FROM SOCCATOO TO DUNRORA. 
289 
Nyffe, and the other to Funda. My master had said, before his 
death, at Soccatoo, that if I returned through Nyffe and Youriba, 
the inhabitants, who must have heard of our having taken presents 
to Sultan Bello, with whom they were at war, would certainly 
assassinate me ; and feeling an earnest and irrepressible desire to 
visit Funda, on the banks of the Niger, and trace, in a canoe, that 
river to Benin, without hesitation I chose the Funda road. We 
therefore proceeded, and at 6 A. M. pitched our tent within half 
a mile of the walled town of Koufa. Sent Pascoe to the town for 
provisions ; who shortly afterwards returned with some of the in- 
habitants to look at the tent. The chief did not visit me, thinking 
I was an Arab on his wav to Funda. I was fortunate enough to 
obtain a little sleep this night, for the first time since leaving Kano. 
The town is situated at the foot of an immense rock, on which there 
is not the slightest trace of vegetation, is about two miles in cir- 
cumference, and pretty thickly inhabited. To the east of the town 
is a range of high hills, stretching from north to south as far as the 
eye can reach. Their sides had a most pleasing appearance, and 
vegetation looked green and luxuriant. Travelled in a south-east 
direction till ten in the morning, when our course lay more westerly. 
2d. — Left Ivoufa at 6 A. M., the weather being rainy, and 
halted at the small walled town of Cookie at twelve at noon. 
3d. — It began to rain at day-break, and continued without in- 
termission till ten in the morning, when, brightening a little, we 
struck our tent, and started at eleven. 
At 5 P. M. came near Carifo, a small walled town, similar in 
extent and form to those we had seen yesterday and the day be- 
fore. In the course of the day crossed a large river and two smaller 
ones, all running in a westerly direction, but no one could tell me 
their names. The hills seen yesterday still on our left, and ex- 
tending to the horizon. 
At 9 A. M. a dreadful thunder-storm came on, with lightning 
p p 
