JOURNEY FROM KATUNGA TO BOUSSA. 
101 
and that with his permission, I would go and visit the spot where 
they were lost. He said no, I must not go ; it was a very bad 
place. Having heard that part of the boat still remained, I asked 
him if it was so : he replied, that such a report was untrue; that 
she did remain on the rocks for some time after, but had gone to 
pieces and floated down the river long ago. 1 said if he would give 
me the books and papers it would be the greatest favour he could 
possibly confer on me. He again assured me that nothing re- 
mained with him, every thing of that kind had gone into the hands 
of the learned men ; but that if any were now in existence he would 
procure them and give them to me. I then asked him if he would 
allow me to inquire of the old people in the town the particulars 
of the affair, as some of them must have seen it. He appeared very 
uneasy, gave me no answer, and I did not press him further. In 
the afternoon the sultan came galloping up in front of my house, a 
man running after him, holding the umbrella I had given him ; 
but the bearer could not keep up with the horse, or hold it over 
his head. 
In the evening I was visited by the sultan and midaki, and the 
king of Y ouri’s messenger with them. The messenger said his 
master had sent provisions and every thing for my voyage up the 
river to Youri. I told him X could not but feel much obliged to 
the king of Youri for his kindness ; but that the rains were close at 
hand, and the road between Youri and Bornou shut up by the war ; 
that on my return, after the rains, I should certainly visit the king, 
for his kindness on this occasion. The sultan of Boussa said I 
should be making an enemy of the king of Youri if I went away 
without seeing him or sending him a present. I said I really had 
nothing here to give ; that if the messenger of the king of Youri 
would accompany me to the ferry where my baggage was, I would 
give him as good a present as I was able ; but that I had now 
very little to give. The Youri messenger was very anxious that I 
