In the evening, the governor sent me a present of a sheep, and directly afterwards ordered a musquet to be brought to me, that I might put a screw to its lock; and on my declaring that I had no screws, and could not make one, his people went off rather dissatisfied, and shortly afterwards I missed my powder horn, which was hanging, with my gun and sword, to the branch of a tree: the rascals had stolen it. I now was informed, for the first time, by the Gadado, that before we went to Soccatoo, we should have to go by Coonia, the capital of Goobur, near which the sultan Bello was then encamped, with the forces from Soccatoo; and which place they intended to take before they returned to Soccatoo. The Kano troops are considered to be the best, and found to be more orderly than any of the others, but, on the whole, they are the poorest, and the most inefficient I ever saw, or could have imagined. Saturday, 14th.—Morning cool and clear, but a heavy dew had made me quite wet and chilly. At 5.40 A.M. left our encampment, the path generally skirting along the banks of the lake. Saw the traces of elephants every where, and last night the lions were roaring close to the camp. The heat of the sun from nine in the morning to three in the afternoon was the most oppressive I had ever felt it; and the dust raised by the number of men, and animals all pressing forward as hard as they could, made the air at times quite suffocating; and now that we are supposed to be surrounded by enemies, it is who shall be foremost: no halting is allowed. My servant, with a load on his head, was obliged to lead on the fatigued bullock; and I, with another servant, managed to drive it along at a quick pace, but not without incessant beating, which, in a country like ours, famed for its humanity, would have appeared extreme cruelty; but a man will do many things here in Africa, that his humanity would revolt at in our more happy country. At 4.40 P.M. halted along with the camp, fatigued and low-spirited; for what with the loss of my horse and camel, and what is still worse than all, my books and journal, leaving me only some loose paper and a pencil; when I beheld my servants carrying loads on their heads, and myself assisting and encouraging them to drive beyond its speed a poor scabbed and worn out bullock along the road; and when I have no prospect before me, but to subsist on water and boiled Indian corn, I cannot but feel a disposition to despond; but I trust things are now at the worst. Our place of halting was on the banks of a creek branching from the lake, very low and wet. My consolation is, that Bello is not at a great distance from us, and has sent to-day to ask after my health, and how I stood the fatigues of the journey.