76 
TRAVELS m AFRICA. 
Chap. LIV. 
mountain bearing the same name, and which we 
reached after a march of about two miles, was most 
charmingly situated, spreading out in several strag- 
gling groups on the slopes of the hills, and exhi- 
biting a far greater appearance of prosperity than 
Badamuni. It was highly interesting to take a peep 
on horseback at the busy scenes which the court- 
yards exhibited. Poultry was here in great abun- 
dance. 
While descending from the village, we crossed a 
beautiful ravine enlivened by a spring, and adorned 
by a few detached groups of date and deleb palms 
spreading their feathery foliage by the side of the 
diim palms. Leaving then a cotton plantation, 
stretching out where the ravine widened, we as- 
cended the higher ground, our route lying now 
through cultivated ground, at other times through 
forest ; and after a march of about fourteen miles, we 
crossed a kind of shallow vale, richly adorned with 
vegetation, and bordered towards the north by sandy 
downs, over which lies the direct route to Zinder. 
A little lower down this valley we passed a small 
village called Potoro, distinguished by the extent of 
its cotton plantations. Along the lower grounds a 
few date trees form a beautiful fringe to this little 
oasis ; here, also, springs seemed to be plentiful, and 
large ponds of water were formed. 
Four miles beyond this place we reached the wall 
of the town of Mirriya, which was beautifully adorned 
with large tamarind trees. This town had been once 
