208 CHAPTER IX.

Message from Almamy—My Visit to Boolibany—Subject of Interview with him—His hostile Conduct and peremptory Demand for my leaving Samba Contaye—The Necessity of my Compliance—Return to the Camp accompanied by an Escort—Preparations for the March Departure for Boolibany—Arrival there—Almamy endeavours to make us enter the Town—My Refusal and Selection of a Position for the Camp—Return of my first Messenger to Mr. Dochard—His Misfortune and Failure—False Alarm at the Capital, and its Consequences—Indecision of Almamy and the Chiefs.

The month of January, 1819, also rolled over without any intelligence from either Mr. Dochard or Mr. Partarrieau, and what could detain the latter from joining me, or prevent the former from sending some person to make me acquainted with his proceedings and their result at Sego, I was at a loss to conjecture. Had the latter, however, either joined or forwarded the supplies which I was so much in want of, I would have endeavoured to reach Sego with the whole expedition, and try if it were not possible, by some means or other, to obtain Dha's permission to erect boats, and embark on the Niger, but to