few months after, coming from Fezzan, in company with a large kafH6 of merchants, bringing slaves, when, in a part of the mountains, in which they conceived there was no chance of encountering these people, they, to their great dismay, were seized and conducted to the chief, in full conviction that they should be murdered, and their slaves and goods distributed amongst the captors ; when, fortunately, one of the party stepped forward, and suddenly recognised his deliverer. The scene was immediately changed: eighteen sheep, as many goats, and some cows were killed, and the whole kaffle feasted for three days ; their goods and their slaves were returned to them, and they were suffered to depart. O n our return to Tripoli, we understood that it was not the intention of the Bashaw to send, as he at first had given out, a force with Mukni, into the interior. The latter was to be attended only by his own followers ; and we were desired to hold ourselves in readiness to accompany him in a few days. In consequence of this, Mr. Ritchie caused a variety of food, appropriate for a journey on the Desert, to be provided. He bought Gerbas, or water skins; and in fact, made every necessary preparation. Owing to the lowness of his funds, he wrote to Lord Bathurst, soliciting a further supply ; and I drew money, on my own account, which I gave him for our general use. For some articles which Mr. Ritchie procured for Mukni, from Malta, he became our debtor to the amount of 300 dollars, which were to be paid us on his arrival in Fezzan. On this small sum, and not knowing when or how we were to procure more, was our journey to be undertaken. Our camels were paid for in advance ; but other expenses, which were unavoidable, would, we had no doubt, extend far beyond our narrow limits. The allowance of ^§2000, which was made to Mr. Ritchie, had already been expended, in buying Merchandize, Instruments, Arms, &c. and otherwise making provision for the welfare of the Mission ; but the merchandize was selected in England, and unfortunately was such as could be of little utility in the interior, of which circumstance we were not aware until too late ; for, with the exception of cutlery, we had, in fact, nothing which would sell. We had Beads and looking-glasses in abundance; but neither of these articles were of the kind most in request amongst the Negroes, who, we learnt, were as much wedded to fashion, as the inhabitants of more civilized countries. Such was the inauspicious state of our affairs, when we entered on our hazardous journey, determined at all events, that, however unpromising in its commencement, its failure should not be attributed to our want of zeal in the service we had undertaken. On the 18th March, the Bashaw held a public audience; and Mukni, in presence of the British consul, as well as ourselves, pledged himself to assist us in all our difficulties.
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