purpose of soliciting the interest of 
Samba Congole with Modiba King of Kaarta, 
