319 
CHAP. XXXI. 
THE TSAD. 
My stay in the town was agreeably interrupted by 
an excursion to Ng6rnu and the shores of the lake. 
Sheikh 'Omar, with his whole court, left Thursdav 
Kiikawa in the night of the 23rd of April, April 24th. 
in order to spend a day or two in Ng6rnu, where he 
had a tolerably good house ; and, having been in- 
vited by the vizier to go there, I also followed on the 
morning of the next day. This road to Ngornu is 
strongly marked with that sameness and monotony 
which characterize the neighbourhood of Kiikawa. At 
first nothing is seen but the melancholy " kawo," Ascle- 
pias procera or gigantea; then "ngille," low bushes of 
Cucifera^ appear, and gradually trees begin to enliven 
the landscape, first scattered here and there, further 
on forming a sort of underwood. The path is broad 
and well-trodden, but consists mostly of deep sandy 
soil. There are no villages on the side of the road, 
but a good many at a little distance. In the rainy 
season some very large ponds are formed by its 
side. Two miles and a half before the traveller 
reaches Ngornu the trees cease again, being only seen 
in detached clusters at a great distance, marking 
