314 
TRAVELS EST AFRICA. 
Chap. LXFT. 
of arable soil. On a rising spot, a few hundred 
yards from the village, there was a group of matting 
huts, which constituted a small weaving manufactory. 
At the foot of the hill on which the village was situ- 
ated, there was a deep pond covered with Pistia Stra- 
tiotes, like the ponds in the interior of Kan 6 ; and it 
was from here that I was particularly struck by the 
fortlike appearance of the village, with its receding 
and projecting angles, and its half-circular, bastionlike 
walls in other places, as represented in the accom- 
panying woodcut ; while in the distance the mountain 
groups formed an interesting background. However, 
we had here such a heavy fall of rain that I was 
obliged to sacrifice another day, as the roads were 
