Having selected an enormous present, we despatched Mr. Partarrieau to lay it before his majesty, and it was not until the 9th that he returned, having, in some measure, satisfied the avaricious appetite of the great man, who, however, still said much about receiving six bottles of gunpowder and a musket for each ass load; and insinuated that he had been informed we had loads composed entirely of gold and silver. Fresh demands were continually made, and we were not able, before the 13th, finally to settle with him. This was done by our giving him an order on the Gambia for one hundred and twenty bottles of gunpowder, twenty common guns and a blunderbuss. He came to see us in a friendly way, as he said, on the 14th, accompanied by a host of ministers, chiefs, &c., who all expected no doubt to receive something. On this occasion he appeared to be perfectly satisfied with what had been given him and his followers, and promised we should have a guide wherever we wished to move, and in whatever direction we pleased. This, however, we could not obtain until the 17th, and then he would not listen to our pursuing any route but that through Kasson, the chief of which country was his friend, which we knew to be the case, but we feared he was only too much so, and ready to put in execution any plan Almamy might devise to annoy and delay us, and ultimately frustrate the object we had in view. Notwithstanding Almamy’s having sent his nephew to procure supplies for us, since our arrival at Goodeerie we had been very scantily supplied with provisions, although large prices were offered, and men sent in all directions to collect corn, rice, or any kind of food that could be procured. A fine moor boy, about eight years of age, a slave, was sent us by the king, to purchase bullocks with, but hungry as we were we preferred remaining so, to eating that procured at the expense of liberty to a fellow-creature, who, from his horrified appearance, no doubt thought we were going to eat him. He spoke the language well, by which means we explained to him the happy change that had taken place in his situation, but he did not appear to believe it for some days. In some instances the princes and chiefs who flocked round us in hopes of receiving presents (and they invariably got something, but which was not as great as they either expected or could have wished), prevented the natives from bringing to market even the scanty supply which their reduced means at that time of the year would have enabled them to do.