Chap. XLVIII. MUSTAFAJl'. 
329 
entered a dense forest filled with numerous creeping 
plants, but otherwise of a rather uniform character; 
awaiting the reviving power of the rainy season. 
The shallow watercourse Mbusada, or Msel el Haj 
r Ali, was all the time close on our left, till we crossed 
it, at a distance of about five miles. We then pursued 
our march through cultivated grounds, where, besides 
millet, a little cotton also was raised, at other times 
proceeding through clearer forest, and soon reached 
the village Mustafaji, which was the native place of 
the wife of my escort Grema 'Abclu. 
Here we were quartered without delay ; but the 
huts were not remarkable either for their size or 
architecture, consisting entirely of thatch and reed, 
the lower part being only slightly touched with clay, 
and during the hot hours of the day the heat of them 
was really suffocating. The inhabitants are all 
Kanuri, who, having emigrated from Bornu during 
the time of the decay of that empire, have settled 
here as well as in other parts of Bagirmi, where they 
have introduced the little civilization which at present 
is seen, especially weaving and dyeing, which is here 
carried on to a considerable extent. The Shari or 
Bd, in a direct line, is only about seven miles distant 
towards the west, and the inundation even approaches 
the very village by means of the shallow depressions 
and watercourses which intersect the country. A 
great extent of ground was under cultivation. 
The inhabitants of the village behaved very hospita- 
