Chap. XXXIV. 
mbutu'di. 
425 
We had now reached Mbutiidi, a village situated 
round a granite mount of about six hundred yards' 
circumference, and rising to the height of about 
three hundred feet. It had been a considerable place 
before the rise of the Fulbe, encompassing on all 
sides the mount, which had served as a natural cita- 
del ; but it has been greatly reduced, scarcely more 
than one hundred huts altogether now remaining ; 
and were it not for the picturesque landscape — the 
steep rocky mount overgrown with trees, and the 
slender deleb-palms shooting up here and there, and 
forming some denser groups on the south-east side, — 
it would be a most miserable place. 
My companions were greatly astonished to find 
that, since they went to Kiikawa, some Fulbe fami- 
lies had settled here : for formerly none but native 
pagans lived in the village. It was, therefore, neces- 
sary that we should address ourselves to this ruling 
class ; and after we had waited some time in the 
shade of some caoutchouc-trees, a tall, extremely 
slender Pullo, of a very noble expression of counte- 
nance, and dressed in a snow-white shirt, made his 
appearance, and after the usual exchange of compli- 
ments, and due inquiry on the part of my companions 
after horse, cattle, mother, slaves, and family*, con- 
* The Fulbe of Adamawa are especially rich in compliments, 
which, however, have not yet lost their real and true meaning. 
Thus the general questions, "nura baldum" (are you well?), "jam 
wali" (have you slept?), are followed by the special questions," no 
yfmbe uro" (how is the family?), " no inna uro" (how is the land- 
lady ?), " to ptichu mada," or " korri puchu majam," (how is your 
