Chap. XXIII. MARCH RESUMED. 
39 
for the next two miles. Then the country became 
more open, while in the distance to the left extended 
a low range of hills. New species of trees appeared, 
which I had not seen before, as the " kokia," a tree 
with large leaves of a dark-green colour, with a green 
fruit of the size of an apple, but not eatable. The 
first solitary specimens of the gigina or deleb-palm, 
which is one of the most characteristic trees of the 
more southern regions, were also met with. 
Moving silently along, about noon we met a con- 
siderable caravan, with a great number of oxen and 
asses led by two horsemen, and protected in the rear 
by a strong guard of archers ; for this is one of the 
most dangerous routes in all Central Africa, where 
every year a great many parties are plundered by ma- 
rauders, no one being responsible for the security of 
this disputed territory. We had here a thick forest 
on our left enlivened by numbers of birds ; then 
about two o'clock in the afternoon we entered a fine 
undulating country covered with a profusion of herb- 
age, while the large gamshi-tree, with its broad fleshy 
leaves of the finest green, formed the most remarkable 
object of the vegetable kingdom. All this country was 
once a bustling scene of life, with numbers of towns 
and villages, till, at the very commencement of this 
century, the " Jihadi," or Reformer, rose among 
the Fiilbe of Gober, and, inflaming them with fanatic 
zeal, urged them on to merciless warfare against 
pagans as well as Mohammedans. 
It was here that my companions drew my atten- 
D 4 
