CABRA. 
45 
canoes which had been dispatched for the purpose of con- 
veying to the town the most valuable commodities brought 
by the vessels from Jenne. About three in the afternoon 
we reached Cabra., which is situated three miles to the north 
of the great port. On entering it I observed a number of 
straw huts like those of the Foulahs, which were inhabited 
by trading slaves. Near their huts was a great quantity of 
the fruit of the nenuphar, which constitutes part of the 
food of the slaves and poorer classes. 
I observed in the streets a great concourse of people and 
merchants ; some walking idly about, others endeavouring 
to dispose of their goods, consisting of fish, milk, colat-niits, 
pistachios, &c. The town of Cabra is narrow, and extends 
east and west ; the houses are built of earth with terraced 
roofs, and have only a ground-floor ; few of them are well 
built, being chiefly cabins, for the richer class of people 
prefer living at Timbuctoo, the centre of commerce. The 
inhabitants of Cabra, about a thousand or twelve hundred in 
number, are all employed, either in landing the various mer- 
chandise brought from Jenne, or in conveying it to Tim- 
buctoo. For this purpose they make use of asses and ca- 
mels. The slaves do not carry loads on their heads ; this 
would be a bad speculation for their masters, for the poor 
creatures would soon be worn out, as the road leading to 
the town consists of quicksand which renders walking very 
difficult. 
At Cabra a market is daily held for the sale of all sorts 
of merchandise from Soudan. The town contains a little 
mosque, surrounded by a tower or minaret. To the west of 
the town there are some specimens of the balanitis cegyp- 
tiaca, and small gardens of tobacco ; this latter plant, how- 
ever, does not thrive, and seldom grows higher than six or 
seven inches. On the east side there are some date-trees, 
which are visible from a distance. 
The almost constant inundation of the marshes, in the. 
