On the 20th, a messenger was despatched with small presents to Almamy and the men in authority about him, and to advise him of our approach. He was accompanied by a young chief, one of the prince’s suit, likewise the bearer of a message to the king from his brother. Finding it impossible, with the assistance of all the carriers we could procure, to move the whole of our baggage with any degree of regularity or safety, we decided on abandoning our two small field guns, with their shot and grape, and, having buried them about three feet beneath the surface, we made a fire, to conceal where the ground had been broken. By this means we got rid of three very heavy loads. Captain Campbell thought it better to dispose of them in that way than to make a present of them to Almamy, for although it was not likely he could make any use of them, yet the very circumstance alone of possessing such destructive engines, and of having received them from us, might induce those nations with whom he occasionally wages war (and through which we were likely to travel), to entertain unfavourable opinions of us. When about to move on the forenoon of the 20th, the prince commenced a long palaver with Captain Campbell on the subject of our proceeding without giving him previous notice. It had never been done; and why he should have expected it on this occasion, was no less matter of surprise than his haughty language and deportment. After much conversation, little of which was relevant to the question, he consented to our moving, which we did at four, P.M., and ascending a steep hill, so closely covered with cane that we had more difficulty in passing it than any former part of our path, the dry leaves of the cane with which it was covered, rendered the ground so slippery, that the men with difficulty kept their feet; and that nothing might be wanting to complete our confusion, the Foolahs set fire to the dry grass and roots, in which the place abounded. We fortunately escaped without any injury, save the loss of two asses that lay down unable to move further. It was dark when we began to descend the eastern side of the hill, which, from the animals frequently falling, occupied two hours. We reached the Poosa, a small stream, at eleven, P.M., and encamped on its banks. Our want of the means of conveyance was every day, nay every hour, becoming more distressing; carriers could not be procured for all the loads of the animals that died or were abandoned; we therefore destroyed two of our tents and a large quantity of flints and musket balls.