After resting myself under a tamarind-tree, I bought some milk and couscous. I went to see the chief of the village, who offered to conduct me to Merina, whither he was going, to ascertain the truth of certain rumours which were circulated, respecting a war between his country and the Peulhs.[8] I accompanied him, in spite of the fever which had not left me, and we arrived there at three in the afternoon. This village is about eighteen miles N.E. from N’pâl. We had still to travel through woods. I was extremely fatigued, and lay down in the shade of a hut into which I had been refused admission. The man, who had acted in the capacity of guide, came and informed me that two men would set out the same evening for Mall, and he advised me to seize this opportunity. He asked me if I could walk well at night, adding that it was as far from that place to Mall as it was from N’pâl to Merina; and he assured me that on the following day I should not meet with a guide. I determined therefore to accompany those whom chance offered me: I arranged with one of them to carry my baggage; he agreed to do so for two quires of paper and four heads or three leaves of tobacco; at sun-set we started. The direction we pursued was N.E. ¼ E. One of my guides was on horseback; we walked at a good pace. Travelling in the dark was very unpleasant; I ran so many thorns into my feet that I was unable to proceed, and I offered the negro who had the horse the same price to let me ride as I paid for carrying my baggage: the negro accepted it and made me get up behind. I found this position so inconvenient that I was as tired as if I had walked; my feet, however, became no worse. An hour before we reached the village, we entered some very fine fields of millet, which the moon-light enabled us to perceive. We reached Mall about one in the morning: at the noise made by the dogs on our approach, some of the inhabitants rose to enquire who we were. A good old marabout offered me his hut: my feet were so swollen and so painful that I could not stir a step: the negro lent me his arm, and kindly leading me in, told me to lie down on his humble bed. But for this attention of the humane old man’s, I should not have been able to prosecute my journey on the following day. Having extracted a great quantity of thorns from my feet, I thought myself capable of starting, when I was suddenly seized with a most violent pain in my left arm, which obliged me to halt that day and the 12th at this village. I saw the lake of Panieh-Foul or N’gher; it is at this part about a mile broad.