Chap. LXXXIIL MA'SHENA. 
379 
where the tamarind tree was the greatest ornament, 
we reached the town of Mdshena, with its rocky emi- 
nences scattered about the landscape, and encamped 
a few hundred yards to the west of the town. I 
have made a few observations with regard to this 
place on my former journey, but neither then nor at 
this time, did I visit the interior. I will only add, that 
it was in this place that the sherif Mohammed el 
Fasi, the agent of the vizier of B6rnu in Zinder, with 
whom my supplies had been deposited, was slain in 
the revolution of the preceding year. Not long 
after I had pitched my tent, I received a visit 
from an Arab, of the name of 'Abd Allahi Shen, 
who had assisted the usurper 'Abd e' Eahman as a 
sort of broker, and who, in consequence, had been 
exiled by the Sheikh 'Omar as soon as the latter 
again recovered possession of the supreme power, and 
it was in order to beg me to solicit his pardon at the 
hands of the Sheikh, that he addressed himself to me. 
He also informed me, that the road was at present 
by no means safe, being greatly infested by the people 
of Bedde, who were taking advantage of the weak 
state to which the Bornu kingdom had been reduced 
by the civil war. Corn was here exceedingly dear, 
or rather not to be had at all, and beans was the only 
thing I could procure. 
From hence I followed at first my former track, 
till I came to the place where on that occasion I had 
lost my road ; and here I took a more southerly direc- 
tion, and passed the hot hours in Lamiso, a middle- 
