ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the letters of Alexander Gordon Laing to Hanmer Warrington. In 1826, with the Fulani of Massina about to seize the town, was no time for any stranger to visit Timbuktu, and for a Christian it was courting disaster. Gordon Laing's resolution was matched by the kindness of his host, whose influence ensured for him a friendly welcome to Timbuktu and the same disinterested help and advice. Rene Caillie, who arrived in Timbuktu in April 1828, naturally enquired about Laing, but travelling as a Moslem and fearful of his disguise being discovered, he was unable to make exhaustive enquiries for fear of arousing suspicion of his too being a Christian. He attributed the kindliness shown to Laing by the people of Timbuktu to the cosmopolitan character of the commercial community. The Sheikh of Timbuktu was said to have entrusted Laing to his care. They travelled in company with a caravan of Arabs who were probably bound for Morocco.
