Chap. XXVII. LOCUSTS AND HAWKS. 
217 
none of the inhabitants were to be seen, with the ex- 
ception of an industrious female who, on a clean open 
spot near the road, was weaving the cotton threads 
into gabaga. Opposite the village to the north of 
the path, was a round cluster of light Kanembu cot- 
tages, formed in a most simple way, with the long 
stalks of the native corn bent so as to meet at the 
top, and fastened with a few ropes. Descending im- 
mediately from this considerable ridge, we entered a 
dale thickly overgrown with trees, where I was 
greatly astonished to see a herd of cattle watered, 
with great trouble, from the wells, while the river 
was close at hand ; but on addressing the neatherds, 
I was informed by them that the stagnant water of 
the komadugu at this season is very unwholesome 
for cattle. 
All the trees hereabouts were full of locusts, while 
the air was darkened by swarms of hawks (Cenchreis), 
which, with a singular instinct, followed our steps as 
we advanced ; for on our approaching a tree, the 
locusts, roused from their fatal repose and destructive 
revelling, took to flight in thick clouds, when the 
birds dashed down to catch them, often not only 
beating one another with their wings, but even in- 
commoding us and our animals not a little. 
The peculiar character of lofty sandy ridges and 
thickly overgrown hollows continued also in this dis- 
trict; no dum-palm was to be seen, but only the 
dmn-bush, called ngille by the Bornu people. About 
two miles and a half behind Shogo we passed a wide 
