106 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
€hap. LVI. 
The first day we made only a short march of 
about three miles, to a village called Kabakawa, 
where the ghaladima had taken up his quarters. I 
had scarcely dismounted, under a tree at the side 
of the village, when my protector called upon me, and 
in a very friendly manner invited me, urgently, to 
take up my quarters inside the village, stating 
that the neighbourhood was not quite safe, as the 
G6berawa had carried away three women from this 
very village the preceding day. I, however, pre- 
ferred my tent and the open air, and felt very little 
inclination to confide my valuable property, on which 
depended entirely the success of my enterprise, to the 
frail huts, which are apt to catch fire at any moment ; 
for while I could not combat against nature, I had 
confidence enough in my arms, and in my watchful- 
ness, not to be afraid of thieves and robbers.* 
In the afternoon the ghaladima came out of the 
hamlet, and took his seat under a neighbouring tree, 
when I returned his visit of the morning, and en- 
deavoured to open with him and his companions a 
free and unrestrained intercourse ; for I was only too 
happy to get out of the hands of the lawless governor 
of Katsena, who, I felt convinced, would not have 
been deterred by any scruples from possessing him- 
self of my riches : indeed he had gone so far as to 
tell me that, if I possessed anything of value, such 
as pistols handsomely mounted, I should give them 
to him rather than to the sultan of S6koto, for that 
* The wells here were eight fathoms. 
