160 
TRAVELS IN AFEICA. Chap. XXVI. 
they had not heard either of the arrival or of the 
approach of a Christian. This natron, which is ob- 
tained in the neighbourhood of the Tsad, was all in 
large pieces like stone, and is carried in nets, while 
that coming from Muniyo consists entirely of rubble, 
and is conveyed in bags, or a sort of basket. The 
former is called " kilbu tsarafu," while the name of 
the latter is " kilbu boktor." We soon saw other 
troops laden with this latter article ; and there were 
even several mules among the beasts of burden. The 
commerce of this article is very important; and I 
counted to-day more than five hundred loads of 
natron that we met on our road. 
I then went on in advance with u Mr. Sleep," and 
soon reached the village D6ka, which by the Arabs 
travelling in Negroland is called, in semi-barbarous 
Arabic, " Siik el karaga," karaga being a Bornu 
word meaning wilderness. The village belongs to 
the Ghaladhna. Here we sat tranquilly down near 
the market-place, in the shade of some beautiful 
tamarind-trees, and indulged in the luxuries which 
my gentleman-like companion could afford. I was 
astonished as well as ashamed at the comfort which 
my African friend displayed, ordering one of the fe- 
male attendants of his sirrlya to bring into his pre- 
sence a basket which seemed to be under the special 
protection of the latter, and drawing forth from it a 
variety of well-baked pastry, which he spread on a 
napkin before us, while another of the attendants w r as 
boiling the coffee. The barbarian and the civilized 
