308 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
who, for all I either knew or could ascertain, 
appropriated a part of the presents sent by him 
to his own use : but, remedy I had none. 
Modiba would neither see me, nor any of my 
men, in consequence of his being led to be- 
lieve, by the Mahomedan priests about him, 
that should he ever look on a white man he 
must die. I in vain offered to send two of my 
black men : it would not do ; the superstition 
of those people made them all white, although 
not in outward appearance, at least in inward 
disposition. 
Precluded as I thus was from a possibility of 
ascertaining what might be the conduct of Gi- 
boodoo at the Kaartan court, I took advantage 
of the only resource left me, namely, that of ap- 
pearing to place the utmost confidence in him, 
and to hold out to him the prospect of a large 
reward, should he obtain from Modiba the de- 
sired escort and permission to proceed. He 
returned from Dhyage on the 7th, saying, that 
the king promised to settle my business without 
delay, for which purpose his head maraboo 
would come to me the following day : he did 
not, however, make his appearance until the 
10th, when, judge my surprise at being told that 
Modiba was not yet satisfied with what I had 
given him. 
In this state of continued procrastination from 
