CriAP. LXXVIII. HOSPITALITY OF GA'-BE'RO. 225 
when the river rises to a greater height, forms a sort 
of sandbank, till it is overwhelmed, in its turn, by the 
rising waters of the Niger. These being the people 
who had invited us to come and pay them a visit, we 
chose our camping-ground on the high sandhills form- 
ing the offshoots of the rocky slope, which here rose 
to the height of 200 or 300 feet. It was a beautiful 
open place, and the G^-bero*, as soon as they observed 
us, began to beat their drum, or tobl, and prepared 
to cross over to us. To accomplish this, however, it 
was first necessary for them to borrow some boats, as 
they themselves did not possess any, from fear of the 
Tawarek, who might easily cross over to them, and 
annoy them. 
Having sent three oxen swimming across the river 
as a first token of hospitality, they began to raise a very 
neat matting-dwelling for the Sheikh ; but my noble 
friend, with great courtesy, gave it up to me, and 
ordered another for himself. These people exhibited 
great superiority both in carriage and intelligence over 
the Songhay inhabitants, although their dress is not 
very different from that of the Fulbe, being only a little 
fuller and less shabby. A few, such as their chief, 
Hanna, and his people, wear black tobes, with pockets 
of red cloth, like the Tawarek. Their wives dress 
like the Songhay women, wrapping a woollen shawl 
* The Ga-bero are divided into the following tribes : the She- 
dibe, the Bwajil, the Sillanche (the latter probably so called from 
the well known town Silla), the A^gades, and the Gorrong. 
VOL. V. Q 
