Bayla’s men, who appeared more taken up with searching the tents, and every thing else they could lay their hands on, in hopes of finding money, as they call it, than with the departure of the mission, wished me to follow Mr. Partarrieau’s steps, which I would willingly have done could I have prevailed on even one of them to accompany me. But the hope they entertained of finding some valuables in the camp, was too sanguine to admit of their leaving it; in consequence of which I declined doing so, as I was not only ignorant of the path, but aware that the inhabitants of the first village I might come to, finding me unattended by any of Bayla’s people, would stop me, and most probably treat me worse than he had done. I therefore proposed our immediate return to Samba Jamangele, where I should endeavour so to arrange matters with Bayla, as to obtain from him permission to proceed, and guides to conduct me to Baquelle. It was some time before I could prevail on these people to return with me, they were so absorbed in their work of plunder, but that, not turning out as well as they expected, they gave up with much apparent disappointment. On our return to Samba Jamangele, a man was sent to acquaint Bayla with what had taken place, and to request, at my desire, that he would come without delay to arrange matters for my departure and that of my men. He called on me in the evening on his return from Fadgar, whither he had gone to secure such things as were left behind by Mr. Partarrieau, and promised that he would appoint people to conduct us on the following morning to Baquelle, where he had been told, that Mr. Partarrieau with the whole party had arrived in safety. In this, as in all other instances of promises made by this man, I was disappointed, but to which, from its almost daily occurrence, I was become nearly insensible. I saw nothing of him until a very late hour on the night of the 20th June, when, by means of a small present of two gold rings which I had with me, and the promise of a few other things by the return of the man he should send with me to Baquelle, I induced him to name a person for that purpose, and to fix the following morning for our departure. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 20: For the form of agreement and amount of presents, see Appendix, Articles 6 and 7.] [Footnote 21: Article 7, Appendix.] [Footnote 22: Article 9, Appendix.] [Footnote 23: Article 10, Appendix.] [Footnote 24: Properly called Siacco.] CHAPTER XI. Description of the Plain of Hourey — Occurrences there — Departure and Arrival at Baquelle — Unfavourable Accounts from Mr. Dochard — Kingdom of Galam.