166 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XXVI 
land as it is in Europe ; and a most comfortable 
dwelling, though rather light, and liable to catch fire, 
may be erected in a few hours ; even a roof is very 
sufficiently made, at least such as is here wanted 
during the dry season, with those thick mats, made of 
reed, called " siggedi" in B6rnu. But most fortunately 
Salem had a conical roof just ready, which would 
have afforded satisfactory shelter even from the hea- 
viest rain. I therefore sent immediately my whole 
remaining supply of kurdi to the market to buy those 
mats and sticks ; and getting four men practised in 
this sort of workmanship, I immediately set to work, 
and, long before my camels arrived, had a well-fenced 
private courtyard, and a splendid cool shade, while 
my tent served as a store for my luggage, and as a 
bedroom for myself. 
Having, therefore, made myself comfortable, I was 
quite prepared to indulge in the luxurious luncheon 
sent me by the maidiikia, consisting of a well-cooked 
paste of Negro millet with sourmilk, after which I 
received visits from the few Arabs residing here, and 
was pleased to find one among them who had been 
Clapperton's servant, and was well acquainted with 
the whole proceedings of the first expedition. He 
had been travelling about a good deal, and was able, 
with the assistance of a companion of his, to give 
me a tolerably complete itinerary of the route from 
S6koto to Gonja, the giiro-country and the northern 
province of Asianti. These Arabs necessarily lead 
here a very miserable sort of existence ; Salem, how- 
