130 TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XLII. 
province does not contain many small hamlets, the 
population being concentrated in larger places. Un- 
derwood succeeded to the firki ground, and extended 
to the very walls of the large town of Dikowa. 
The sight of this town, with its walls over- 
towered by the regularly-shaped crowns of magni- 
ficent fig-trees, was very imposing. The western 
wall, along which our road lay, was covered with 
women and children, and we met a numerous pro- 
cession of females in their best attire, who were 
going to salute their sovereign upon his arrival at 
the encampment ; and coming from the capital, 
which is distinguished by the ugliness of its female 
inhabitants, I was agreeably surprised at their 
superior countenance and figure. But though the 
observer might be gratified with the personal ap- 
pearance of the natives, their industry was ques- 
tionable ; for only a small tract of cultivated ground 
was to be seen on this side of the town, girt by a 
forest of mighty trees. 
The encampment, or "ngaufate," began to form 
close to the southern wall of the town, amidst sandy 
ground free from trees, and completely surrounded 
by a thick covert. Although it was December, 
the sun was very powerful ; and, until the camels 
arrived, I sat down in the shade of a " bito" or Bala- 
nites, while the encampment was spreading out in 
all directions, and approached the edge of the covert. 
I then gave up my shady place to Kashella Jato, 
an officer of the musketeers, who, in acknowledgment, 
