. 166 DENHAM AND CLAPPERTON. 



the tidings spread, girls left their pitchers at the wells, the 

 market people threw dov^n their baskets, and an immense 

 crowd was assembled. The ring being formed, and drum* 

 beat, the performers first came forward singly, plying their 

 muscles like a musician tuning his instrument, and each 

 calling out to the bystanders, — " I am a hyena ; I am a lion ; 

 I can kill all that oppose me." After about twenty hai 

 shown off in this manner, they came forward in pairs, weai' 

 ing only a leathern girdle, and with their hands muffled w^ 

 in numerous folds of country cloth. It was first ascertained 

 that they were not mutual friends ; after which, they closed 

 with the utmost fury, aiming their blows at the most mortal 

 parts, as the pit of the stomach, beneath the ribs, or under 

 the ear ; they even endeavoured to scoop out the eyes ; so 

 that, in spite of every precaution, the match often termi- 

 nated in the death of one of the combatants. Whenever 

 Mr. Clapperton saw the aflfair verging to such an issue, he 

 gave orders to stop ; and, after seeing six pairs exhibit, 

 paid the hire and broke up the meeting. 



From Kano he set out under the guidance of Mohammed 

 Jollie, leader of an extensive caravan intended for Sackatoo, 

 capital of the sultan of the Fellatas. The country was 

 perhaps the finest in Africa, being under high cultivation, 

 diversified with groves of noble trees, and traversed in a pic- 

 turesque manner by ridges of granite. The manners of 

 the people, too, were pleasing and pastoral. At many clear 

 springs gushing from the rocks young women were drawing 

 water. As an excuse for engaging in talk, our traveller 

 asked several times for the means of quenching his thirst. 

 " Bending gracefully on one knee, and displaying at the 

 same time teeth of pearly whiteness, and eyes of the blackest 

 lustre, they presented a gourd, and appeared highly de- 

 lig'ited when I thanked them for their civility, remarking to 

 one another, ' Did you hear the white man thank me V " 

 But the scene was changed when the traveller reached the 

 borders of the provinces of Goober and Zamfra, which 

 were in a state of rebellion against Sackatoo. The utmost 

 alarm at that moment prevailed; men and women, with 

 their bullocks, asses, and camels, all struggled to be fore- 

 most, every one crying out, " Wo to the wretch that fallei 

 behind ! he will be sure to meet an unhappy end at tht; 

 hands of the Gooberites." There was danger even of being 



