460 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. LII. 
tall crops now concealing the cottages entirely from 
view. The following day we reached Kokoroche, 
having fortunately crossed a very difficult bog with- 
out any accident. The whole forest-region, which 
did not contain a drop of water on my out-journey, 
was now converted into a continuous line of swamps ; 
and the whole surface was thickly covered with ver- 
dure. It is during this season that the Shiiwa Arabs 
form here their temporary encampments. 
In Kokoroche also we had another day's delay, till 
the messenger of the sultan arrived who was to 
protect me against any further intrigues of the ferry- 
men, whom I regarded with more suspicion than any 
policeman or constable in Europe. Meanwhile also 
the wife of Grema e Abdu, who all this time had been 
staying with her father-in-law in Mustafaji, joined 
us, and all further delay seemed to be at an end. 
Certainly such a visit of a married woman to her 
father's house cannot but contribute to give to Euro- 
peans a higher opinion of African domestic life. In- 
deed people in Europe have little conception how 
cheerfully man and wife in these regions live to- 
gether ; and it was this amiable feature in his cha- 
racter which reconciled me in some degree to my 
companion, whom in other respects I greatly disliked. 
There had been a great deal of rain in 
August 15th. 
the afternoon of the preceding day ; and a 
heavy shower which came on in the morning, and 
lasted full two hours, delayed our departure consi- 
