208 
PRESENTS EXTORTED BY THE IMAN ALL 
white people are very rich, I expect a present worthy of 
thyself and me : we are here upon the frontiers of Fouta 
Jallon ; I am all-powerfnl there." " What wouldst thou 
hare?" answered I, without evincing- the least discontent. 
One of his people, whose hideous features sufficiently dis- 
played what part he played at court, cried : "let the white 
man first give thirty grains of coral." " But if I give them," 
I answered, " I shall have no other resource than to eat sand." 
Having said this, I offered him my present, which con- 
sisted of ten grains of coral. When I spread them on the 
.oTOund before him, Ali's eye was inflamed, and his features, 
which denoted perfidy, assumed an expression of fury : 
Know," said he to me ; " that if thou canst make me such 
a o-ift, I can offer thee one a hundred times more considerable. 
The people of Kakandé * offer me no presents but what are 
equal to my rank." " What dost thou demand then?" cried 
I angrily. " Money," replied he. " I have none." " Powder." 
" I have no more than one charge." " Cloths." " I have none 
of them ; besides." added I, " the presents I made to Almamy 
of Foutatoro, and Almamy of Bondou, were very small ; they 
accepted them and thanked me." " And what is Almamy of 
Foutatoro to me ?" cried Ali ; " for my part I insist on having 
more. Thou doubtless art not ignorant that the white men 
* A village situated on the Rio-Nuaez, where the Europeans carry on 
considerable traffic. 
