Chap. XXXII. THE SHU'WA ARABS. 
355 
intersected by so many paths, that it is very dif- 
ficult for parties to meet, if the place of rendezvous 
has not been precisely indicated. The country here- 
abouts at this time of the year presents a most 
dreary appearance, being full of those shallow hol- 
lows of deep-black argillaceous soil called " firki " 
by the Kaniiri, and " ghadir " by the Arabs, which 
during the rainy season form large ponds of water, 
and when the rainy season draws to an end, and the 
water decreases, afford the most excellent soil for the 
cultivation of the " masakwa," a species of holcus 
(H. cernuus), which constitutes a very important 
article of cultivation in these alluvial lowlands round 
the Tsad, or even for wheat. At a later season, after 
the grain is harvested, these hollows, being some- 
times of an immense extent, and quite bare and 
naked, give the country a most dismal appearance. 
The water in Ulo Kura was extremely disagreeable, 
owing to this nature of the ground. 
Continuing our march in the afternoon, after the 
heat had decreased, we passed, after about four 
miles, the first encampment of Shuwa, or beri Shii- 
wabe, which I had yet seen in the country. Shiiwa 
is a generic name, denoting all the Arabs (or rather 
eastern Arabs) settled in Bornu and forming a com- 
ponent part of the population of the country ; in 
Bagfrmi they are called Shiwa. No Arab from the 
coast is ever denoted by this name ; but his title 
is Wasiri, or Wasili. This native Arab population 
appears to have immigrated from the east at a very 
