The booty in slaves did not seem to have been very considerable, although the prince had been absent from home for six months; and the whole share of the sultan himself seemed to consist of about four hundred individuals. The sultan passed slowly through the town, along the principal road from the western gate, and, proceeding along the “déndal,” or “bokó,” entered his palace amid the acclamations of the people and the clapping of hands (the “kabéllo” or “tófaji,” as it is here called) of the women. [Illustration: Drawn by J. M. Bernatz, from a Sketch by Dr. Barth. M. & N. Hanhart, lith. et impt. MÁS-EÑA. return of the Sultan from the expedition.July 4th. 1852.] Although I had not yet paid my compliments to the bánga, he sent two messengers in the afternoon to bid me welcome. These messengers were the brother and son of one of the chief men of the country, with the title or name “Máina Beládemí,” who was a sort of consul of Bórnu, and was represented to me by all the people as one of the most intelligent men in the country. However, he had returned in a bad state of health, and, unfortunately for me, succumbed in a few days. I informed the messengers of the prince how badly I had been treated, when they assured me that the sultan did not know anything about it, and that as soon as he had received the news of my arrival he had forwarded orders to the lieutenant-governor to provide me with a milch-cow. The messengers then went away, and soon returned with a sheep, some butter, and a large supply of kréb, the seed of a sort of grass of which I have spoken on former occasions. The next morning I went to pay a visit to Máina, being accompanied by my old runaway guide Gréma ʿAbdú, who, after having left me to my own fate in Bákadá had gone to join the sultan in the expedition. However, the place where the sick man was lying was so dark that, convinced as I was of the seriousness of his illness, I found a pretext for not giving him any medicine; and this was very lucky for me, as his death, which took place a few days afterwards, would certainly have been attributed by these savage people to my remedies. The same evening I was informed that an express messenger had come from Kúkawa with despatches for me, the caravan from Fezzán having at length arrived. But having been repeatedly disappointed by similar reports, I did not give myself up to vain expectation, and passed a very tranquil night.