Chap. LIV. Ml'RRIYA, A FAVOURED LOCALITY. 77 
a large place, and the capital of the whole western 
province of Bornu. But when the town of Zinder 
was founded, about twenty- five years previously, by 
SKmdn the father of the present governor Ibrdrn, 
Mirriya began to decline, and the chief of this terri- 
tory fell into a certain degree of dependence upon 
the governor of Zinder. At the north side of the 
town there is an extensive district cultivated with 
cotton and wheat, and irrigated likewise by springs 
which ooze forth from the sandy downs; besides a 
few date trees, a group of slender feathery -leaved 
gonda overshadowed the plantation, and gave it an 
uncommonly attractive character. Having proceeded 
in advance of my camels, which had followed for 
some time another path, I had to wait till long after 
sunset before they came up, and, while resting in the 
open air, received a visit from the governor of the 
town, who, in true Hausa fashion, arrived well dressed 
and mounted, with a numerous train of men on horse- 
back and on foot, singing men, and musicians. 
This was to be the day of my arrival in Saturday, 
Zinder — an important station for me, as I December 25th - 
had here to wait for new supplies, without which I 
could scarcely hope to penetrate any great distance 
westward. 
The country was more open than it had been the 
preceding day ; and the larger or smaller eminences 
were entirely isolated, with the exception of those 
near Zinder, which formed more regular chains. 
The ground consisted mostly of coarse sand and 
