108 
JOURNEY FROM BOUSSA TO KANO. 
they would have been in imminent danger of perishing here, most 
likely unheard of and unseen. When I attempted to get up and 
mount my horse, after finishing a rough sketch of the scene, I was 
taken with a giddiness, and lost the use of my limbs and sight. 
They carried me under the shade of a tree, where I broke into a 
profuse perspiration ; and at 3. 30 being much relieved, I mounted 
and rode half an hour, when I halted at a village of the Cambrie, 
called Songa, the inhabitants of which gave me the best hut in 
the village : but bad was the best ; it was infested with rats, 
scorpions, and centipedes, and the furniture consisted of old nets, 
rotten wood, and broken gourds : I therefore left it, and remained 
on a mat in the open air all night. The head man of the village 
gave me a sheep and some yams, and at my request sent one of his 
young men to the ferry, to see if my baggage and servants had 
arrived. I gave the sheep and yams to the two messengers and 
their attendants. The young Cambrie man returned about mid- 
night with an answer from the taya, saying that Richard would 
be up with the baggage at the ferry in the morning. 
Monday, 3d. — Morning clear and cool. These Cambrie appear 
to be a lazy, harmless race of negroes ; and, as I was informed, 
inhabit the villages in the woods near the Quorra, in the states of 
Boussa, Wawa, and Youri. They plant a little corn and yams, and 
keep a few sheep and goats. The men employ their time in hunt- 
ing, fishing, and sleeping ; the most laborious work falling on the 
women. They are apparently a mild people ; in general tall ; 
more stupid-looking than wild ; go with very little clothing, seldom 
any thing more than a skin round the waist. The young people 
of both sexes go entirely naked until they have cohabited, when 
they put on a skin, or tobe, as their circumstances will afford. 
They are, from their unwarlike and mild dispositions, often very 
ill used and imposed upon. When any of their rulers has a sudden 
demand for slaves or sheep, they send and take away from the poor 
