442 
TRAVELS IN" AFRICA. 
Chap. LXVII. 
it had also the disadvantage of exposing me fully to 
the gaze of the passers by, so that I could only slowly 
and with many interruptions, succeed in making a 
sketch of the scene thus offered to my view, and which 
is represented in the plate opposite. At the same time 
I became aware of the great inaccuracy which charac- 
terises the view of the town as given by M. Caillie; still, 
on the whole, the character of the single dwellings was 
well represented by that traveller, the only error being 
that in his representation the whole town seems to 
consist of scattered and quite isolated houses, while, in 
reality, the streets are entirely shut in, as the dwellings 
form continuous and uninterrupted rows. But it must 
be taken into account that Timbuktu, at the time of 
Caillie's visit, was not so well off as it is at present, 
having been overrun by the Fulbe the preceding year, 
and he had no opportunity of making a drawing on 
the spot. 
Although I was greatly delighted at the pleasant 
place of retreat for refreshing my spirits and invi- 
gorating my body by a little exercise which the ter- 
race afforded me, I was disgusted by the custom 
which prevails in the houses like that in which I was 
lodged, of using the terrace as a sort of closet ; and I 
had great difficulty in preventing my guide Ammer el 
Walati, who still staid with me and made the terrace 
his usual residence, from indulging in this filthy 
practice. 
Being anxious to impart to my friends in Europe 
the news of my safe arrival in this far-famed town, 
