HOMEWARD BOUND 295 



lodged in a rest-house, surrounded by other white men's 

 bungalows, a couple of miles away from the native 

 town ; and thence we went one afternoon, our only one, 

 to visit the market, which we believed to be the big- 

 gest emporium of Northern Nigeria. Semi-civilisation 

 had made it uninteresting. Many of the articles for 

 sale were either imported or made in imitation of white 

 men's goods, and they were all excessively dear. It 

 may have been the contrast from what we had seen 

 that made this famous place seem hackneyed and dull, 

 or perhaps a revulsion of feeling now that our journey 

 was at an end, united to anxiety for the over-fatigue 

 of our patient. Anyway, we were not called upon to 

 prolong our stay. The railway had been opened 

 on March 31. We arrived on April 8, and a con- 

 struction train was to leave for Zungeru on the 10th. 

 It was with infinite joy that we took passage on it, for 

 the tornado season had already begun, and the first 

 heavy rain was expected to wash away the line. We 

 were given the use of a luggage- van, where we erected 

 a bed for Mr Talbot and chairs for ourselves, while 

 the little lions ran loose about the floor. Poor little 

 fellows, they were frightened at the noise and shaki- 

 ness, and rushed ceaselessly from end to end of the 

 van, jumping up and trying to get out, every now and 

 again seeking consolation for a second on our knees. 

 There were no windows, of course, and we could not 

 leave the doors open, for the cubs would have got out, 

 so we ourselves were simply stifled. The sun baked 

 through the wooden roof till the van became an oven, 

 and for ten hours on end we sat and suffered. The 

 train was run by white engine-drivers, though it is 

 hoped that black men may soon be able to do the work. 



