154 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XLIII 
pity he was wanting in manly energy to carry out 
his good projects. 
Monday Woe to those regions through which an 
December 8th. arm y takes its march in these parts of the 
world, were it even their own country. We passed 
this morning some very extensive corn-fields, the 
crops of which were of the most luxuriant growth ; 
but notwithstanding the piteous clamours, and even 
the threats of the slaves who were watching on the 
highly-raised platforms in order to keep away the 
birds from the corn, the rich ears fell a prey to 
the hungry horsemen, for their own sustenance and 
that of their animals. These raised platforms are 
here called " gorgo ; " and the ropes which were fas- 
tened between them and the trees were provided 
with small hollow gourds, " kare," filled with stones, 
which, when set in motion, were intended to frighten 
away the birds. 
After a tolerable march, we took up our encamp- 
ment near the straggling hamlet Delhe, a locality 
touched at by Major Denham, on his unfortunate 
expedition to Mandara, but placed by him much too 
far southward. 
All the cottages in these Shuwa villages have a 
conical roof rising to a great elevation, and tapering 
like a sugar-loaf, — the thatch being put on in a 
very irregular way, and fastened with ropes, though 
it is pleasantly and cheerfully adorned by the 
climbers of the " sagade" or " kubewa," a species of 
the Cucurbita melopepo (squash gourd), if not iden- 
