318 
TRAVELS m AFRICA. Chap. LXXXI. 
traders, most of them bearing their little merchandise 
on pack-oxen or asses, but some of them carrying it 
on their heads as dan-gariinfu. Having refreshed 
ourselves, we continued our march, but, frightened by 
a thunder-storm which was gathering over our heads, 
encamped near a shallow pond of water. However, 
there was but little rain, and we had a tolerably quiet 
evening. Here also we suiFered greatly from the 
mosquitoes, which, together with the extreme in- 
security of the communication, are the great draw- 
back to the full enjoyment of a journey through 
Kebbi. 
Sunday, About two milcs from our starting-point, 
August 13th. jjaving slightly ascended, we had again to 
descend the steep rocky passage, the rising ground 
before us, with its dense timber, appearing like a 
chain of mountains. Having then ascended again, 
we reached the tebki, or pond, which I have men- 
tioned on my outward journey, and being thirsty, we 
all went to drink, but found the water so abominable, 
that all my companions from Timbuktu were attacked 
with serious illness, especially Sidi A'hmed, who was 
seized suddenly with such a severe attack of fever that 
he declared the water to have been poisoned. But al- 
though it is not totally impossible that the enemy 
might have poisoned the pond — from which they 
knew that all the passers-by supplied themselves with 
water — with some herb or other, I think that its 
unwholesome character was caused in the same 
manner as the water of the brook near U'ro B^leng, 
