nating; and altogether the forest exhibited a fresh and pleasant character, especially as the sun had at length broken through the clouds which had obscured its rays during the first part of the day. After a march altogether of about eleven miles, we reached the village of Namantúgu, which still belongs to the province of Yágha, the mayor of which we had met a short time before, on the road, as he was going to look after his cattle.

The village is of some importance, and consists of several groups which cover an extensive tract of ground, lying straggling about in the fields; but the huts themselves are very narrow, and the one which was assigned to myself was so small that there was scarcely room to breathe. Nothing is more unhealthy for a European than these abodes of stench and filth; but during the rainy season he is often obliged to seek shelter in these dirty dwellings, especially if he has valuable property in his possession.

Namantúgu, which seems to have been of considerable importance in the history of the Songhay empire*, was a rather eventful place for my whole subsequent proceedings, as I here met an Arab from the west, in whose company I was safely to enter the town of Timbúktu. He called himself Sheikho, though this was not originally his proper name; and, in order not to cause any mistake, I will in future call him (from his father and the name of his birthplace) Weled A'mmer Waláti. He was

* See the Chronological Tables at the end of this volume.

CHAP. LXI. THE ARAB FROM THE WEST.

283

certainly a very remarkable fellow; and I shall have frequent occasion, in the further course of my journey, to advert to his doings. Being originally a native of Waláta, he had emigrated to Timbuktu, whence he had roved about a great deal among the Tawárek as well as among the Fúlbe, and was at present on his way from Belánga, the residence of one of the principal chiefs of Gurma. He had a good quantity of the broad gábagá, or cotton strips, of Mósi with him, which form the staple currency in the whole tract of country from Libtáko to Timbúktu, ten drå being reckoned equal to one hundred shells. Besides Arabic, he spoke Fulfulde, Songhay, Mósi, and Bámbara fluently, and Temáshight, or the language of the Tawárek, almost as well, and altogether was one of the cleverest men whom I met on my journey, in spite of the trouble he caused me and the tricks he played me. He was a handsome man, of middle size and of rather slender growth, and with very fine expressive features. His dress consisted of a long black gown, with a black shawl wound round his head; and his whole appearance, as he was moving along at a solemn thoughtful pace, frequently reminded me of the servants of the Inquisition. However, his real character at the time of our first meeting was, of course, unknown to me, and I was delighted at having found such a man, as he held out to me the fairest prospects of reaching Timbúktu. But although I convinced myself that this man would be of great service to me, yet I did not make a bargain with him

immediately, but we agreed that I should arrange with him in Dóre, when he would be able to settle his own business.

The village of Namantúgu is almost exclusively inhabited by Fúlbe, all of whom were clad in the purest white, even the little children wearing round their heads a large turban of white cotton strips; but this was, perhaps, in consequence of their festival having been held the previous day. A great deal of rain had fallen hereabouts; and cotton appeared to be cultivated to a considerable extent.

Sunday,

Our road, on leaving Namantúgu, led July 10th. through a deep clayey soil covered with rank vegetation, which was only now and then interrupted by a little cultivation. A wealthy family of Fúlbe, father, mother, son, and daughter, all mounted on horseback, and accompanied by servants and by a numerous herd of cattle, were pursuing the same path; and their company was rather agreeable to us, as, after a march of about five miles, we had to cross a large sheet of water in the midst of the forest, through which they showed us the way. It is delightful for a traveller to meet with these nomadic settlers, after the disgust he has felt at the degraded character of their countrymen in Wurno. We had here entered a region full of water, the soil presenting very little inclination to afford it the means of flowing off. Further on also, where we passed the site of a former dwelling-place, we had to cross several channels of running water, and encamped at length, after a march

CHAP. LXI.

NAMANTU'GU.-TUMPE'NGA.

285

of about seventeen miles, in the midst of the forest, close beyond another watercourse; for we were not aware that about two miles further on there was a far more favourable place for encamping, viz. the site of the former town of Tumpénga.

The site of this place we passed early the next morning. Before the time of the rising of the Jihádi, the town had been inhabited by Fúlbe and pagans indiscriminately, when, owing to the religious ferment caused by that reformer, a bloody feud broke out between the Mohammedan and pagan inhabitants. The latter were vanquished, and fled to Nába, the powerful Gurma domain at some distance towards the south, while the former founded the town of Dóre. Two dyeing-places bore testimony to the fact that a certain degree of industry had formerly prevailed in this place, which, like so many other human abodes in Christian and Mohammedan countries, has been reduced to desolation in consequence of religious disputes.

Beyond this place granite protruded in large boulders, while monkey-bread trees were in great abundance; but gradually the country became more open, the trees being scanty and the soil hard and barren. This did not, however, last long, and further on we had to cross a considerable sheet of water surrounded by fine pasture-grounds; then followed another very barren and open tract, till, after a march of almost twenty miles, we reached the village of Kória, situated beyond a broad sandy watercourse at present dry. The scarcity of herbage was here so

great that I was obliged to send two of my people back to a considerable distance in order to procure a little grass for the horses. The head man of the village received us very inhospitably, refusing us quarters in such a peremptory manner, that it was only by force I could procure an open yard where to pitch my tent. However, he soon changed his behaviour entirely. It so happened that a thunder-storm, with the blackest clouds, which in the opinion of every one portended a heavy fall of rain, twice passed over our heads without bringing these famished people a single drop; whereupon all of them assured the inhospitable mayor that it was a divine punishment for his niggardly and unrighteous conduct towards me. Frightened, therefore, by such signs, he carried his hospitality so far as even to make me a present of a young heifer. But the first advances towards a friendly intercourse were made by an old woman, the mistress of the piece of ground where we had encamped, she bringing me, as a token of goodwill, a dish of well-cooked paste, which probably constituted her whole supper.

Considering the parched character of the whole neighbourhood, I was surprised to find a few dúm palms at the border of the channel, while the whole neighbourhood was almost destitute of trees.

Tuesday,

A short march of a little less than six miles, July 12th. in company with the son of the old governor, brought us from here to Dóre. The country through which we passed bore at the time the character of