Chap. XXXIII. 
I'SGE DISTRICT. 
389 
mandu " in Kaniiri, and u b6shi " in Hausa. The 
country, however, does not exhibit a single trace of 
habitation, either of the past or present time; and 
on our right no village was said to be nearer than 
Dfshik at the distance of half a day's journey, and 
even that was reported to be now deserted by its 
inhabitants. At length the monotonous gloomy fo- 
rests gave way to scattered clusters of large trees, 
such as generally indicate the neighbourhood of man's 
industry ; and we soon after emerged upon beautiful 
green meadow-lands stretching out to the very foot 
of the Wandala mountains, the whole range of which, 
in its entire length from north to south, lay open to 
view. It was a charming sight, the beautiful green 
of the plain against the dark colour of the mountains, 
and the clear sunny sky ; and I afterwards regretted 
deeply that I had not made a slight sketch of the 
country from this spot, as near the village the same 
wide horizon was no longer visible. 
It was one o'clock in the afternoon when we reached 
the first cluster of huts belonging to the village or 
district of Fsge, or 1'ssege, which spread to a consider- 
able extent over the plain, while horses and sheep 
were feeding on the adjacent pastures, and women 
were cultivating the fields. A first glance at this 
landscape impressed me with the conviction that I had 
at length arrived at a seat of the indigenous inhabit- 
ants, which, although, it had evidently felt the influence 
of its overbearing and merciless neighbours, had not 
yet been altogether despoiled by their hands. Vigorous 
c c 3 
