Chap. XXII. AMUR'S ESTATE. 
23 
tolerable ease and comfort, as far as I was able to 
. see, my companion introducing me into several huts. 
Indeed every candid person, however opposed to 
slavery he may be, must acknowledge that the 
Tawarek in general, and particularly the Kel-owi, 
treat their slaves not only humanely, but even with 
the utmost indulgence and affability, and scarcely let 
them feel their bondage at all. Of course there are 
exceptions, as the cruelty of yoking slaves to a 
plough, and driving them on with a whip (which I 
had witnessed in Auderas), is scarcely surpassed in 
any of the Christian slave-states ; but these exceptions 
are extremely rare. 
When I returned from my ramble, Mr. Overweg 
had also arrived, and the old chief had received the 
letter; and though neither he nor any of his people 
could read it, he was fully aware of its contents, and 
disapproved of it entirely, saying that we should act 
freely, and according to the best of our knowledge. 
I then returned with my countryman into the town, 
and remained some time with him. In front of his 
dwelling was encamped the natron-caravan of Al 
Wali, which in a few days was to leave for Niipe or 
(as the Hausa people say) Nyffi. We shall have to 
notice very frequently this important commerce, 
which is carried on between the shores of the Tsad 
and Nyffi. 
I left the town at about five o'clock, and feeling 
rather hungry on reaching the encampment in Go- 
zenakko, to the great amusement of our neighbours, 
c 4 
