396 
TRAVELS m AFRICA. 
Chap. LXV. 
better times, notwithstanding the exactions of Fulbe 
and Imoshagh. 
Having taken possession of the two ante-rooms for 
my people and luggage, I endeavoured to make my- 
self as comfortable as possible ; while the busy land- 
lady, a tall and stout personage, in the absence of 
her husband, a wealthy Songhay merchant, endea- 
voured to make herself agreeable, and offered me the 
various delicacies of her store for sale ; but these were 
extremely scanty, the chief attraction to us, besides a 
small bowl of milk seasoned with honey, being some 
onions, of which I myself was not less in want than 
my people for seasoning our simple food ; but fresh 
ones were not even to be got here, the article sold 
being a peculiar preparation which is imported from 
Sansandi, the onions, which are of very small size, 
being cut into slices and put in water, then pounded 
in a wooden mortar, dried again, and, by means of 
some butter, made up into a sort of round ball, which 
is sold in small pats of an inch and a half in diameter 
for five shells each : these are called " lawashi " in 
Fulfdlde, or " gabii " in the Songhay language. Be- 
sides this article, so necessary for seasoning the food, 
I bought a little bulanga, or vegetable butter, in order 
to light up the dark room where I had taken up 
my quarters ; but the night which I passed here was 
a very uncomfortable one, on account of the number 
of mosquitoes which infest the whole place. 
Thus broke the 6th of September, — a very import- 
ant day for me, as it was to determine the kind of 
