Chap. XXXIII. THE BA'BIR TRIBE. 
403 
in a friendly way by the few inhabitants of the place, 
proving, as I thought, that, when governor of this 
southernmost district of Bornu, he had not behaved 
so cruelly. 
The country hereabouts showed a far more advanced 
state of vegetation than that from whence we had 
come, the young succulent grass reaching to the 
height of a foot and a half, while the corn (dawa, or 
holcus) in one field measured already thirty inches 
!n height. The fresh meadow grounds were inter- 
spersed with flowers; and a beautiful specimen of the 
" kangel," measuring eight inches in diameter, was 
brought to me by Billama, being the only specimen 
which I have ever observed of this peculiar flower. 
Mr. Yogel, however, told me afterwards that he had 
occasionally observed it in Mandara (Wandala). 
Having dismounted under a tamarind-tree for the 
hot hours of the day, Billama, with the assistance of my 
old Mallem, gave me a list of some of the larger places 
in the Margin country.* W.S.W. from the Marghi live 
* Kobchi *, the principal place of the country, Molghoy, I'ssege, 
Kuyum, situate upon the longer western road from U'ba to Ts- 
sege, one day's march from the latter ; Musa about one day from 
Kuyum, Dille, Womde, Lahaula (the place I was soon to visit), 
Cherari, Shawa, Mode, Kirbet, Kibak, Nsuda, Korade, all towards 
* This place is already mentioned in the history of Edris 
Alawoma, where it is written Kofchi,/) b, and p, being frequently 
interchanged in these languages. The name seems to be the 
royal title, although the general name for chief or prince in the 
Marghi language is " ibtha." 
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