TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 153 Affairs were going on very amicably between Almamy and myself, since the moment of Mr.

Dochard's departure, until the early part of October, previous to which I had purchased some horses and asses; a step, I told Almamy some time before, I should be obliged to take, in order to replace those I had lost by death, &c., to which he then made no objection.

The last purchased was a fine Arabian mare, brought to me by a man from Foota Toro, whom I had, early in the preceding month, commissioned to that effect. In a few days after the arrival of this animal at our camp, Almamy sent one of his vassals to let me know, that in consequence of my having purchased several horses without previously asking his permission, he expected I would pay him a custom or duty thereon, and until I might think fit to do so, he had given directions that none of the inhabitants of the country should dare, under any pretence whatever, to bring provisions to us. On this, as on all other occasions of messengers to me from Almamy, the chief of the town, Osman Comba, was present, but could not, in answer to a question of mine respecting the nature and amount of such custom, say more than it was the first time he had ever heard of any such custom being demanded by Almamy. Several of the oldest inhabitants of the town were ap-