380 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXXXIII. 
sized town surrounded with a low rampart of earth. 
Outside the town there was a market-place, where a 
market was just being held, tolerably well supplied, 
not only with corn, but also with cotton ; besides these, 
beans, dodowa, the dum-fruit, dried fish, and indigo, 
formed the chief articles for sale ; and I bought here 
a pack-ox for 10,000 shells. As soon as the bargain 
was concluded, I again pursued my journey, and, 
after some time, fell into my old track. Having 
thus reached the town of Allamdy, I pitched my tent 
inside the thick fence of thorny bushes. I had 
passed this town also on my former journey, and had 
then been greatly pleased at the sight of a numerous 
herd of cattle ; but in the present ruinous condition 
of the country, not a single cow was to be seen ; 
the whole place being entirely desolate. Even the 
water, which it was very difficult to obtain, was of 
bad quality. 
The next morning I reached Biindi, after a short 
march, proceeding in advance of my camels, in order 
to pay my compliments to the governoi*, and to obtain 
from him an escort through the unsafe district which 
intervened between this town and Zurrikulo. After 
a little tergiversation, my old friend, the ghaladima 
'Omar, acceded to my request, giving me a guide who, 
he assured me, would procure an escort for me in the 
village of Shesheri, where a squadron of horse was 
stationed for the greater security of the road. I had 
experienced the inhospitable disposition of this officer 
during my former stay here, and felt therefore little 
