RESIDENCE AT SOCCATOO AND MAGARIA. 
2 95 
Goobur ; who, as the morning breezes at day-break come strong 
from the north-east, set fire to one house in that quarter, which 
spread rapidly, and consumed nearly two-thirds of the town before 
it could be stopped. It is now rebuilt just as it was before. There 
are at present eleven gates into Soccatoo ; seven having been built 
up since the breaking out of the rebellion. 
There are ten cadies or judges, who, with old Ben Gumso, an 
Arab living here, whenever the sultan leaves the city, keep watch 
at the gates day and night, with their people, until his return. 
Each takes a gate, and has a temporary house of matting, built 
close inside to live in. Ben Gumso, on my arrival, sent to tell 
me where he was stationed, and that he could not come and see 
me, until the sultan should return, as the punishment for leaving 
his post would be death. I accordingly went to see him. He 
was standing at the door of his house ; he had seven crazy Arab 
muskets, some of them without flint or ramrod ; but, notwith- 
standing all this, his post, on account of the muskets, was con- 
sidered impregnable. 
Tuesday, 24th. — In the afternoon a messenger arrived from the 
sultan and the Gadado, to inform me that, as the rebels were daily 
expected near Magaria, they did not know when they would be 
able to return to Soccatoo. They therefore wished me to return 
to that place, and remain with them, and sent two camels to carry 
my baggage, and a horse for myself. The report here is, that the 
inhabitants of the neighbouring villages near Magaria have all 
fled, and taken up their quarters there. 
Wednesday, 25th. — I did not start for Magaria to-day, as I had 
to lay in a stock of rice, bread, dried meat, and flour, as these arti- 
cles are much dearer in Magaria, and bread not known. Magaria 
is in the province of Adir, which is also called Tadela, containing 
a great number of towns. The inhabitants are for the greatest 
part negroes. The rest are a half breed between the Tuarics and 
c c 2 
