294 CHIEFS & CITIES OF CENTRAL AFRICA 



good-naturedly begged us to have pity on him. Though 

 degraded from any connection with us, we allowed him 

 to accompany our escort to Kano, and he was thus 

 saved from public humiliation. 



Roof in Fulani House at Gaiya, near Kano. 



Since leaving the fortress-hills the scenery had been 

 uninteresting, though at Dusi, in the Kano province, 

 we passed over ridges that were beautiful in their 

 rocky bareness, and the neighbouring hamlets, clus- 

 tered round huge boulders for shelter and defence, 

 were picturesque. Once or twice the still pools of 

 some placid rivulet, the drinking- place of birds and 

 beasts, surrounded by brilliant green grass and foliage, 

 lent a variety that was refreshing after the drabs and 

 browns of the plain ; and once a forest of borassus 

 palms, with an undergrowth of sweet-scented flowers 

 like syringas, broke the monotony. 



It was with great relief that we arrived at Kano, for 

 the march had thoroughly exhausted Mr Talbot. We 



