Ok, update, found the original context, "The book of travels in Africa : from the earliest ages to the present time", 1847, p. 210 -211
"From Major Denham's Journal of his residence during the rainy reason at Kouka, we extract an anecdote of an English- man employed by the sheikh.
" Hillman had been for a long time employed in making a gun-carriage for a four-pounder, which the sultan of Fezzan had formerly brought as a present to the sheikh : the scarcity of iron, the awkwardness of the ..... blacksmiths, and clumsiness of their work when finished, were so distressing to the correct eye of an English shipwright, that even after the carriage was completed — and considering the means he had, it was very well done — Hillman was far from being satisfied with his work : not so, however, the sheikh. We took it to him this afternoon, and he was greatly pleased and surprised at the facility with which its elevation could be increased or decreased : both this and the wheels were subjects of great wonder. During the work, on several occasions, the sheikh had sent Hillman presents of honey, milk, rice, wheat, and sweet cakes, all of which he had shared with his companions. On one occasion, after he had finished a large chair, which pleased the sheikh excessively, he sent him a bag of gubbuk (money of the country ) this, after inquiring what it was, he returned with the true and honest pride of an English seaman, saying, ' No ! the king of England pays me — I don't want that ; but I am much obliged to the sheikh, nevertheless.'"
