FROM KANO TO SOCCATOO. 
267 
monkeys? I assured them none of them had that elegant appen- 
dage, but they would not believe me. After remaining an hour, 
they went to look after their wives and children, who were on the 
camels on the road, and not yet arrived. 
14th. — The goods being properly secured, I took my gun this 
morning and shot enough of pigeons for dinner. The Tuarick men, 
women, and children, surrounded me in great numbers on hearing 
the report of my gun, and were amazed to see the birds falling dead 
at my feet from the tops of the high trees. They examined them 
with great attention, declaring 1 was a beautiful man, too good for 
a Ivafer, and ought to be a worshipper of the true faith. 
16th. — In the afternoon an escort, consisting of fifty armed 
horsemen sent by Eello, arrived, to conduct me to Soccatoo. They 
brought with them my master’s two camels, to carry the goods, 
which, as I afterwards learnt, the Gadado had borrowed under false 
pretences. A messenger belonging to the sultan of Kano brought 
a letter from my master, unknown to the escort, and was on his 
way to Kano with it. The letter informs me of the total igno- 
rance of my master of my having left Kano, and his expectations 
of seeing me there in a week or two. It struck me forcibly at the 
time that Bello wished to get me in his power, in order to put us 
out of the way, to become the sole possessor of the sheik of Bor- 
nou's presents, <kc. As soon as I had read the letter, I asked the 
Gadado’s brother, who commanded the escort, if it was the sultan's 
intention to murder us on my arrival at Soccatoo, as my master 
knew nothing of the transaction. He answered, “ Fear nothing, 
the king will not hurt you; as he has never seen but one Christian, 
he wishes to view a second.” 
17th and 18th. — The Gadado’s brother came to me several 
times for money to buy goora nuts. I at length told him the 
money in my possession belonged to my father, who would not 
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