ROUTE TO MUGGA. ^ 253 
assume over their husbands. A trifling circumstance that took 
place in the course of our conviviality contributed much to my 
amusement : I had given a ring to our hostess and another to 
her spouse, but the lady not being satisfied with the one she pos- 
sessed, managed by artful endearments to coax her husband out 
of the other, telling him, among other reasons to induce him to 
comply, that, if hev^ould not part with it, it would be plain he 
loved the ring better than herself 
On Saturday morning we left the Ozoro's mansion about ten 
o'clock, and followed a southern course down a highly cultivated 
valley, through which a stream runs called Mai Feras. The land 
hereabouts appeared to be highly productive ; the first crop of 
peas had not been gathered in^ though the second crop of wheat 
and barley was making a rapid progress and seemed to promise a 
very abundant harvest. This productiveness of the soil must be 
considered, in a great measure, as owing to the industry of the 
inhabitants and their skill in irrigating the land, the efiects of 
which, where a constant supply of water can be procured, proves 
highly beneficial. The common mode, practised here, consists in 
digging small channels from the higher parts of the stream, and 
conducting them across the plain, which is thus divided into square 
compartments according to the general practice adopted in India. 
In the course of the morning the rest of our party re-joined us, 
and we proceeded to a village situated, as usual, at the top of a 
lofty hill, where we took up our residence for the night. Here 
it was determined, for the convenience of the party, that we 
should divide ; and accordingly I proceeded with Mr. Smith 
and Mr. Pearce in advance, while Debib and the others had 
