Chap. XXXIV. 
sege'ro. 
431 
Gradually the whole country became one continuous 
wilderness, with the surface greatly undulating, and 
almost hilly; and here we passed a slave village, or 
"rumde," in ruins, the clay-walls being all that 
remained. 
The country wore a more cheerful appearance after 
nine o'clock, when we entered on a wide extent of 
cultivated ground, the crops standing beautifully in 
the fields, and the village or villages of Segero ap- 
pearing higher up on the slope of the heights, in a 
commanding situation. Segero consists of two vil- 
lages separated by a ravine, or hollow with a water- 
course, the northernmost of them, to which we came 
first, being inhabited jointly by the conquering tribe 
of the Fiilbe and the conquered one of the Holma, 
while the southern village is exclusively occupied by 
the ruling race. To this group we directed our steps, 
passing close by the former, where I made a hasty 
sketch of the outlines of mount Holma. 
The lamido, or mayor, being absent at the time, 
we dismounted under the public shade in front of his 
house, till a comfortable spacious shed in the inner 
courtyard of his dwelling was placed at my disposal ; 
and here I began immediately to employ my leisure 
