340 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXXXII. 
afterwards convinced myself from my own experience, 
the state of the roads which we had to cross would 
scarcely have allowed us to commence our journey 
before that time; but the rainy season was now almost 
over, and while the noxious insect called tumiin- 
ragaye, which towards the end of the rainy season 
infests the whole ground, increased in numbers, the 
quantity of rain decreased. Being now rather better 
and feeling stronger, I began again to move about a 
little on horseback, although the swampy character 
of the valley which surrounds Wurn6 on almost every 
side, together with the rocky character of the re- 
maining part of the district, prevented me from 
making long excursions. 
During this my second stay in the capital of this 
extensive empire, I had again full opportunity of ob- 
serving the extreme weakness and want of energy 
which prevails in its very centre ; although I could 
not but acknowledge the feeling of justice which 
animates the ruler himself, notwithstanding his want 
of spirit. In proof of this I may relate that being 
informed one day that five young sons of his had com- 
mitted acts of injustice in the market, he became 
greatly enraged, and immediately sent his two chief 
courtiers, 'Abdu and the ghaladima, with positive 
orders to seize and imprison the offenders; and when 
the young outlaws succeeded in escaping and hiding 
themselves for a day or two, he had the chief slave, 
who had been with them, executed. But the cowardice 
of his people, and their oppression of the weak and 
