188 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XLIV. 
the capital of Bagirmi and the watercourse of the 
Bat-ha. 
We chose our encampment in a village called 
Barea, consisting of scattered huts, and surrounded 
by rich stubble-fields, which were shaded by large 
wide-spreading karage trees, presenting a most cheer- 
ful and comfortable scene. But we soon became 
aware that the fertility and beauty of this district were 
due to the neighbourhood of a large sheet of water 
full of crocodiles and river horses or " ngurutu," 
and enlivened even by a few small canoes. It had 
been indicated already on our march by the flight of 
numerous waterfowl passing over our heads. Beau- 
tiful as the country was, however, the place was de- 
serted, the inhabitants having given up their cheerful 
homes, and left the tombs of their worshipped an- 
cestors to the discretion of the hostile army, in order 
to seek safety in flight. The village is the residence 
of a chieftain of the name of Musikko, who acknow- 
ledges Kabishme, the chief mentioned above, as his 
sovereign lord. 
In the afternoon I received a short visit from a 
rather shabby sort of man, the chief of a place called 
Medebe, but who was an object of interest to me, as 
he had been sent as a messenger to the prince of 
Mandara, and had just arrived in the encampment 
from the capital of that little country. Travelling at 
a comfortable rate, he had arrived in three days from 
Mora, sleeping the first night in the place called M6- 
koshi, the second in Fette, the place above-mentioned, 
