32S 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
unloaded the asses, when Bojar sent to inform 
me that his father insisted on my paying the 
customary duty on the merchandize I had 
brought into the country, in the same proportion 
as paid by the native merchants, and desired to 
have my immediate answer, which I gave, by 
saying, that I now plainly perceived what their 
object was in bringing me back to Moonia ; and 
that as I would not willingly give any thing more 
to them, in the way of either customs or presents, 
and was not able to prevent them from taking 
what they wished, they might do so when they 
pleased. In about half an hour they came to 
our huts, and having examined all our baggage 
minutely, appeared much disappointed and sur- 
prised in not finding a large quantity of silver, 
amber, and coral, and a great number of fine 
guns, all which they said Modiba had been told 
I had in abundance. Their disappointment was 
so great that they walked off to the town with- 
out taking a single article. The maraboo was 
much confused, and said, he could not help ac- 
knowledging that I had been badly treated, but 
that I should not blame Modiba, as he had been 
misinformed, both with respect to the object of 
my visit to Sego, and the extent and nature of 
my baggage : the latter, although reduced to that 
state which surprised Modiba's messengers so 
much, was still of value enough in their eyes to 
