112 SUSPICIONS EXCITED BY ALMAMY's COURTIERS, 
army ; he was then at war with Sembaiassin, king of Galam : 
several of his generals took advantage of this circumstance to 
awaken his suspicions respecting the object of my journey. 
Some of the great personages of his court came, in the course of 
the day, to ask me why I had not embarked in a vessel to go 
to Oulli ? Wliy, with the riches I possessed, I had not remained 
quietly at St. Louis, rather than expose myself to the intense 
heat of a sun, so insupportable to Europeans? They suspected, 
so I imagined, that I was carrying powder to the king of 
Galam. All these questions, the drift of which I pretended 
not to understand, rendered me the more impatient for 
Boukaris arrival. I went in the evening, accompanied by 
the brother of my host, and walked along the road to Diaba, 
so desirous was I of seeing him ; my wishes were gratified, I 
perceived him. He assured me that illness had detained him 
on the road. This was not the moment to reproach him ; I 
expressed my joy at his return, and I merely expressed what 
I felt, for this faithful companion of my travels had so won 
my alFection, that he had become a friend from whom I 
could not bear to be separated. 
In the mean time a great number of strangers had arrived 
at the house of Moutoupha, who begged me to take up my 
nis'ht's lodoinff with an Iman. The latter, as I afterwards 
learned, was then invested with the ignoble office of execu- 
tioner; but every one in this country being liable to this 
