100 
JOURNEY FROM KATUNGA TO BOUSSA. 
vantage, and explained the uses of the different articles. The sword 
he was delighted with, and the chain, I saw, had won the midaki’s 
heart. She first put it around her own neck, then taking it off, and 
putting it around the sultan's, looked up in his face with as sweet 
an expression of countenance as ever I saw. Upon the whole, my 
present appeared to have the effect I wished. After giving me a 
great many thanks, and the presents were taken away, he began 
again about Youri: said, that Yarro of Iviama had informed him 
that I was going there. I said, I meant to have gone there, but 
that 1 should now defer my visit until my return ; that the rains 
were now at hand; that by the way of Youri there was war, and I 
could not get to Bornou before the rains ; that remaining in Youri 
or Houssa during that season would kill me, and they had better 
put a sword through me at once than detain me. He said there 
was no sultan between Koolfu and Guari. I told him the taja had 
engaged to find me bullocks to carry my baggage to Kano, lie then 
asked me when I wished to go away. I replied, “ To-morrow.” 
“Well,” says he, “you shall go in the afternoon.” I said I would 
prefer daybreak, as I wished to make observations at the river 
side, and see my baggage safely over. I had some apprehension 
that the king of Youri, should he hear that I am going by the 
way of Koolfu, might outwit me ; on which account I mentioned 
my preferring to travel in the morning. “Well,” says he, “you 
shall go when you please.” 
This point being settled, I asked him to lend me a horse and 
saddle, which he promised to do. I next inquired of him after 
some white men who were lost in the river near this place twenty 
years ago. He seemed rather uneasy at this question, and I ob- 
served that he stammered in his speech, hie assured me he had 
nothing belonging to them ; that he was a little boy when the event 
happened. I said, I wanted nothing but the books and papers, and 
to learn from him a correct account of the manner of their death ; 
