74 
JOURNEY FROM KATUNGA TO BOUSSA. 
as fancy serves. The Houssa slaves amongst them are Mahometans, 
and are allowed to worship in their own way. 
The town (and I think I speak within bounds) may contain 
30,000 inhabitants. They are looked upon by all who know them 
as the greatest thieves and robbers in all Africa ; and it is enough 
to call a man a native of Borgoo, to designate him as a thief and a 
murderer. Their government is despotic; and it appears very little 
protection is given to the subject, as one tow n will plunder another 
whenever an opportunity offers. Their manner of salutation to 
superiors is by prostration at full length on the ground, but without 
throwing dust on the head or body: the women kneel on their 
knees and elbows, holding the two open hands turned up towards 
the face. They say that a country called Gourma lies eight days' 
journey to the north of them ; Gonja is to the W. 1ST. W. ; and that 
a small territory called Katakolee lies between Gonja and Borgoo. 
They sell in the market Brazil tobacco, snuff, natron, yams, plan- 
tains, bananas, milk, vegetable butter, gora nuts, and honey in great 
plenty and cheap. Sheep and bullocks are abundant : the latter 
mostly in the hands of the Fellatas, who inhabit the woods, shifting 
about from place to place as pasture is good. The Borgoo people 
will not suffer them to carry any weapons of defence. Their best 
horses they get from the Bornou and Houssa merchants, who bring 
them for sale. 
On the 18th, after breakfast, being provided with carriers and 
two horses, one saddled for myself, I took leave of Yarro, and left 
Kiama. The Houssa caravan left before me, but was to halt at an- 
other village, at a little distance from my route. The road was prin- 
cipally through thick woods, with a few plantations of yams, near 
some villages that we passed, inhabited by F ellatas. One deserted 
village, they said, had been abandoned last rainy season, on account 
of sickness; but what the disease was, I could not learn. The in- 
