*. 
Chap. XXII. IMPROVED SCENERY. 13 
the country between Katsena and Nupe, and scat- 
tered in single specimens over all the country from 
Kan6 and Giijeba southwards to the river Benuwe; 
but at that time I was ignorant that it bore a splen- 
did fruit, with which I first became acquainted in 
Katsena. The whole country, indeed, had a most 
interesting and cheerful appearance, villages and corn- 
fields succeeding each other with only short intervals 
of thick underwood, which contributed to give richer 
variety to the whole landscape, while the ground was 
undulating, and might sometimes even be called 
hilly. We met a numerous herd of fine cattle belong- 
ing to Gozenakko, returning to their pasture-grounds 
after having been watered, — the bulls all with the 
beautiful hump, and of fine strong limbs, but of 
moderate size, and with small horns. Scarcely had 
this moving picture passed before our eyes, when 
another interesting and characteristic procession suc- 
ceeded — a long troop of men, all carrying on their 
heads large baskets filled with the fruit of the goreba 
(Cuciferdj or Hyphaene Thebdica), commonly called 
the gingerbread-tree, which, in many of the northern 
districts of Negroland, furnishes a most important 
article of food, and certainly seasons many dishes 
very pleasantly, as I shall have occasion to mention 
in the course of my narrative. Further on, the 
fields were enlivened with cattle grazing in the 
stubble, while a new species of tree, the " kirria," 
attracted my attention. 
Thus we reached Gozenakko ; and while my ser- 
