206 
TRAVELS IN AFEICA. Chap. XXVII. 
a secure and pleasant haunt in the rank vegetation 
of the hollows, made it necessary to resort to some 
expedient to keep them off. High platforms were 
therefore erected in the fields, in the shade of some 
tree ; and ropes drawn from them were fastened to 
poles and coated with a peculiar vegetable extract, 
which caused them, if put into motion by a person 
stationed upon the platform, to give forth a loud 
sound, which kept the birds at a respectful dis- 
tance. 
We saw here also a small cotton-field. If the 
country were more densely inhabited and the peo- 
ple more industrious and better protected by their 
slave-hunting governors, all the lowlands and valley- 
like hollows, which during the rainy season form so 
many water-channels, and retain a great degree of 
moisture during the whole year, would afford the 
most splendid ground for this branch of cultivation. 
The repeated ascent and descent along steep slopes 
of deep sandy soil more than a hundred feet high was 
very fatiguing for the camels. While ascending one 
of these ridges, we had a very charming view over the 
•whole of the neat little village of Kalowa, lying along 
the slope and in the hollow to our left. It was 
rather small, containing about two hundred huts, but 
every yard was shaded by a korna or bito-tree (Ba- 
lanites) ; and comfort (according to the wants felt by 
the natives) and industry were everywhere mani- 
fested. In the midst was a large open space, where 
the cattle were collecting round the wells to be 
