86 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. LV. 
Kiikawa to Zinder, with a few exceptions, it had been 
my custom to proceed far in advance of the camels, 
with my horsemen, so that I used to arrive at the 
camping-ground before the greatest heat of the day 
had set in ; but, on account of the greater insecurity 
of the country, it now became necessary for me to 
pursue my march slowly, in company with my lug- 
gage train. 
The ground along our track, as we proceeded from 
Zinder, was undulating, with ledges or small ridges 
and isolated masses of granite boulders starting forth 
here and there ; but the country gradually improved, 
especially after we had passed a pond at the distance 
of about seven miles from the town, filling out a 
concavity or hollow, and fringed Avith wide-spreading 
trees and a fine plantation of cotton and tobacco, 
which were shaded by a few dtim palms. Thus we 
reached the village of Tyrmeni, lying at the border 
of a shallow vale and surrounded with a strong 
stockade. Here we fell in with a numerous body of 
Ikazkezan, mustering, besides a great many on foot, 
twelve or thirteen men well mounted on horseback, 
and thinking themselves strong enough, in their inde- 
pendent spirit, to pursue a contraband road along 
the border district between Daura and Katsena, in 
order to avoid paying any customs to the potentates 
of either. But the restless governor of Daura keeps 
a sharp look-out, and sometimes overtakes these daring 
smugglers. 
Near the village of Dambeda also, which- we 
reached after a march of two miles from Tyrmeni 
