JOURNEY FROM KATUNGA TO BOUSSA. 
63 
The country between Watatoo and Algi is cultivated in a number 
of places, and planted with cotton, yams, and maize, and is diver- 
sified by hill and dale : the hills are low and rocky ; the rocks of a 
fine-grained sand-stone. In the evening the head man of the village 
made me a present of four fowls and some yams. 
Saturday, 1 1th. — Cool and cloudy ; during the night, heavy 
storm of wind, with thunder and lightning. At daylight I had 
every thing ready for starting ; the butcher’s son having arrived 
last night, mounted on a little mare, with a saddle, and he without 
shoes or boots. On leaving Watatoo, I gave the two head men of 
the village a fathom of blue cloth each, as they had been as good 
as their circumstances would admit, and they promised to send 
every thing after me as soon as possible. In about fifteen minutes 
after leaving Watatoo, I arrived at and crossed the river Moussa, 
which formerly divided the kingdoms of Yourriba, and Borgoo: it 
was dry in a great many places, with a very rocky bed ; when full, 
about thirty yards in breadth ; and runs apparently with a very 
strong current. They say, it is the same river I passed on the road 
to Tshow, on the north side of the hills, and enters the Quorra op- 
posite Nyffee, and near Kakah. After crossing, I travelled through 
thick woods for an hour, when I halted at a few huts on the north 
side of the river, called Bori, until the baggage should arrive. A 
hut stood apart from the rest, near the banks of the river; the 
grass and weeds carefully cleared away from around it. The mes- 
senger and people who were with me went one after another to 
say their prayers ; which they did, by lying down, with their fore- 
heads towards the door, which was secured by a mat : they ap- 
peared to be very devout, and having finished their prayers, slipped 
a few cowries inside the mat. I asked if I might go and look in, 
but they would not allow me. I asked them who they prayed to : 
they said, to the God that gave them plenty of water, corn, and 
yams. I hey say there are great numbers of hippopotami and 
