312 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XL VIII. 
corn, called " saffara " by the people of Logon, and 
" keriram " by the Kaniiri. This belongs to the ruler 
of the country; but in general very little grain is 
seen in this part of Logon, the inhabitants being 
afraid of the people of Bagirmi, who used to gather 
the harvest of what they themselves have sown. But 
small cotton grounds are occasionally observed. 
After a march of about nine miles we reached a 
place called Bata, half deserted, and surrounded by a 
clay wall, in a very decayed state. Nevertheless, the 
few cottages that remained, simple and unpretending 
though they were, testified to some degree of industry 
and cleanliness. Of hospitality, however, we received 
no proof ; and the authority of the Miyara Y'suf 
seemed to be nought indeed, these poor people affirm- 
ing, with some show of reason, that as the ruler did 
not protect them against the unjust exactions of their 
neighbours, they need not respect his commands. 
There was, therefore, little necessity for the servant 
of the sultan accompanying me any further, for if 
they did not respect his orders here, they would cer- 
tainly not do so further on. 
Wednesday, We continued our march alone. On the 
March 17th. east 0 f ^ town a n tt i G cultivation 
was to be seen, the country here being very swampy, 
and inundated during the rainy season. It is co- 
vered with a dense jungle; and wild beasts are in 
great numbers. Water is close under the surface of 
the ground, and the well that we passed near a 
Shiiwa village was only three fathoms deep. Near 
