JOURNEY FROM KATUNGA TO BOUSSA. 
65 
was taken very ill, and unable to ride ; in consequence of which I 
remained until the afternoon, when he got better, and was able to 
proceed, by a man holding him on the bare back of the horse, for 
we had no saddles. Halted at the village of Socka, where I got 
one of the best huts, a few yams, and four fowls. 
Monday, 13th. — Morning cool and cloudy. At daylight an 
escort arrived from the chief of Kiama, mounted on as fine horses 
as I ever saw. One man had on a white cotton tobe, or shirt, writ- 
ten over entirely with Arab charms, which made it look like printed 
cotton at a distance. They were a despicable, lawless set of fellows ; 
for as soon as they had delivered their master’s compliments to me, 
they began to plunder the village of the goats and fowls. One 
fellow rode in at full gallop, through the fence of matting which 
surround the huts, brandishing his spear ; those on foot following 
him, and making a prize of every thing they could lay their hands 
on. I gave the head man of the village, out of sight of the escort, 
a fathom of blue cloth, and two knives. On leaving Sacko, I was 
now accompanied by this escort, who formed as fine and wild a 
looking troop as I ever saw. They had brought me a saddle, but 
Richard and Pascoe rode bare-backed, and our little Yourriba 
mares made a miserable contrast with the gallant looking troop who 
were guarding us : but I consoled myself with the thought that I 
had not plundered the village. Our road lay through a country 
rough and uneven, consisting of hill and dale, with rocks of quartz 
and sandstone, a range of hills closing round to the right. Passed 
two villages, at which my honest escort levied a tribute of goats and 
fowls. At nine A.M. we arrived at the city of Kiama, and rode 
instantly up to the house of the chief ; where, after waiting under 
the shade of a wide spreading tree for a few minutes, I paid my 
respects to the chief, or sultan, as they call him : his name is Yarro. 
He was sitting in the porch of his door, a stout, good looking man, 
past the middle age, dressed in a white tobe or large shirt, with a 
K 
