Chap. LVII. ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY. 
167 
which inundates and fertilizes the neighbouring 
grounds during the rainy season, so that the peo- 
ple are able to raise, besides two species of yams, 
namely gwaza and rogo, a good deal of tobacco and 
cotton. Beyond, a wide open plain spreads out, 
covered with the plant 4 1 kakma," which looks very 
much like aghul (Hedysarum Alhaggi). But the 
whole of this ground so near the capital is now very 
unsafe under the weak rule of 'Aliyu, and exposed 
to continual inroads of the energetic G6berawa ; and 
a few days later the village of Salame itself was ran- 
sacked by the enemy, and a good many slaves carried 
off. The more desperate the condition of the country 
was, the more remarkable appeared to me the out- 
ward show of dominion which was maintained ; in 
proof of this I may state that the very day we 
received the news of a new outbreak of the general 
mutiny of the native tribes, the tribute from the 
provinces of Kano and Zariya entered the town. 
A highly interesting and delightful inter- Wednesday> 
ruption to my protracted and involuntary A P nl20th - 
stayinWurno was caused by an excursion which I made 
to Sokoto. The first part of this road I had already 
become acquainted with on a former ride, which had 
extended as far as Dankemu ; but at that period, being 
more intent upon inhaling the fresh air than upon 
laying down the country, I had not paid much atten- 
tion to the extensive cultivation of rice which is going 
on in this valley, while on this occasion the features 
of the country, and in particular this branch of cul- 
M 4 
