lemen were by no means eager to take on the burden of his
protection, but Isaaco bade them know that the present which Mungo
Park had promised King Mansong, he (Isaaco) was commissioned to bring
to their King Dacha, his son. If they were determined to go without
him, they might do so; but whether he lived or died they should hear
of it at Sego. That fetched them. They were by no means pleased with
the picture Isaaco drew of their sufferings, and proceeded to save
themselves by saving him. As the King their master could simply eat up
the King of Bambarra and his army at one swallow, they commanded the
release of Isaaco and twenty men to conduct him on his way. At this
peremptory message, King Figuing Coroba found it politic to wake, and
summoned Isaaco to his presence. The latter obeyed, went through the
highest salutations, and proffered a tin box by way of asking: "Is it
peace?" But there was no sign of peace. The King suddenly lost his
temper, raged at the King of Sego, and, swearing he would seize
everything Isaaco possessed, hurled the tin box at his head. Isaaco
discreetly withdrew, while Sabila promised to pour oil on the troubled
waters. The next day Isaaco, not the least daunted, presented himself
with the aforesaid tin box and in addition a quantity of amber, and
gunpowder, and the horse Robert Ainsley had given him. Sabila was
bribed once more, and the King's singer was won over with a snuff-box.
At the sight of his share, the King's anger melted like wax, and he
not only gave Isaaco leave to depart that same day, but promised an
escort too.... Isaaco coolly answered that he was in no hurry and
would wait a day or two--an exhibition of nerve that quite astonished
the King. "You see," he said to Sabila, "Isaaco appears to be a
courageous man. If he had been of a weak-spirited mind, he would have
run away and left his things in my hands." To confirm his friendship,
the King called up the heir to the throne, and made him swear
protection to Isaaco, an oath which the Prince hinted should be
cemented by the gift of a _cousaba_ or shirt. But Isaaco delicately
replied that he had none quite clean enough to present. When he
returned to his own country, he swore to bring him a new one. So
Isaaco triumphed and returned to his own people, who were mourning him
as dead. Nor did he come empty-handed, for he met a man on the way who
wanted a priestly charm or amulet (_grisgris_). Isaaco scribbled an
Arabic prayer on a leaf a