Chap. XLII. 
THE NGA'UFATE. 
121 
distance east from those of Haj Beshir. As the 
greater part of the courtiers were taking at least a 
portion of their harim with them to the " kerigu," a 
simple tent was not sufficient for them ; but by means 
of curtains made of striped cotton-stuff a certain 
space is encompassed in order to insure greater 
privacy. For the sheikh and the vizier, as long as 
we remained in the Bornu territories, at every new 
encampment an inclosure of matting was erected ; 
for it is not the custom, as has been asserted, to 
separate the royal camp from, that of the rest, at 
least not on expeditions into a hostile country, nor 
has it been so in former times. The common sol- 
diers had no further protection, except some light 
and small huts with high gables, which some of them 
had built with the tall stalks of the Indian corn, 
which lay in great abundance on the stubble-fields. 
But I shall first say a few words about our friend 
Lamino, whom I have already occasionally mentioned, 
and with whom on this expedition we came into closer 
contact. This man furnishes an example how in 
this country, notwithstanding the immense difference 
of civilization, in reality matters take the same course 
as in Europe, where notorious rogues and sharpers 
often become the best police-functionaries. Lamino, 
originally " El Amm," had formerly been a much- 
dreaded highway-robber, but had now become chef 
de police, or, as the Haussa people would say, " serki- 
n-karfi," being, in consequence of his hard-heartedness 
and total want of the gentler feelings, of the greatest 
