ALTERCATION WITH BOUBOU AND ABDOUL. 
283 
taken Saadou for my guide ; he alone shall be paid, because 
he alone deserves my confidence. Ali and Boubou may 
follow me if they think proper ; but I will never pay traitors ; 
if thou desirest my death, take my gun, and kill me, my 
sufferings will be the sooner over." " I am not an assassin," 
answered Abdoul. " What art thou then?" I replied, " since 
yesterday thou refusedst me a handful of rice for my supper, 
when I had just given thee my horse. If thou wishest for my 
merchandize, take it, it is thine ; but thou never shalt prevent 
my departure." It is proper I should here mention, that to 
put my amber and coral out of the reach of this race of robbers, 
I had, during the night, had the precaution to roll it round 
Boukari's waist. I spoke with vehemence ; my firm tone and 
my threats, intimidated Abdoul, he begged me to wait onlj? 
until the next day, adding that I should then be free. When 
these banditti were gone, I endeavoured to tranquillize 
Saadou, who, having been present at my conversation with 
his brother, was afraid of his vengeance ; I succeeded so well, 
that in the effusion of his gratitude for the flattering man- 
ner in which I had expressed myself with respect to 
him he discovered to me the knaveries of my enemies. 
" Thou art ignorant," said he to me, " that Abdoul is not 
the chief of Bandeia : he temporarily performs the func- 
tions during the absence of his brother Mamadou, who 
almost always resides in the country ; he oppresses his 
family with the weight of an authority, which does not belong 
o o 2 
