JOURNEY FROM BOUSSA TO KANO. 
151 
a man to lead my camel. After leaving him, I rode and joined 
the caravan. Passed two towns called Gilma, the one built on 
the top of a rocky hill, the other at a few hundred yards from its 
base. They are at hot war one with the other, and seldom a day 
passes without some one or other belonging to either town being 
killed. Yesterday we heard there were twelve of the lower towns- 
people killed in a pitched battle between them. Their usual field 
of battle was pointed out to me by the messenger ; it is a clear 
spot of about three hundred yards broad, between the south wall 
of the lower town and the base of the hill. Parties of women 
belonging to both towns were working in these fields, but parties 
of armed men kept walking up and down between them and the 
enemy. 
Saturday, July 1st.— Left our encampment, and travelled through 
a country well cleared and cultivated near the road planted with 
millet, & c. ; the soil, red clay and gravel. At 10 A. M. passed 
round the south side of a town called Akingie, which was walled, 
large, and populous, the environs cleared and planted with grain 
on the east side. Found the townS-people collecting the toll 
from the Fitakies of the caravan who had preceded us in the 
morning. They had here a regular toll-gate, not painted white 
and hung on hinges like those in England, but the collectors of 
the toll were lusty rude fellows, armed with clubs and staves, the 
head man with a sword. After passing the toll of Akingie the 
country became more hilly and woody ; the soil stony and gravelly, 
and little cultivated. At noon arrived at the town of Curigie, 
where I halted, the head man of which, having provided me with 
a house, made a present of two fowls, with millet for my horses 
and camel. The walls of this town are extensive, but the houses 
are few, partly built on a hill and part in the valley. At this 
season both inside and outside of the town has a beautiful appear- 
