They received visits from all the principal people of Mourzouk, the day after their arrival, and remarking a very tall Turiack, with a pair of expressive, large, benevolent looking eyes, above the black mask, with which they always cover the lower part of their face, hovering about the door, Major Denham made signs to him to come near, and inquired after Hateeta, the chief, of whom Captain Lyon had spoken so highly, and for whom at his request, he was the bearer of a sword.  To the great surprise of Major Denham, striking his breast, he exclaimed, “I am Hateeta, Are you a countryman of Said? (Captain Lyon’s travelling name,) How is he?  I have often longed to hear of him.”  Major Denham found that Hateeta had been but once in Mourzouk, since the departure of Captain Lyon, and was to remain only a few days.  On the following morning, he came to the house, and the sword was presented to him.  It would be difficult to describe his delight, he drew the sword and returned it repeatedly, pressed it to his breast, exclaimed, Allah!  Allah! took the hand of Major Denham, and pressing it, said, katar heyrick yassur yassur, (thank you very, very much,) nearly all the Arabic he could speak.  It was shortly reported all over the town, that Hateeta had received a present from Said, worth one hundred dollars.

They had been several times visited, and their hopes and spirits raised by a person called Boo Bucker, Boo Khaloom.  He said that it was in the sultan’s power to send them on to Bornou, if he pleased, he even hinted that a bribe for himself might induce him to do so; this, however, was found not to be the case.  Boo Khaloom was represented to them, and truly, as a merchant of very considerable riches and affluence in the interior.  He was on the eve of starting for Tripoli, with really superb presents for the bashaw.  He had five hundred slaves, the handsomest that could be procured, besides other things.  He stated in secret, that his principal object in going to Tripoli, was to obtain the removal of the sultan of Fezzan, and he wished that they should make application to the bashaw, for him to accompany them further into the interior; they were not, however, to hint that the proposition had come from him.  Boo Khaloom said, that he should be instantly joined by upwards of one hundred merchants, who waited for his going, and no further escort would be necessary; that he should merely remain a few weeks in Tripoli, and on his return they should instantly move on.

Boo Khaloom left Mourzouk for Tripoli with his slaves and presents, loading upwards of thirty camels, apparently reconciled to, and upon good terms with the sultan.  It was, however, very well known, that Sultan Mustapha had set every engine at work to have Boo Khaloom’s head taken off, on his arrival at Tripoli, and that the other was willing to sacrifice all that he was worth to displace and ruin Mustapha in the bashaw’s favour.