464 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XXXV. 
at a great distance to the S.W., a large but insulated 
mountain mass, rising abruptly on the east side, and 
forming a more gradual slope towards the west, while 
it exhibited a rather smooth and broad top, which 
certainly must be spacious, as it contains the estates 
of seven independent pagan chiefs. Judging from 
the distance, which was pretty well known to me, I 
estimated the height of the mountain at about 
eight thousand feet above the plain, or about nine 
thousand feet of absolute elevation ; but it may be 
somewhat less. 
Here there was still cultivated ground, exhibiting 
at present the finest crop of masr, called "butali" 
by the Fulbe of A'damawa ; but a little further on 
we entered upon a swampy plain (the savannas of 
A'damawa), overgrown with tall rank grass, and 
broken by many large hollows full of water, so 
that we were obliged to proceed with great caution. 
This whole plain is annually (two months later) 
entirely under water. However, in the middle of it, 
on a little rising ground which looks as if it were an 
artificial mound, lies a small village, the abode of the 
ferrymen of the Benuwe, from whence the boys came 
running after us — slender well-built lads, accustomed 
to fatigue and strengthened by daily bathing; the 
younger ones quite naked, the elder having a leathern 
apron girt round their loins. A quarter of an hour 
afterwards we stood on the bank of the Benuwe.* 
* I heard the name pronounced in this way, but lower down it 
may be pronounced Bi-nuwe. However, I have to remark that 
