RESIDENCE AT SOCCATOO AND MAGARIA. 
248 
sheik was on his march to Kano, he had returned to secure that 
important city. 
Sunday, 28th. — Clear and cloudless sky. Took leave of the Ga- 
dado, as he goes to Kano to-morrow to take command of the forces. 
The whole of the F ellatas are in the greatest state of alarm, as they 
expect the whole of the blacks will join the sheik, as also the Tua- 
ricks : they are now busily employed in getting their grain into 
Soccatoo, expecting an attack here. 
Monday, 29th. — The Gadado did not leave until the afternoon. 
The sultan, and every one that could muster a horse, besides a num- 
ber on foot, accompanied him as far as the river side, which runs to 
the north, on the east of Soccatoo : here they repeated the fatha, 
after which all those not going to accompany him returned. 
Thursday, February 8th. — Having taken leave of the sultan, 
I put all my baggage, except one trunk and the canteen, into the 
Gadado’s house, as well to prevent robbery as to guard against fires, 
which are very common in Soccatoo ; taking my two camels and all 
my servants for Magaria. At 8 A. M. one of my camels being sickly 
and weak, we travelled very slowly until 3 P. M., when I halted at 
a village near the road-side, where the head man gave me a hut to 
sleep in ; and the river being about two miles distant to the north, 
we sent the camels out to feed, and left Richard and Allah Sirkie 
to pitch the tent and take care of the horses. I went down to the 
river side with the gun, to look at the hunting ground : I was 
attended by Malem Moodie, the owner of the village, on horseback, 
and about twenty of his slaves. He is the only free man in the 
village, which consists of about seventy men, women, and children. 
After descending the rocky and gravelly side of the hill over which 
the road lies, I came upon the flat, which spreads out about four 
miles to the foot of the high ground or low hills. On the north 
side, the river overflows all the flat during the rains ; and the former 
i i 2 
