One evening, on my return from Baquelle, where I had gone to procure some beads from the French merchants for the purchase of provisions, I found at the camp a messenger from Almamy to request my immediate attendance at Boolibany, where he had some business of such importance to communicate that he could not entrust it with any of his people.
What this might have been I could not readily imagine, but from some words that escaped from the messenger, I was inclined to think it was some information he had received concerning Mr. Dochard, and which appeared the more likely, as at that very time a large coffle of travelling merchants with slaves arrived at the capital from Sego.
My anxiety for Mr. Dochard’s safety, added to an intention I had of proposing to Almamy to be allowed to remove my camp to Baquelle, induced me to obey the summons without delay, but my surprise and disappointment may be more easily conceived than I can possibly express, when, on being admitted into the royal presence, where were assembled all the ministers, chiefs, &c., Almamy told me that I must, without delay, remove my camp from Samba Contaye to the capital, where, as he was in daily expectation of the arrival of the Kartan army, I would be more secure under his own protection than I possibly could be elsewhere.
Although I must acknowledge that this speech conveyed to my mind a very different idea from that which he intended it to do, I nevertheless endeavoured to hide any effect it might have had on the expression of my countenance, and, at the same time that I thanked him for his consideration for my safety, expressed a wish, in apparent good humour, to be allowed to remain where I was; as it would put me to much inconvenience indeed, both to remove my baggage which was then all open, and to form a new camp which would probably not be finished before Mr. Partarrieau would return from the coast.
In answer to these remonstrances on my part, he said that he would afford me every assistance I might require, both in removing my baggage and forming a new camp, if I did not wish to take up my quarters within the walls of the town, where I should be accommodated with as much room as I might want.
This I decidedly objected to, from a conviction that I would find much difficulty in again getting out of it, and was about making some further objections to the move he proposed, or rather dictated, when he ordered me to leave him, and, in a very angry tone indeed, said he would take no excuse whatever, as if I did not immediately comply, he would force me to it.
A refusal at that moment would have been highly imprudent as I was in his power, and which he said he should exercise by keeping me where I was until I should write to my head man at Samba Contaye, and direct him to join me without delay with all the men and baggage. This I positively refused to do, but, as the only means left in my power of getting out of his hands, I promised to comply with his wishes of moving my camp, on condition that he should allow me to return there immediately to make the necessary preparations. To this he made some objections, but finding I was determined not to comply on any other terms, he at length consented, adding, however, that I should be accompanied by a strong detachment to enforce the fulfilment of the promise I had made. This surprised me much indeed, as in all our former transactions he had implicitly relied on my word; but I must acknowledge in this instance I did not purpose keeping it, as I had formed a determination to make a forced march to Baquelle the night of my return to the camp, and thereby put it out of Almamy’s power to serve me such a trick again. But he was too well aware of the advantage he now possessed over me to trust any longer to my word, and therefore had recourse to the most efficacious means of forcing me to compliance.
I really cannot give an idea of the state of my mind during the remainder of that night; suffice it to say that, for the first time since leaving the coast, I began to suspect treachery, and a predetermination on the part of Almamy and his chiefs to oppose our further progress. I still however had hopes, faint ones indeed, that time, patience, large presents, and explanatory conversation with Almamy in private, would obtain the desired permission to proceed eastward.
The following morning, after waiting nearly an hour for his highness Saada, who undertook to carry Almamy’s orders into effect, we left Boolibany, accompanied by a party of about one hundred horse and foot, which augmented at every village we passed through. When about half way, Saada, who complained much of being fatigued from the heat of the sun!!! halted, and wished me to follow his example, to which, as I would not consent, he sent forward some of his party with me.
Two days were spent in the preparations necessary for the march, which we commenced at five o’clock in the morning of the 13th of February. We halted that night at Gamby, and reached the capital the following morning at half after eight. Almamy, who, with some of his train, came out to meet us, wished us to enter the town and remain there, as he said, till huts could be prepared for us; but, as I would not listen to his proposal under any pretence whatever, he proceeded with me to select a site for our camp convenient to water. A little eminence, the summit of which was shaded by a large tamarind tree, and within a few yards of some wells, west of the town, from which it was distant about two musket shots, offered more advantages than any other spot around Boolibany. We therefore, having unloaded the animals, and arranged the baggage under the tree, commenced, on the following morning, to surround our post with a strong fence of stakes and thorny bushes, which, with our huts and the addition of a new well about fifteen feet deep, we completed in a few days; during which his majesty paid me some visits, and made us a present of a bullock, asking, however, in return, a piece of baft to make a dress which was double its value.