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Chap. LIX. ZOGl'UMA AND ITS GOVERNOR. 219 
him a very decent-looking man of from fifty to sixty 
years of age, with almost European features, but with 
rather a melancholy expression of countenance. His 
residence had a very stately appearance, and surprised 
me not a little by its style of architecture, which ap- 
proached to the Gothic, although the fine and well- 
ornamented clay walls were only loosely held together 
by a framework of boards and branches. Presenting 
to him a red berniis of middling quality, a piece of 
muslin, a pair of razors, and some other trifles, I 
delivered to him the letter with which Khalilu had 
furnished me, and explained to him how the ruler of 
Gando had given me hopes of his being able to con- 
duct me safe to F6gha ; for the two horsemen whom 
I had with me, one from Gando and the other from 
Sokoto, were only of service as long as there was 
anything to eat and while there was no great danger. 
He received my address in the most cheerful manner, 
and informed me that there were two roads, one of 
them leading straight on through the midst of the 
forest from Zogirma to the town of Kalliul. This 
he said was the safest, though it was probably too 
difficult for my heavily-laden camels. The other, he 
added, was more convenient but very unsafe. He 
promised, however, that he would find trustworthy 
men to escort rae. 
Zogirma may contain from 7000 to 8000 inha- 
bitants ; but at that time it was suffering greatly from 
famine, on account of the war which had been raging 
for the last two years, between the Fiilbe conquerors 
