TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 31 instigation of our guides, seemed inclined to oppose his following the caravan. I immediately selected one sergeant and fifteen men, and had proceeded about a quarter of a mile towards the village, when I met the guides and Amady Samba, (and, in a few minutes after, Mr. Partarrieau,) who informed me that many objections were made to his joining me, in accomplishing which he had nearly come to blows with the guides and villagers.

Shortly after this, a large bullock which had been bought at Gari-Eli, and conducted since it left that place by a Foolah hired for the purpose, having nearly killed one of our men, was ordered to be shot, which was not effected until many shots had been fired at him. This circumstance so trivial in itself was nearly the cause of very serious consequences, as the men of the villages in the vicinity of our road heard the shots, and, knowing that we had nearly fought with our guides in the morning, thought that such was then actually the case, and came running up from all quarters ready for action,—which they were with difficulty prevented from commencing by the intercession of Macca. Many of them, however, accompanied us to Dindoody, where we arrived at noon, having travelled ten miles nne.

Although the day was excessively hot, and both men and animals were much in want of water, we were obliged to endure the privation, hav-