136 DENHAM AND CLAPPERTON. 



kept in the highest health and condition. The chief, Mina 

 Tahr, or the Black Bird, waited upon the party, and was 

 presented by Boo Khalloom with a coarse scarlet burnouse 

 and a tawdry silk caftan : these paltry dresses, being the 

 finest that had ever invested the person of this chieftain, 

 threw him into ecstasies of delight, which he continued for 

 hours to testify by joyful shouts and high leaps into the air. 

 Major Denham's watch singularly delighted him ; but solely, 

 as soon appeared, from the pleasure of seeing his own per- 

 son in the bright metallic case ; so that a very small mirror 

 was deemed still more precious. 



In this approach to the territory of Soudan the English 

 began to witness the exercise of mutual plunder between 

 the caravan and the natives. Every animal which straggled 

 from the main body was instantly carried oft' ; even a dog 

 had been eaten up, and only the bones left. A herald, 

 handsomely equipped, who had been sent forward to the 

 sultan of Bornou, was found stripped, and tied naked to a 

 tree. On the other hand, no sooner did the caravan come 

 in view of any village than the inhabitants were descried on 

 the plain beyond in full flight with all their effects. The 

 Arabs pursued, in indignation only, as they pretended, at 

 not being allowed to purchase what they wanted ; but the 

 conduct of the poor natives was evidently the result of long 

 experience ; and Major Denham saw executed on one party 

 the most rapid process of plunder he ever witnessed. In a 

 few seconds the camels were eased of their loads, and the poor 

 women and girls stripped to the skin. Boo Khalloom, on this 

 and other occasions, interposed, and insisted on restitution ; 

 but whether he would equally have done so without the 

 urgent remonstrances of the English appears to be doubtful. 



The expedition, now advancing rapidly, entered Kanem, 

 the most northern province of Bornou, and soon arrived at 

 Lari, a town of two thousand inhabitants, composed of 

 clusters of rush-huts, conical at top, and looking like well- 

 thatched corn-stacks. This place formed a remarkable 

 stage in their progress ; for, from the rising ground in front 

 of it was seen stretching out the boundless expanse of the 

 great interior sea of Africa, the lake Tchad, " glowing with 

 the golden rays of the sun." Major Denham, who saw 

 here the key to his grand scheme of discovery, hastened 

 down to the shores of tliid mighty water. These were 



