FROM TIMBUKTU TO TOSAYE 139 by Allah, that since we treated him as we did at Zarhoi he had been our most faithful and devoted adherent He would never let us go anywhere without preparing the way before us, so he had gone on in advance of our barges now,and spread our fame amongst the sheriffs and other idiots, who did not know us as he did, and who received his reports by beating the tabala or war-drum ; or, to speak with more strict accuracy, he found the drum being beaten, and fearing that the sound of that one instrument would lead to the beating of others, he confiscated it at once. Then he, R'alU, having inquired what all the noise meant, the owner of the drum replied that he was afraid the white men were coming to take away his goods, his oxen, his sheep, and -so on.

" Then," added R'alH, with an air of extreme amiability, " to show him he had nothing to fear, I took everything away from him." I began to shout at him — " And that is the xay you make friends for us ! " " To give everything back when