288 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXXX. 
along the river. The bank here exhibits a pecu- 
liar feature, and the locality would be of the high- 
est importance, if the state of the country was in 
any way settled, for the hilly chain on the right 
closely joins a group of rocky eminences which nearly 
approaches the river, and opening towards it in the 
shape of a horse-shoe, leaves only a very narrow pas- 
sage between the south-easterly corner of this semi- 
circle of the hills, and a detached cone rising close 
over the brink of the river, the latter being likewise 
full of rocks. On the slope of the amphitheatre, called 
Sare-g6ru, about half-way up the height, lies the village 
or town of Birni*, presenting a very picturesque 
spectacle, notwithstanding the frail character of the 
dwellings. 
Even beyond this passage, only a small border is 
left between the slope of the hills and the river, espe- 
cially behind the little village of Kollonte, which is 
separated by a small ravine into two distinct groups, 
and very pleasantly situated in a fine recess of the 
hills ; at the same time, busy scenes of domestic 
life attracted our attention. Here the shore formed 
a bend, and the river glided along in a slow, 
* There is no doubt that this was formerly a place of consider- 
able importance, and commanded the whole of the surrounding dis- 
trict, as the masters of this defile had at the same time in their 
hands the whole intercourse along the shore. In this respect the 
name Birni is not less remarkable than that of Sare-goru, both 
" birni," as well as " sare," being the names given to cities, or 
large walled places, in various Negro languages. Sare-goru means 
the rivulet or channel (goru) of the city (sare). 
