388 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
CHAP. L. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE TOWN. ARRIVAL OF THE SULTAN. 
FINAL DEPARTURE. 
The town of Mas-ena extends over a considerable 
area, the circumference of which measures about 
seven miles ; but only about half of this area is inha- 
bited, the principal quarter being formed in the midst 
of the town on the north and west sides of the palace 
of the sultan, while a few detached quarters and 
isolated yards lie straggling about as outposts. The 
most characteristic feature of the place consists in a 
deep trough-like depression or bottom, stretching out 
to a great length, and intersecting the town from east 
to west, in the same manner as the town of Kano is 
intersected by the Jakara; for this hollow of the 
capital of Bagirmi, after the rainy season, is filled with 
water, and on this account is called " bedd " by the 
natives, and " el bahr " by the Arabs, while during 
part of the dry season it is clothed with the richest 
verdure. It is remarkable that not only in this re- 
spect the town of M&s-ena resembles that of Kano, but, 
like the great market-place of Hausa, its surface is 
also broken by many other hollows, which contain 
the wells, and during the rainy season are changed 
into deep ponds, which, by accumulating all the re- 
fuse of the town, cause a great deal of insalubrity ; 
