460 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XXXIV. 
the Kwara. Of this circumstance I was then not 
aware, else I should have decided from the beginning 
for the route by Sulleri. Unfortunately, owing to my 
very short stay in the country, I cannot say exactly 
where Biimanda lies ; but I should suppose that it is 
situated about ten miles lower down, at a short distance 
from the river, like the place of the same name near 
Hamarruwa*, and I think it must lie opposite to Y61a, 
so that a person who crosses the river at that place, 
goes over directly to the capital, without touching 
either at Kibawo, or at any of the neighbouring places. 
Having, therefore, chosen the eastern road, we soon 
reached the broad, but at present dry sandy channel 
of the mayo Tiyel, which runs in a south-westerly 
direction to join the Benuwe; water was to be found 
close underneath the surface of the sand, and se- 
veral women heavily laden with sets of calabashes, 
and belonging to a troop of travellers encamped 
on the eastern border of the watercourse, were busy 
in scooping a supply of most excellent water from 
a shallow hollow or " kenkenu." The banks of the 
river, or rather torrent, were lined with luxuriant 
trees, amongst which I observed the dorowa or meraya 
(Parkia), in considerable numbers. 
Forest and cultivated ground now succeeded alter- 
nately, till we reached a beautiful little lake called 
* Bumanda probably means a ford, or rather place of embarka. 
tion. It can scarcely have any connection with the Kanuri word 
manda," meaning salt, although salt is obtained in the western 
place of this name. 
