Chap. XXXIX. SCARCITY OF WATER. 
31 
necessary article for crossing the desert. The kajfji 
was plentiful in this neighbourhood. The root of 
this little plant, which is about the size of a nut, the 
natives use in the most extensive way for perfuming 
themselves with. 
Late in the afternoon we continued our journey 
through the forest, which was often interrupted by 
open patches. After having pursued the path for 
some miles we quitted it, and travelled in a more 
easterly direction through a pleasant hilly country, 
full of verdure, and affording pasturage to a great 
many cattle, for the K&nembu, like the Fulbe, go 
with their herds to a great distance during certain 
seasons of the year ; and all the cattle from the places 
about Ng6rnu northwards is to be found in these 
quarters during the cold season. But not being able 
to find water here, we were obliged to try the op- 
posite direction, in order to look for this element so 
essential for passing a comfortable night. At length, 
late in the evening, traversing a very rugged tract 
of country, we reached the temporary encampment, 
or beri, of a party of Kanembu with their herds, 
whilst a larger ben was moving eastward. Here 
also we were unable to find water, and even milk was 
to be got but sparingly. 
Before we were ready to move, the whole Monday 
nomadic encampment broke up ; the cattle 15th - 
going in front, and the men, women, and children 
following with their little household on asses. The 
