78 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. LIV. 
gravel, the rocks being entirely of sandstone, and 
intersected by numerous small watercourses, at pre- 
sent dry. This being the nature of the ground, the 
district was not very populous ; but we passed some 
villages which seemed to be tolerably well off, as they 
had cattle and poultry. 
Pursuing our north-westerly direction, we reached 
the town of Zinder, after a march of about nine miles 
and a half, and, winding round the south side of the 
town, which is surrounded by a low rampart of earth 
and a small ditch, entered it from the west. Passing 
then by the house of the sherif el Fasi, the agent of 
the vizier of Bornu, we reached the quarters which 
had been assigned to us, and which consisted of two 
clay rooms. Here I was enabled to deposit all my 
property in security, no place in the whole of Sudan 
being so ill famed, on account of the numerous confla- 
grations to which it is subjected, as Zinder. 
The situation of Zinder is peculiar and interesting. 
A large mass of rock starts forth from the area of 
the town on the west side, while others are scattered 
in ridges round about the town, so that a rich supply 
of water collects at a short depth below the surface, 
fertilizing a good number of tobacco-fields, and giving 
to the vegetation around a richer character. This 
is enhanced especially by several groups of date palms, 
while a number of hamlets, or zango, belonging to 
the Tawarek chiefs who command the salt-trade, and 
especially one which belongs to Liisu, and another to 
A'nnur, add greatly to the interest of the place. The 
