262 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Cha.p. LX. 
broad, about the relation of which to the neighbouring 
watercourses I am not quite certain. 
Champalawel is the residence of the governor of 
the T6robe ; but it was at that time in the utmost 
state of decay and almost deserted, the slight remains 
of the ramparts being almost hidden in a dense forest ; 
for since the decease of Moazu (a celebrated chieftain 
mentioned also in other accounts), who died about 
twenty years ago, the power of the Fiilbe in this 
place has greatly declined. The present governor, 
a younger brother of that energetic chieftain, him- 
self tolerably advanced in years, proved to be a very 
illiberal and unamiable man, and he would not even 
assign me quarters on my arrival ; so that I had 
the greatest trouble in taking possession of a miser- 
able little hut on my own account, while good shelter 
was very essential, as a great quantity of rain fell 
in the afternoon. However, all was changed when, 
towards evening, a cousin of the present gover- 
nor, of the name of 'Othman, arrived, and I then 
received a present of two sheep. I also had the 
great and unexpected pleasure of meeting here an 
Arab, of the name of Mohammed el Wakhshi, a near 
relative of my friend Bii-Bakr el Wakhshi, the Gha- 
damsi merchant whom I have mentioned repeatedly 
in the preceding part of my narrative. This man 
was then on his return from Gonja, the northern 
tributary province of Asanti, — the Giiro caravan 
having been induced, by the state of the country, to 
abandon its direct road from Yendi to Komba on the 
