132 TRAVELS IN AFRICA.

that, if we would satisfy Almamy, he should satisfy us," which was merely hinting, if we would give Almamy presents until he should say he had enough, we should be then allowed to proceed. We did not pretend to understand his meaning, and finding that nothing was to be obtained from them, we left the place, in order to consult with the officers, and decide on the step to be taken.

After taking into consideration the then advanced state of the season, the illness of almos the whole of the Europeans, and the reduced state of our means of subsistence, in consequence of the very great expenditure incurred to replace our animals (all those we had on leaving Kayaye having died), and the exorbitant presents to Almamy and his chiefs, ministers, &c., we came to the determination of remaining in Bondoo until after the rains, and sending forward an officer to Sego, to apprize the King of our being stopped by Almamy, and to ascertain beyond a doubt his intentions towards our intended entrance into his country. A train of incidents, as tedious to relate as uninteresting to peruse, occurred between our making known to Almamy this our intention, and our establishing ourselves at Samba Contaye, which we were * A small village, about twenty-seven miles north from Boolibany, and fifteen miles from the Senegal, at BaguUe, a village of Lower Kajaga or Galam.