I hoped that the camp would continue to approach nearer to the river; but I was informed that we were not going further westward. I was in a state of complete destitution; my clothes were in rags, and it was extremely unpleasant to me to live upon alms, as I had done since I came amongst the Moors. I wished to inform the governor of the Senegal of my condition, and to request assistance from him; but this I could not do without going to the mart. I communicated to my marabout the desire I felt to make this journey, assigning as a reason, that I wanted to get new clothes, and to send for my goods. He consented at first, but after a moment’s reflection, he proposed to conduct me to the king’s camp, where I might write, and whence I might send my letter by one of the sons of Moctar-Boubou, chief of Podor, who would bring back the goods. This plan did not suit me: I told him therefore that they would not deliver my goods to a messenger, that I must write to the settlement, and that I must moreover go myself to procure some clothing. He raised some additional obstacles, which were the result of suspicion. Perceiving the cause, I assured him that if he objected to my journey I would give it up, and I would rather renounce my goods entirely than do any thing to displease him. This inspired him with confidence, and he promised to provide me with the means of undertaking the journey, but it was only after much hesitation and tardiness on his part that I was enabled to set off on the 9th of March. The preparations for this journey did not occupy much time, but they were embarrassing, for I had no means of hiding my notes, the seeds which I had collected, and some mineral specimens which I wished to take with me. I bethought myself of borrowing from my marabout’s wife two leathern bags, which I told her were to hold the merchandise that I should bring back from the settlement; when I proposed to take my own, Fatme objected, and told me I should not want it; I took out some of my notes, and told her that all these papers were the inventory and receipts for my goods, so that they were indispensible for me to establish my claims; upon which she allowed me to take them. I put over them the bags she had lent me and a pagne, and when any body was inquisitive as to my baggage, I shewed them the bags and pagne, without letting them see the rest. On the 9th of March, at nine in the morning, I set off, accompanied by one of the sons of my marabout. Six miles to the west, we came to the marigot of Koundy, which I had passed eight months before with Boubou-Fanfale; we forded it and continued our journey through a thick wood, followed by a valley, magnificent from the vegetation of the plants by which it was bordered.