TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 287 which our path lay being infested at that time by several bands of robbers from Kasson under Hawah Demba, he could not undertake to lead me into it, before he could (by returning to Kaarta) bring a force to escort me. This was a disappointment indeed. I urged him to banish his fears on my account ; and told him that although I well knew such robbers were on the road, and actually murdered and robbed several people, I was nevertheless ready and anxious to proceed, as I felt satisfied that no party of those people, were they even three times our number, would dare to attack us. Remonstrance was vain. I was obliged to submit to farther delay, which both Samba and the Guide (Bokari ) promised should not be longer than twelve days.

This unexpected procrastination was almost insupportable. I saw my means fast diminishing, the fine weather as rapidly passing away, and no more prospect of sincerity on the part of Modiba than I had experienced from Almamy. The hope, however, that I might be deceived in my opinion, and that the promised day would bring back Bokari with an escort, rendered it passingly tolerable to one who, from constant disappointment, had, in some measure, become insensible to the anxiety incident to such a state ; but to add to my annoyance on that head, I