[Footnote 54: Excursion to the Westward of Mourzuk, p. xlvii., Denham and Clapperton.] [Footnote 55: Lucius Balbus Gaditanus, the conqueror of Cydamus (Ghadámes) as well as of Garama (Jerma), celebrated his triumph in the year 18 B.C. or A.U. 735. (Plin. N. H. l. v. c. 5.; Velleius Patercul. ii. 51.; Strabo, iii. 169.; Marmor Capitolin.) The names and pictures of the other nations and towns, which Balbus carried in his triumph (Plinius, l.c.), were evidently a mere show, comprising, most probably, all the information which he had been able to obtain of the interior.] CHAP. VII. RESIDENCE IN MURZUK. Unfortunately our stay in Múrzuk seemed likely to become a very long one, as the chiefs from Ghát, who were to take us under their protection, were not yet sent for; the courier with our letters, to which was added a missive from the acting governor, promising perfect security to the chiefs, did not set out till the 8th of May. No doubt, in order to visit Aïr, a country never before trodden by European foot, with any degree of safety, we wanted some powerful protection; but it was very questionable whether any of the chiefs of Ghát could afford us such, while the sending for them expressly to come to Múrzuk to fetch us would, of course, raise their pretensions very high, and in the same degree those of other chiefs whose territory we should enter hereafter. Be this as it may, this mode of procedure having been once adopted, the question arose, whether all three of us should proceed to Ghát; and it was decided, the very next day after our arrival, that the director of the expedition alone (Mr. Richardson) should touch at that place, in order to make, if possible, a treaty with the chiefs in that quarter, while Mr. Overweg and I were to proceed with the caravan by the southern route directly to the well Arikím, and there to await Mr. Richardson. Providentially, a man had been sent to act as mediator between us and the countries to which we were about to direct our steps. He had been recommended to us in the very strongest terms by Hassan Bashá, the former governor of Fezzán, whom we had frequently seen in Tripoli, and who knew something about the men of influence and authority in Negroland. This man was Mohammed Bóro, who, with the title Serki-n- turáwa, “Lord of the Whites,” resided generally in Ágades, but had also a house and many connections in Sókoto, and at present was on his home- journey from a pilgrimage to Mekka. It was a great pity that Mr. Gagliuffi, H.M.’s agent and our host, influenced I know not by whom, greatly underrated the importance of this man, and treated him with very little consideration. He was represented to us as an intriguer who, besides, arrogated to himself much more consequence than he was really entitled to—a man, in short, whose friendship was scarcely worth cultivating, at least not at any sacrifice.