Chap. XXX. 
ku'kawa. 
303 
so that, having now three horses at my command, I 
entered with* spirit upon my career as an explorer of 
Negroland. All this of course was done by contract- 
ing a few little debts. 
The vizier, who was well aware of the difficulties 
and dangers attending my proposed excursion to 
Adamawa, was rather inclined to send me to the 
Miisgu country, whither it was intended to despatch 
an expedition under the command of Kashella Belal ; 
but fortunately for me, and perhaps, also, for our 
knowledge of this part of the continent, the design 
was frustrated by an inroad of the Tawarek, which 
demanded the presence of this officer, the most war- 
like of the empire. This incursion of the plundering 
Kindin was made by a considerable body of men; 
who, having in vain tried to surprise some town on 
the frontier of Bornu, turned their march towards 
Kanem, and went as far as Bateli, where, however, 
they met with but little success. 
Having now a horse whereon to mount, I rode every 
day, either into the eastern town to pay a visit to the 
sheikh, or to the vizier, or roving around the whole 
circuit of the capital, and peeping into the varied 
scenes which the life of the people exhibited. The 
precincts of the town with its suburbs are just as 
interesting, as its neighbourhood (especially during 
the months that precede the rainy season) is mo- 
notonous and tiresome in the extreme. Certainly, 
the arrangement of the capital contributes a great 
deal to the variety of the picture which it forms, laid 
