Having also asked to see my telescope, which of course could only increase their surprise and astonishment, they then, after a great deal of beckoning and whispering among each other, which made me feel rather uneasy, requested to see the book in which I wrote down everything I saw and heard. Without hesitation I took out my memorandum-book and showed it to them; but I had first to assert its identity. In order to allay their suspicions, I spontaneously read to them several passages from it which referred to the geography and ethnography of the country; and I succeeded in making them laugh and become merry, so that they even added some names where my lists were deficient. They then begged me to allow them to take the book to the sultan; and I granted their request without hesitation. This frankness of mine completely baffled the intrigues of my enemies, and allayed the suspicions of the natives; for they felt sure that, if I had any evil intention in writing down an account of the country, I should endeavour to do all in my power to conceal what I had written. Thus they departed, carrying with them my journal; and I was informed afterwards that the sultan had then sent for all the learned men in the town, in order to hear their opinion upon my book. And it was perhaps fortunate for me that the principal among them was my friend Sámbo, who, being well acquainted with my scientific pursuits, represented my notes as a very innocent and merely scientific matter. My journal, which no one was able to read, was consequently returned to me uninjured. In the afternoon my friend Sámbo called upon me, and related to me the whole story: he also informed me that the only reason why I had not obtained an audience with the sultan this day was the above-mentioned letter of the sheikh of Bórnu, which had in a certain degree offended their feelings of independence; and in fact I did not obtain an audience until the 8th. [Sidenote: July 8th.] I had just sent word to Sámbo, begging him to hasten my departure, and had received a visit from some friends of mine, when Gréma ʿAbdú came, with a servant of the sultan, in order to conduct me into his presence, whereupon I sent to Sámbo, as well as to my host Bú-Bakr of Bákadá, who was just then present in the town, inviting them to accompany me to the prince. On arriving at the palace, I was led into an inner courtyard, marked _d_ in the ground-plan, where the courtiers were sitting on either side of a door which led into an inner apartment, the opening or doorway of which was covered by a “kasár” or, as it is called here, “párpara,” made of a fine species of reed, as I have mentioned in my description of the capital of Logón. In front of the door, between the two lines of the courtiers, I was desired to sit down, together with my companions.