In the evening I went to the place where the Houssa people were encamped, in order to conclude my bargain with the taya, or head man of the caravan, and to make him sign the written agreement in Arabic by which he was to be bound to carry my baggage and presents from Boussa to Kano; and for which I was to pay him, the day after my arrival at the latter place, two hundred thousand cowries. He had always fought off the agreement, saying, I could conclude the bargain when I got over the river; that I must get the sultan of Boussa to allow me to go, and then we should conclude the bargain. I never could get him to say how much he would take them for, or even that he would take them at all. I now said he must determine, as, before I knew whether he would for certain take them or not, it would be of no use asking the sultan of Boussa; “for if I get the sultan’s leave, and you get me on the road, you may charge what you please: if he does not allow me to go, signing the agreement will do no harm, it will only be the loss of the papers. You are mistaken if you think I have any thing to fear from the sultan of Youri; I am a servant of the king of England, and will receive assistance and protection whichever route I take.” He said he would send for his partner. His partner came, Malem Mohamed, or the learned Mohamed; a man that could not read or write, but could repeat a chapter or two of the Koran by heart. He was a palavering old rogue, who always repeated, to whatever the taya said, the words “_madealla, madealla_,”—“very good, very good,”—without giving any answer to what I asked. I told them, it did not require much consideration about the matter: this must be done, yes or no, before I see the sultan of Boussa; for if they did not determine whether they would take my things or not, I would go direct to Youri. The taya then said, how many loads would I have? I said, fifteen bullocks or asses; that I would pay him at Kano, the day after my arrival, as I could have what money I wanted from Hadji Hat Saleh on giving him a receipt, as I had no money here; (not wishing to let them know that I had a dollar here, as it might endanger my existence and that of all my property). “Well,” says he, “I know you can have what money you want from the merchants of Kano: I and my partner will consider of the affair to-night, and give you an answer to-morrow.” The taya returned with me to my encampment, and, to my surprise, told me that I must not let it be known that I was going to the Fellatas: “Say you are going to Bornou.” “So I am,” I said; “I have got a letter for the sheikh, which I will show you to-morrow.” When the taya left me, I began to think that what Yarro of Kiama had told me was true. When I asked him to go with the caravan, says he, “Are you a merchant? if you are, go with the caravan: if you are the king of England’s messenger, you have nothing to do with them; your way is to go from one king to another, not with caravans of merchants. You