Chap. XXXIV. 
sulle'ri. 
461 
" gere* Pariya" by the Batta, and " barre-n-dake" by 
the Fiilbe, at present about fourteen hundred yards 
long, and surrounded by tall grass, everywhere im- 
pressed with tracks of the hippopotami or " ngabba," 
which emerge during the night from their watery 
abode to indulge here quietly in a rich pasturage. 
This is the usual camping-ground of expeditions 
which come this way. A little beyond this lake a 
path branched off from our road to the right, leading 
to Rodi, a place of the Batta, whose villages, accord- 
ing to Mohammedu's statement, are all fortified with 
stockades, and situated in strong positions naturally 
protected by rocky mounts and ridges. 
There had been a storm in the afternoon at some 
distance ; but when the sun was setting, and just as 
we began to wind along a narrow path through a 
thick forest, a black tempest gathered over our heads. 
At length we reached the fields of Sulleri, and, having 
stumbled along them in the deepest darkness, illumined 
only at intervals by flashes of lightning, we entered the 
place and pushed our way through the narrow streets, 
looking round in vain for Ibrahima, who had gone on 
to procure quarters. 
To our great disappointment we found the house 
of the governor shut up ; and, notwithstanding our 
constant firing and knocking at the door, nobody 
came to open it, while the heavy clouds began to dis- 
charge their watery load over our heads. At length, 
* This word " gere " is identical with "ere," or " arre," the 
name the Musgu give to the river of Logon. 
