Chap. XXXVII. 
THE DE'MSA. 
519 
hamlets, and bounded in the distance by a cone 
stretching out to a great length. Having crossed a 
small watercourse, and wound along between erratic 
blocks of granite, scattered about in wild disorder, 
and interrupted, wherever the ground offered a small 
level, by rich crops of grain, we reached the first 
hamlet of this most picturesque locality. It is one 
of the chief seats of the Demsa, or rather comprises 
two distinct villages, namely, Demsa-Poha and Demsa- 
Mesu. 
It was indeed a most charming sight when we made 
our way along a broad well-trodden path, surrounded 
on both sides by neatly-fenced clusters of large huts, 
encompassed by waving corn and picturesque clusters 
of trees. Thus we reached the " lamorde," the re- 
sidence of the governor, which is situated at a short 
distance from the southern foot of the large granitic 
cone ; but he was absent, having gone on an expedi- 
tion against the Fiiri, an independent pagan tribe in 
the neighbourhood, and we had to wait some time 
before his servants undertook to assign us quarters, 
when we had to retrace our steps to the southern 
part of the village. It was half-past four in the 
afternoon when, feverish and extremely weak as I 
was, I at length found rest ; but while reclining at 
full length in a cool shade, I listened with delight to 
Ibrahima's chat, who, in order to cheer my spirits, 
gave me an account of that famous expedition to the 
far south which the Fiilbe of A'damawa undertook a 
few years ago, and to which I have already alluded. 
L L 4 
