204 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. XLIV. 
camped amongst the smouldering ruins of the huts. 
The whole village, which only a few moments before 
had been the abode of comfort and happiness, was 
destroyed by fire and made desolate. Slaughtered 
men, with their limbs severed from their bodies, were 
lying about in all directions, and made the passer-by 
shudder with horror. Such is the course of human 
affairs in these regions ! Small troops of light cavalry 
tried to pursue the enemy ; and there was some fight- 
ing in the course of the afternoon, when a few men 
of the Bornu army were killed. 
Wednesday, We remained here this and the following 
December 3ist, ^ a y ? ft being the intention of the Bornu 
people, according to their own statement, to reduce 
this country to subjection ; and I deeply regretted that 
the circumstances under which we visited this region 
did not allow me to collect all the information I 
wished. But roving about the encampment, I en- 
deavoured to pick up what I could. 
All the huts had clay walls, which were from 
four to six inches thick, and had resisted the con- 
flagration, the roofs, consisting of beams and reed, 
having fallen in. The diameter of the huts varied 
from eight to twelve feet. Each hut contained 
a large jar for holding water, and some had a pe- 
culiar fire-place, inclosed by separate walls, and 
not unlike an oven ; but, although in general the 
arrangement of the huts was comfortable, I found 
the dwellings in other villages of this country far 
superior, nor did I observe here such large court- 
