172 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XLIII. 
in which that enterprising and restless people is 
pushing on every day more and more, and strangling, 
as it were, the little kingdom of Mandara. 
Monday, Dense forest continued to prevail during 
December 22nd. the first five miles of our march. It then 
cleared, and was succeeded by considerable fields of 
wild rice, most of which was burnt down ; for, as I 
have repeatedly had occasion to mention, all these 
wildernesses of Central Africa are set on fire after 
the rainy season. The whole ground in this district 
was one uninterrupted succession of holes made 
by the foot of the elephant, which obstructed the 
march of the army very considerably, and was the 
reason of several horses being lamed. Salah, a 
younger brother of the vizier, a very intelligent 
man, broke his arm. A herd of six elephants was 
in the neighbourhood, and after a great deal of 
confusion, one animal, which got between the horse- 
men, was killed. It is no wonder that these regions 
are so frequented by them, as they find here plenty 
of the choicest food. The jungles of wild rice were 
only interrupted for a short time by a tract covered 
with dum-bush. Water was plentiful, every now 
•and then a considerable pond appearing, girt by 
beautiful trees, and at present enlivened by groups 
of horsemen, who were watering their animals. 
After a march of about fifteen miles we encamped 
close to a larger sheet of water, which was full of 
fish of the species called " begeli;" and enabled us to 
give to our food that day more variety, the forest, as 
