14 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. XXII. 
vants Mohammed and the Gatroni went with the 
camel to the camping-ground, I followed my sturdy 
overseer to the village in order to water the horse ; 
for though I might have sent one of my men after- 
wards, I preferred taking this opportunity of seeing 
the interior of the village. It is of considerable size, 
and consists of a town and its suburbs, the former 
being surrounded with a " keffi," or close stockade of 
thick stems of trees, while the suburbs are ranged 
around without any inclosure or defence. All the 
houses consist of conical huts made entirely of stalks 
and reeds ; and great numbers of little granaries were 
scattered among them. As it was about half-past 
two in the afternoon, the people were sunk in slumber 
or repose, and the well was left to our disposal ; 
afterwards, however, we were obliged to pay for the 
water. We then joined the caravan, which had en- 
camped at no great distance eastward of the village, 
in the stubble-fields. These, enlivened as they were 
by a number of tall fan-palms besides a variety of 
other trees, formed a very cheerful open ground for 
our little trading-party, which, preparing for a longer 
stay of two or three days, had chosen its ground in 
a more systematic way, each person arranging his 
" t&krufa," or the straw sacks containing the salt, 
so as to form a barrier open only on one side, in 
the shape of an elongated horseshoe, in the recess 
of which they might stow away their slender stock 
of less bulky property, and sleep themselves, while 
in order to protect the salt from behind, a light 
