He dismounted, and came into my house, attended by the six girls, who laid down their spears, and put a blue cloth round their waists before they entered the door. After he was seated, he began by asking after the health of the king of Yourriba, who, I said, I had left very well. I then told him I had been sent by the king of England to visit Bornou; that I was the king of England’s servant, and hoped he would assist me in proceeding on my journey; and that I intended to make him a suitable present; that I wanted thirty-six men to carry my baggage, and two horses for my servants to ride; and that I wished to stay as short a time as possible, as the rains were near at hand, which, if overtaken by them, would prevent my travelling; that the season of the rains was very sickly, and fatal to white men; that three of the white men who had left England with me had died in Yourriba, and it was more than probable that I should die also, if exposed in any of these countries to the rains. He said I was going to stay but a short time, and that he would send me to Wawa; from thence I should be forwarded to Boussa; then to cross the river Quorra to Injaskee, and thence to Bornou. On his leaving me, I attended him to the door. He mounted his horse, the young ladies undressed, and away went the most extraordinary cavalcade I ever saw in my life. After sunset I had a visit from the taya or chief of the caravan belonging to Houssa, which had arrived yesterday from Gonja and Ashantee, and a trader of Bornou who had known me when I was in that country. They advised me by all means to leave this country as soon as possible, as they were all kaffirs; that they would plunder me of every thing I had; and that on no account ought I to go by the way of Youri, as they were now at war with the Fellatas, and the road entirely shut up; that, besides, the road by Youri was the most distant; and that I must urge this chief to send me away as soon as possible.