Chap. XXVI. LETTER-CARRIERS' MISTAKE. 
181 
the scene being enlivened by a karabka, or kafila, 
with, nine camels coming from Kukawa. 
Thus we approached Taganama, a considerable 
town, inclosed with a wall and a double ditch. We 
were obliged, however, to go round the whole town, 
the western gate being closed, and a sort of outwork, 
such as is very rare in these countries, consisting 
in a cross ditch projecting to a great distance, be- 
ing made at its north-east corner. At length we 
reached the eastern gate, and entered the town. Its 
interior left on us an impression of good order and 
comfort; all the fences of the courtyards were in 
excellent repair, the huts large and spacious, and a 
certain air of wellbeing was spread over the whole 
place. 
Having obtained tolerable quarters, and corn for 
my guide's horse and my own, we lay down early, in 
order to continue our journey with the first dawn 
next morning, but were roused at midnight by some 
people arriving and stating, with an air of great im- 
portance, that they had letters for me. Greatly 
surprised, and wondering what these important de- 
spatches could be, I got up, but found, when I had 
kindled a light, that the letters were not for me at 
all, but addressed to persons in Kukawa unknown to 
me, by others in Kano not better known. These 
unknown friends most probably, after I had fairly set 
out, had determined not to let slip this excellent oppor- 
tunity of communicating with their friends in Ku- 
kawa. However, the carriers of the letters thinking, 
N 3 
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