398 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XXXIII. 
Overjoyed at having at length reached the region 
of the famous Mindif, and full of plans for the 
future, I remounted my horse. While returning to 
our encampment, my companion, who was altogether 
a sociable and agreeable sort of person, gave me 
some more information with regard to the Margin, 
whom he represented as a numerous tribe, stronger 
even at the present time than the Manga, and capa- 
ble of sending thirty thousand armed men into the 
field. He told me that it was their peculiar cus- 
tom to mourn for the death of a young man, and 
S. ; the other road following a general direction S.E., and going 
in shorter stations, first to Gulug, a pagan settlement, which I 
shall soon have to mention, situated on the offshoots of the mountain- 
range, then keeping on the mountains to Magar, which seems to 
be the highest point of elevation, and from hence to Sugur. Sugur 
is said to be fortified by nature, there being only four entrances 
between the rocky ridges which surround it. The prince of 
Sugur overawes all the petty neighbouring chiefs ; and he is said 
to possess a great many idols, small round stones, to which the 
people sacrifice fowls of red, black, and white colour, and sheep 
with a red line on the back. The road from Sugur to Mora is 
very difficult to lay down from hearsay, with any approach to 
truth. It is said first to cross a very difficult passage or defile 
called Lamaja, beyond a mountain of great elevation inhabited 
by naked pagans. From hence, in another moderate march, it 
leads to Madagele, in the territory of Ardon Jidda, of whom I 
shall have to speak in the progress of my narrative. From here 
it leads to Disa, joins there the road coming from Uje, and the 
next day reaches Mora. This evidently seems to be a circuitous 
way, but may depend on the mountainous character or the unsafe 
state of the country. Karawa, the capital of Wandala, is said to 
lie about fifteen miles west from Mora, at the foot of a large 
mountain mass called Welle, inhabited by pagans. 
