TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 235 spectable personages to meet us at Gowde Bofe, in order to make arrangements for our passing through their country; (which in truth was not at all my intention), but I took that step in order to make the Foota people suppose we really did purpose entering their country, and thereby lull their suspicions about our going to Baquelle.

These people left us on the 5th, and on the following morning at ve o'clock, we moved in an easterly direction over a parched and barren country until near ten, when we reached Siendoo, a considerable town, where we had as usual much difficulty in obtaining a supply of water, and where we were met by a strong detachment of armed men, whose chief informed us that he was sent by Thurno Bayla (the chiefof Hourey, a district of Foota) to oblige us to take the path to his own town. This I positively refused to comply with, and told them if they felt inclined to carry their orders into effect I was ready to receive them. They removed to a short distance from our bivouac, and remained under arms all night, the greater part of which was spent by us in endeavours to arrange matters amicably with them, but which we found a most difficult affair; for what they at one moment consented to, they refused the next. At length it was settled that we should send one of our guides with one of them to Goude Bofe, to know if the chief of