300 
TRAVELS m AFRICA. Chap. LXII. 
simple furniture, such as large jars, pots, dishes, 
saddles, provision-bags, and numerous other ar- 
ticles, that I could scarcely find room for myself, 
while the proprietor, when he returned from the 
fields and found a stranger quartered in the midst 
of all his treasures, felt so anxious, that he did not 
stir from the door. However, the west side of the 
village being bordered by a large sheet of water, or 
tebki, richly adorned with trees and herbage, I did 
not remain long in my close quarters, but hastened 
towards this green open spot, which was delicious in 
the extreme, but gave birth to a legion of mosquitoes. 
We felt the inconvenience of this little hamlet the 
more, as we were obliged to stay here the following 
day ; for we received a credible report that El Khatir, 
the most powerful of the neighbouring Tawarek 
chiefs, intended making a foray against this place, 
and the inhabitants were in a state of the utmost 
alarm. But a thunder-storm which broke out the 
next morning, accompanied with a considerable 
quantity of rain, relieved us, most providentially, of 
all danger from this quarter, swelling the many 
watercourses which intersect this region, to such a 
degree that they became impassable to the enemy. 
On the west side of the hamlet where we were en- 
camped there is a considerable suburb of Fiilbe 
cattle-breeders ; and in the evening a great many of 
them paid me a visit. 
Saturday, W e na ^ here entered a district which 
July 23rd. wag ver y different from that which we had 
