148 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XXVI. 
CHAP. XXVI. 
STARTING FOR KUKAWA. — THE FRONTIER-DISTRICT. 
Sunday, ^he traveller who would leave a place 
March 9th. where he has made a long residence, often 
finds that his departure involves him in a great deal 
of trouble, and is by no means an easy affair. More- 
over my situation when, after much delay, I was about 
to leave Kano was peculiarly embarrassing. There 
was no caravan ; the road was infested by robbers ; 
and I had only one servant upon whom I could rely, 
or who was really attached to me, while I had been 
so unwell the preceding day as to be unable to rise 
from my couch. However, I was full of confi- 
dence ; and with the same delight with which a bird 
springs forth from its cage, I hastened to escape from 
these narrow, dirty mud-walls into the boundless 
creation. 
There being scarcely any one to assist my faithful 
Gatroni, the loading of my three camels took an im- 
mense time, and the horseman destined to accompany 
me to the frontier of the Kano territory grew rather 
impatient. At length, at about two o'clock in the 
