Chap. LV. 
LINE OF ROUTE. 
85 
way of Gazawa, was safer than that by Daura, the un- 
scrupulous governor of the latter province, under cover 
of his authority, which could not be withstood with a 
high hand, being apparently more to be feared than 
the highway robbers in the border wilderness, who by 
watchfulness and good arms might be kept at a re- 
spectful distance. But altogether this was a rather 
unfortunate circumstance for me, as I cherished the 
ardent desire of visiting the town of Daura, which, 
as I have explained on a former occasion, seems 
to have been the oldest settlement of the Hausa tribe, 
who appear to have been, from their origin, nearly 
related to the Berber family, — the Diggera, a section 
of that nation, being formerly entirely predominant 
in the territory of Daura. At that time, however, 
I entertained the hope that, on my return from the 
west, I might be enabled to visit the latter place ; but 
circumstances prevented me from carrying out my 
design. 
The whole country which we traversed on our way 
westward, besides being richly studded with fixed 
dwelling-places, was full of parties of A'sbenawa salt- 
traders, partly moving on, partly encamped and 
having their merchandise carefully protected by 
fences of corn-stalks. But although these people 
greatly contributed to the animated character of the 
landscape, yet their presence by no means added 
to the security of the country; and altogether my 
order of march became now a very different one from 
what it had been. Throughout my march from 
G 3 
