10 TRAVELS IN AFRICA, veiling merchants with slaves arrived at the capital from Sego.

My anxiety for Mr. Dochard's safety, added to an intention I had of proposing to Almamy to be allowed to remove my camp to Baquelle, induced me to obey the summons without delay, but my surprise and disappointment may be more easily conceived than I can possibly express, when, on being admitted into the royal presence, where were assembled all the ministers, chiefs, &c., Almamy told me that I must, without delay, remove my camp from Samba Contaye to the capital, where, as he was in daily expectation of the arrival of the Kartan army, I would be more secure under his own protection than I possibly could be elsewhere.

Although I must acknowledge that this speech conveyed to my mind a very different idea from that which he intended it to do, I nevertheless endeavoured to hide any effect it might have had on the expression of my countenance, and, at the same time that I thanked him for his consideration for my safety, expressed a wish, in ap parent good humour, to be allowed to remain where 1 was ; as it would put me to much inconvenience indeed, both to remove my baggage which was then all open, and to form a new camp which would probably not be finished before Mr. Partarrieau would return from the coast.