Chap. LXXXI. TOWN OF TILLI. 
319 
which had made one of my companions and myself ill 
on a former occasion. 
Having again descended a rocky passage, we passed 
the site of a former encampment of Sultan Bello, which 
he used as his head- quarters when he destroyed the 
towns of Debe and Kiika. The sight of this place, 
together with the remembrance of the ruinous war- 
fare which had proceeded from thence, gave my 
companions an opportunity of expatiating on the 
great strength of Kebbi in former times, when the 
whole of Giirma, with all the Songhay places as far 
as Tera, were subject to them ; but I never heard 
that the dominion of this country, or of any province 
of Hausa, had ever extended as far as Timbuktu. 
Proceeding then cheerfully on, we reached the first 
monkey-bread trees at the border of the forest, and 
were greatly delighted at the sight of the fine herds 
of cattle belonging to the inhabitants of TiUi, with 
the rich crops, part of which was already cut in 
order to satisfy the most urgent wants of the popu- 
lation. The whole district, together with its fine 
timber, which had now put forth its utmost exuber- 
ance of foliage, left a very pleasing impression. 
Thus we reached the town of Tilli, but the western 
gate being very narrow, we had to turn round half 
the circumference of the wall in order to reach the 
eastern entrance ; but having at length penetrated 
into the interior, we were lodged close to the western 
gate, where we had arrived an hour previously. I had 
thus the advantage of getting a good insight into the 
