Chap. LXXIV. THE SWAMPS AND THE RAmS. 119 
vourable effect upon my health. We had previously 
had evident signs of the approach of the rainy season ; 
but, to-day, we had the first regular shower accom- 
panied by a thunderstorm, and rain fell round about 
us in a much more considerable quantity. The Ta- 
warek were well aware that this was the real begin- 
ning of the rainy season, giving vent to their feelings 
in the words "dkase yiise" — "the rainy season has 
set in;'' but my Arab companions, who repeatedly 
assured me that long before the setting in of the rainy 
season I should certainly reach Sokoto, would not 
acknowledge this as a regular rain, but qualified 
it as quite an exceptional phenomenon connected 
with the setting of the " Pleiads," and calling it in 
sequence, "mdghreb el thrayd." 
There was a great dread of lions in our encamp- 
ment. I especially was warned to be on my guard, 
as my camping- ground, which I had surrounded 
with a fence, closely approached a jungle of rank 
grass ; but we passed the night unmolested. 
Although I had been promised that we should pHday, 
certainly not pass this place on our return ^^^3^^^^- 
westward, nevertheless, in the morning the order was 
suddenly given to decamp ; and on we went, A^khbi 
in the van and we in the rear, passing many small 
temporary encampments of the Igwddaren, who were 
exiling themselves from their own country. Having 
thus made a short march of about four miles, throuo"h 
a country now rising in sandy downs, covered with 
siwdk and diim-bush, at other times spreading out in 
I 4 
