As nothing but the common routine of a formal visit of ceremony could, consistent with their customs, take place at the first interview, even had the king been _compos mentis_, we were obliged to take our leave without anything more having been said as to the terms on which we might expect his protection. Modiba, however, told us he would take care that no rum should be drank by Mansa[9] in the morning, previous to our seeing him, and requested we would shew him the present we intended to give; which we promised to do, when it could be prepared. During the night, one of the natives made an attempt to steal something from one of the tents, and would have succeeded, had not Sergeant Major Lee, observing the bale stirring, fired in the direction, but I believe without effect. This served, at least, to deter others from a similar attempt. Having selected the present, consisting of amber, coral, bafts blue and white, silver, guns, &c., in all amounting to upwards of five hundred bars, thirty pounds sterling, and submitted them to the inspection of Modiba, who appeared to be pleased with them, we waited on the king on the morning of the 4th, and were shewn into the inner inclosure of the palace, which was, if any thing, more filthy than the rest of the town. Here we found him seated on a lion’s skin, to which were attached a number of grigris, under the shade of a miserable hovel in the shape of a balcony, outside the door of his bed-room, surrounded by four or five of his head men or ministers; and, notwithstanding Modiba’s promise to the contrary, the rum bottle had been in use, to what extent we cannot say, but he, on this occasion, favoured us with his conversation, asking several questions about our country, the Expedition, its object, &c.; all which we answered as briefly and explicitly as possible. When the present was laid before him, he condescended to smile at the amber, but on looking at the dollars and coral for some time, with an air of the greatest indifference, he said something to his own people, and told us that he would not accept of so trifling an offer from such great men, particularly as he had been told we had given more to the king of Katoba, whom he looked on as a very petty chief indeed. Modiba said much to induce him to take it, but to no effect. We therefore returned to the camp leaving him, great as was his avarice, paying more attention to the rum bottle than what had been going forward.