114 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. XLI. 
with us on this expedition were so worn out that they 
were unable to carry even the little luggage we had 
left, and Sheikh Ghet made us a present of two 
camels, which, however, only proved sufficient for 
the short journey to Kiikawa ; for the one fell a 
few paces from the northern gate on reaching the 
town, and the other a short distance from the 
southern gate on leaving it again on our expedition 
to Miisgu. 
The caravan with which we were to proceed was 
numerous; but the whole of the people were Kanembii, 
who carried their little luggage on pack- oxen and a 
few camels, while, besides ourselves, there were only 
two horsemen. But there were some respectable 
people among them, and even some women richly 
adorned with beads, and, with their fine regular fea- 
tures and slender forms, forming a strong contrast 
to the ugly physiognomy and square forms of the 
Bornu females. The difference between the Bornu 
and Kanembii is remarkable, although it is difficult 
to account for by historical deduction. 
We were so fortunate as to perform our home- 
journey without any serious accident, although we had 
some slight alarms. The first of these occurred when 
we approached the town of Ben and found all the 
inhabitants drawn up in battle-array, at a narrow 
passage some distance from the town ; and at the first 
moment there was considerable alarm on both sides: 
but we soon learned that they had taken us for Tawa- 
rek, of whom a numerous freebooting party, consisting 
