282 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXI. 
nating ; and altogether the forest exhibited a fresh 
and pleasant character, especially as the sun had at 
length broken through the clouds which had obscured 
its rays during the first part of the day. After a 
march altogether of about eleven miles, we reached 
the village of Namantugu, which still belongs to the 
province of Yagha, the mayor of which we had met 
a short time before, on the road, as he was going to 
look after his cattle. 
The village is of some importance, and consists of 
several groups which cover an extensive tract of 
ground, lying straggling about in the fields ; but the 
huts themselves are very narrow, and the one which 
was assigned to myself was so small that there was 
scarcely room to breathe. Nothing is more unhealthy 
for a European than these abodes of stench and filth ; 
but during the rainy season he is often obliged to seek 
shelter in these dirty dwellings, especially if he has 
valuable property in his possession. 
Namantugu, which seems to have been of con- 
siderable importance in the history of the Songhay 
empire*, was a rather eventful place for my whole 
subsequent proceedings, as I here met an Arab 
from the west, in whose company I was safely to 
enter the town of Timbuktu. He called himself 
Sheikho, though this was not originally his proper 
name ; and, in order not to cause any mistake, I will 
in future call him (from his father and the name 
of his birthplace) Weled A'mmer Walati. He was 
* See the Chronological Tables at the end of this volume. 
