Saturday, 28th.—I was visited this morning by Sidi Sheik, Bello’s doctor, and one of his secretaries, who said he had a message from the sultan for me, which, on his delivery, certainly surprised me not a little, though I was cautious not to show him that I considered it as any thing but a thing of course. It was this, that the sultan had sent him to inform me that, by whatever road I might choose to return to England, he would send me, were it even by Bornou, if I should prefer that road; but that I should consider well before I decided upon that road, as he had to inform me that, when I was here two years ago, the Sheik of Bornou had written to him, advising him to put me to death; as, if the English should meet with too great encouragement, they would come into Soudan, one after another, until they got strong enough to seize on the country, and dispossess him, as they had done with regard to India, which they had wrested from the hands of the Mahometans: that Bello, however, had said, in reply, it would be a most disgraceful thing in him to cause an unprotected man to be put to death, and could only account for such conduct, on the part of the Sheik, after he himself had placed me under Bello’s protection, to seek a quarrel between him and the Sultan Bello.
I observed to Sidi Sheik, that it was certainly very extraordinary to me, that the Sheik El Kanemi should have written in such a manner; as he had ever behaved to me with the greatest kindness, both before I came to Soudan and on my return; and that, when I left Bornou for England, he had dismissed me with a handsome present, and the strongest expressions of friendship and regard. I added, that I must insist on seeing this extraordinary letter, and have a copy of it; but he said that Bello had sent the letter to Gondo, to his cousin Abdallah. I must positively see it, I rejoined; and also be allowed to take a copy of it before I leave this place; for I had a letter and presents from the king of England for the Sheik. I then asked him what other path the sultan proposed. He replied that he would place me under the protection of a maraboot, or holy man, who would safely conduct me to the sultan of Borgoo, and from thence I might pass to the northward, as far as the borders of the desert, and proceed along it until I came near to Foutoo Tora, from whence I could turn to the southward into a country that belonged to Bello, and which was inhabited by Fellatas, and not far from one of the English settlements. I told him it was a matter of serious consideration to me, as I had a sick servant at Kano, who was unable to travel; but, at all events, I must have the letter the Sheik of Bornou had sent to Bello.
I was very ill all day; but in the afternoon I paid a visit to Atego, Bello’s brother, and made him a present of a gilt chain and a pair of scissors, and a few cloves. His house being at some distance, I was so much fatigued I thought I should not live until the morning.
Sunday, 29th.—Saw the sultan this morning, who was sitting in the inner apartment of his house, with the Arabic copy of Euclid before him, which I had given to him as a present. He said that his family had a copy of Euclid brought by one of their relations, who had procured it in Mecca; that it was destroyed when part of his house was burnt down last year; and he observed, that he could not but feel very much obliged to the king of England for sending him so valuable a present. After a few general questions, I retired with the Gadado; and when we arrived at his house, and were seated, I again expressed my anxious desire that he would give me a copy of the letter which had been sent from the Sheik of Bornou, as it was of some importance to me to be guided as to my choice of the road I was to take on my return home. The Gadado said he was not aware of any letter having been sent; that it was very wrong in Sidi Sheik to have told me such a story; said he must have made a mistake; but, to relieve me from any uneasiness on that score, he would inquire into the truth, and let me know to-morrow.
Monday, 30th.—I had been so ill all night with the pain in my side that I had no rest whatever. At noon the Gadado came to say that he would go with me to the sultan. Though very ill, I went; and we were immediately shown into the apartment of the sultan, who was reading: but when we entered, he laid down his book, and began of his own accord about the letter. He observed, that a letter had certainly come to him, but not with the Sheik’s signature; that it appeared, however, the letter had been written, with the Sheik’s sanction, by that holy man Hadgi Mohamed Bootabli; and that he was desired to say I was a spy, and that he would not allow me to go beyond Soccatoo; hinting, at the same time, that it would be better I should die, as the English had taken possession of all India by first going there by ones and twos, until we got strong enough to seize upon the whole country. And thus ended our interview.
Tuesday, 31st.—I was much better this morning, and the swelling and pain in my side much less, a dose of calomel I took having done its duty; but I thought it advisable not to stir out all day. The sultan and Gadado sent to me to know how I was.
Wednesday, Nov. 1st.—Clear. Magaria is now increasing to a town of considerable size. Before, it was without shape or form; now, all the people from the villages, for a considerable distance around, have been ordered to live here; and the houses being properly arranged, each man’s cluster of huts being fenced round with matting, nearly all the vacant places are filled up with houses or enclosures for cattle. A new wall has been built, according to the present Goobur mode of fortifying a town; which is, to build a low wall, with a deep ditch outside, and to erect on the wall a stockade of rough stakes, firmly fixed in an upright posture, through the openings of which the people inside are enabled to shoot their arrows and fire muskets, when they have any. This new wall was not quite completed when I arrived; but as every man having a house in the town was to bear his part in the work, and every man of consideration who held office under the sultan was to superintend that part of it next to his residence, as well as to employ his slaves and servants in bringing wood and materials, the progress advanced rapidly.
This evening we had a courier from the nearest town in the province of Zamfra, bringing intelligence that Aleva, the rebel sultan of Goobur, had died by an arrow wound in his side, which he received when we made the attack. Whether this will have any effect in bringing about a reconciliation with Bello and them I know not.
Thursday, 2d.—Warm, with light flying clouds. The Juma, or place of worship, in Magaria, is only a temporary one. I have had several opportunities of seeing them at prayers, being only a square enclosure of matting, supported by stakes, and open on one side, which is to the east. The Iman, or priest, a head man, stands at a little distance in front, on his mat; the rest of the people in rows behind him. He repeats the prayer, and those behind him also repeating inwardly at the same time, and with the greatest regularity, in a kneeling posture, with their heads inclined.
I had a long visit from Prince Atego this morning, who was amazingly civil: at last it came out that he was afflicted with a disorder which he represented as being very common in this country. I recommended him to drink rice water in plenty, to refrain from pepper and strong spices, and not to visit his ladies too often, and to wear a hat when he rode out. I also gave him a dose of calomel, recommending him to use natron in his food.