266 TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LX. 
traders, or fat&ki, in a spot clothed with the finest JPoa, 
and adorned with large wide-spreading trees. Ascend- 
ing then a little, we passed the village of Bangapelle on 
our left, situated at the eastern foot of an eminence, and 
then kept along the northern base of the latter, while 
on our right a dense forest spread out, broken by a 
rocky ridge. The whole wilderness through which 
our way led was in general very dry, and did not 
possess any fresh pasture-grounds, although about 
two miles beyond Bangapelle we passed a consider- 
able pond of water, with numerous traces of the 
elephant ; but gradually the country became more 
rocky, granite prevailing. We encamped, at length, 
on the site of a former hamlet, called Kofe, situated 
on a rising rocky ground, close to a depression, with 
water, and clothed with fine pasture interspersed with 
flowers, in whose sweet blossom* numerous butterflies 
were indulging. Here again the footprints of the 
elephant were extremely numerous ; but by far more 
interesting, and of much higher importance to me, 
were the traces of the rhinoceros, an animal which 
at present seems to be wanting entirely in the re- 
gions between the Niger on the west and the Sh&ri 
towards the east. Our rest at this place was greatly 
disturbed ; for after an alarm in the evenings which, 
fortunately for us, proved to be false, we were kept 
awake the whole night by a terrible thunder-storm, 
which broke out with great violence, and rendered 
our situation in the midst of a low swampy ground 
very uncomfortable indeed. 
