Chap. XLII. 
ma'rte. 
127 
western gate of the town, where an open area sur- 
rounded by several wells spreads out. But the 
market, at least that day, was very insignificant: it 
was not furnished with a single shed or stall, and 
not a single article of manufacture was exposed, Ne- 
gro millet, butter, and wooden bowls being almost 
the only articles offered for sale ; and sellers, as well 
as buyers, were very few in number. The town 
contains about four thousand inhabitants, and, taking 
into account the strategetical art of this country, 
possesses proper defences, the clay wall being in a 
good state of repair, and having a gate on each side 
excepting the side of the market, where there are 
two. Towards the east there is a little cultivated 
ground, and on the north a small suburb, consisting 
of large, conical, thatched huts, where, besides Ka- 
miri, several Fulbe or Fellata families are living. 
The interior of the town consists of narrow lanes ; 
and most of the houses are clay buildings. There 
was nothing interesting to be seen ; but I was agree- 
ably surprised when my companion, who was a native 
of this place, took me to pay my compliments to his 
mother, who kept a small shed, or rather, as we should 
say, a shop, in the little market-place inside the town. 
It was certainly a trait of a good-natured and friendly 
disposition. 
We remained here the following day ; but our stay 
was not at all pleasant, there being very little shade 
near the encampment, while our tents were so worn 
that they scarcely afforded any protection against the 
