143 DENHAM AND CLAPPERTON. 



This was another kingdom which the energy of tts present 

 fiultan had rescued from the yoke of the Fellata empire ; 

 and the strong position of its capital, enclosed by lofty ridges 

 of hills, had enabled it to defy repeated attacks. It consists 

 of a fine plain, bordered on the south by an immense and 

 almost interminable range of mountains. The eminences 

 directly in front were not quite so lofty as the hills of Cum- 

 berland, but bold, rocky, and precipitous, and distant sum- 

 mits appeared towering much higher, and shooting up a line 

 of sharp pinnacles resembling the needles of Mont Blanc. 

 It was reported, that two months were required to cross 

 their greatest breadth and reach the other side, where they 

 rose ten times higher, and were called large moon moun- 

 tains. They there overlooked the plain of Adamowa, 

 through which the QuoUa (or Niger) was said to flow from 

 the westward. The hills immediately in view were thickly 

 clustered with villages perched on their sides and even on 

 their tops, and were distinctly seen from the plain of Man- 

 dara. They were occupied by half-savage tribes, whom the 

 ferocious bigotry of the nations occupying the low country 

 branded as pagans, and whom they claimed a right to plun- 

 der, seize, and drive in crowds for sale to the markets of 

 Fezzan and Bomou. " The fires, which were visible in the 

 difierent nests of these unfortunate beings, threw a glare 

 upon iuC bold rocks and blunt promontories of granite by 

 which they were surroiindexl, and produced a picturesque 

 and somewhat awfiil appearance." A baleful joy gleamed 

 in the visage of the Arabs as they eyed these abodes of theix 

 future victims, whom they already fancied themselves 

 drivinor in bands across the Desert. A kerdy village to 

 plunder was all their cry, and Boo Khalloom doubted not 

 that he would be able to gratify their wishes. Their com^ 

 mon fear of the Fellatas had united the sultan of Mandara 

 in close alliance with the sheik, to whom he had lately mar- 

 ried his daughter ; and the nuptials had been celebrated by 

 a great slave-hunt among the mountains, when, after a 

 dreadful struggle, three thousand captives, by their tears 

 and bondage, furnished out the materials of a magnificent 

 marriage-festival. 



The expedition obtained a reception quite as favourable 

 as had been expected. In approaching the capital they 

 were met by the sultan with 5Q0 Mandara horse, who, 



