Chap. XLIII. THE ARMY BADLY OFF. 
171 
dense, that only the spot where the vizier himself 
encamped together with his own followers was free 
from brushwood, while all the other people were 
first obliged to clear the ground with much trouble. 
This was the first day, since our setting out, that 
we made a tolerable march. The whole manner in 
which the expedition was conducted was an un- 
mistakable proof of an effeminate court, especially 
if we take into account the principle of carrying on 
war in these countries, where only sudden inroads can 
insure any great success. In the evening there ar- 
rived a small complimentary present from A'dishen, 
the tributary Miisgu chief, consisting of five horses 
and twenty oxen. But while in this manner the 
more influential men in the army were well supplied 
with food, the greater part were very badly off, and 
most of them were reduced to the core of the dum- 
bush or ngille, which by the Bornu people is face- 
tiously called " kumbu billabe," " the food of the 
country town. 7 ' But a good sportsman might have 
obtained better food for himself, and we even got a 
small ostrich-egg from the vizier. 
It was a great pity that we had purposely avoided 
the more frequented and general road, which passes* 
by several settlements of the Fulbe or Fellata, in 
order not to give any trouble to the latter ; for no 
doubt that track would have been far more interest- 
ing, as well from a natural point of view, as with 
regard to the political state of the country, as it 
would have given us the clearest insight into the way 
