312 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
ward the next evening, but were prevented from 
doing so, in consequence of the guides having 
reported the distance to the next town as being 
too great, and the path which led over the moun- 
tains too difficult to admit of our reaching 
it that night ; and as, from the want of water 
on the mountains, it would be dangerous to halt 
there during the heat of the day, we decided on 
leaving Sanjarra at two o'clock the next after- 
noon, by which means we should be enabled to 
pass all the difficult places before dark ; and 
having filled our soofras, halt until the moon 
should rise the following morning. More diffi- 
culties, however, were at hand : for on the S5th, 
we had but just commenced loading the ani- 
mals, when Garran came to tell me that a mes- 
senger had arrived from Dhyage with orders 
from Modiba, that I should halt at Sanjarra 
until I again heard from him. My surprise and 
disappointment at this unexpected arrest, were 
greater than I had before experienced ; for I 
really thought all was arranged to the king's 
satisfaction, and I was so convinced that a short 
time would enable me to feast my eyes with a 
view of the Niger, that I had entirely given 
away to the pleasing delusion, the removal of 
which completely electrified me; but, as I 
must have submitted, I did so with an apparent 
good grace. 
