170 
FROM KANO TO SOCCATOO. 
Tripoli, who would still have continued the family in the govern- 
ment, if they had not prevented his people of Tripoli, and the other 
towns on the sea-coast, from trading to the interior. They even 
prevented, all in their power, the bashaw’s sending Mohamed El 
Mukni with presents and a letter to the king of Waday ; they went 
so far as to endeavour to stimulate the chiefs of the Tibbo tribes to 
cut them off, offering them a reward and protection if they would 
do so. Mukni and his people were accordingly attacked on their 
return, but by their bravery beat the Tibbos in every attack. When 
they found they could not destroy them in this manner, they bribed 
the guides, who led them astray in the desert, where all their 
slaves, and most of their camels, perished ; and Mukni arrived at 
Tripoli with the remains of the merchants, who were mostly all 
ruined. A few years after this, the bashaw sent another mission 
under Mukni, with presents to the sultan of Bornou, and was again 
accompanied by a number of merchants from the sea-coast. The 
governor or sultan of F ezzan did not try by open force this time 
to oppose Mukni’s passing Mourzuk, but sent again to the Tibbo 
chiefs and Iladje Salah, to Bornou, to prejudice the sultan against 
Mukni ; but all without effect. Some of the Tibbo chiefs were now 
friends with Mukni, and gave him the letters the governor of 
Fezzan had sent him. The sultan of Bornou was much pleased 
with the bashaw’s present, and gave every encouragement to the 
people of Tripoli to come and trade to the interior, and sent a 
large present of slaves, ivory, &c. to Mukni for the bashaw, who had 
carried him two small field-pieces, those now in possession of the 
sheikh ; but the F ellatas invaded and took the capital, and all the 
presents were lost. Notwithstanding this, on Mukni’s return to 
Tripoli empty-handed, he was followed by Hadje Salah, who did 
all he could to prevent the people of Waday from serving him, by 
selling him the provisions necessary for him and his people in 
crossing the desert. He first got the people of Kanem to attack 
