Niger

them down the river—days of such ease and peace
as they had not known since they left the Gambia,
and, indeed, were never to know again.
In a maze of little riverside halting-places and
villages, Mungo talked and debated with repre¬
sentatives of Mansong while September slipped to
its end. For he still refused to see them, though he
sent a friendly soul, Modibinne, his prime minister,
who accepted Mungo’s presents and lectured him
on the Good Life. He had met his match. Mungo
lectured him in return : they lectured each other
for hours, finding great satisfaction and soul-
comfort in the exercise. Then Mungo turned to
the commercial advantages which would accrue to
Bambarra with the establishment of a permanent
trade-route to the coast, undominated by the Moors.
Impressed, Modibinne returned to his master.
The expedition had halted at Samee. While they
awaited the return of Modibinne with Mansong’s
answer, two of the soldiers died, one of fever, the
other of dysentery. Mungo had now only four
soldiers, a carpenter, Martyn and Alexander, left
of that brave show which had wound out through
the woods from Pisania so long before. Imper¬
turbable, he ordered the two soldiers to be buried.
Then he turned to tend the ailing Alexander. The
latter showed no sign of recovery, lingering like a
pale ghost by Mungo’s side.
Not till September’s end did Mansong send
permission for Mungo to proceed down river to
Sansanding and there await a gift of canoes.
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