UP THE GONGOLA RIVER TO ASHAKA 159 



side he dropped down into the valley, where Wiiyo is situated. 

 Here he found an absolutely different country, peopled by 

 the civihsed Tera pagans instead of the various Yam- Yam 

 tribes. Here was plenty of food and ripe corn, and a big 

 thriving town inside a mud wall. The king gave him a 

 great welcome and all the people crowded round him. A 

 present of a sheep, two goats, and six calabashes of " chop " 

 for the carriers was the royal gift to him. Gosling's first 

 care was to have all his things out of his boxes to dry, for 

 there had been a tremendous storm in the early hours of the 

 morning before he had started, and in spite of a deep trench 

 which he had dug all round it, his tent was 6 in. deep in 

 water and his boots were floating about like boats. 



In the town there were about 400 inhabitants of the Tera 

 tribe with a small sprinkhng of Kanuri and Hausas. They 

 do a good deal of farming and grow indigo and cotton besides 

 the usual corn-crops, mealies and gourds. They appeared 

 to be Hving a life of peace and plenty from the fruits of the 

 earth, doing no trading nor hunting in the bush, and weaving 

 their cotton into cloth for themselves. The town is situated 

 on low, rocky bush-covered hills. It is surrounded by a 

 10 ft. wall, thin and dilapidated and loop-holed for arrow- 

 firing. There are four gates. The country to the north- 

 west presents a grand view towards a long mountain of 

 clean-cut rock. Gosling was the third white man ever seen 

 to pass the place, and about the first to stop and camp. 

 Consequently there was great excitement and curiosity 

 among the people, who had to be kept back by some of the 

 king's servants. The king's wives spent the whole of the day 

 staring at him over the palace wall ! Many of the Tera 



