CHAP. LIV. PECULIAR CHARACTER OF MU'NIYO'. 49

camels, horses, and cattle, which towards evening gathered round the well to be watered; and the character of peace and repose which it exhibited induced me to make a sketch of it.

Among the animals there were some excellent shecamels, which, as evening advanced, were crying and eagerly looking out for their young ones, that had been left in the surrounding villages. The inhabitants, who treated us hospitably, seemed to be tolerably well off; and the feasting in my little encampment continued almost the whole night long.

With the greater eagerness we started Thursday, early in the morning, in order to reach the December 16th. capital of this little hilly country, which forms a very sharp wedge or triangle of considerable length, pro. jecting from the heart of Negroland towards the border of the desert, and exhibiting fixed settlements and a tolerably well-arranged government, in contrast to the turbulent districts of nomadic encampments. Our direction meanwhile remained the same as on the preceding day, being mostly a north-easterly one. The situation of this province, as laid down from my route upon the map, seems very remarkable; but we must not forget that in ancient times, during the flourishing period of the empire of Bórnu, the whole country between this advanced spur and Kánem formed populous provinces subjected to the same government, and that it is only since the middle of the last century that, the Berbers or Tawárek having politically separated entirely from the Kanúri, the

whole eastern part of these northern provinces has been laid waste and depopulated, while the energetic rulers of the province of Múniyó have not only succeeded in defending their little territory, but have even extended it in a certain degree, encroaching little by little upon the neighbouring province of Díggera, a tribe of the Tawárek, whom I have mentioned on a former occasion.*

The country in general preserved the same character as on the previous day,—the narrow vales and glens inclosed by the granitic eminences being well cultivated, and studded with small hamlets, in some of which the huts approached the architecture usual in Kánem. Several troops of natives met us on the road, with pack-oxen, over the backs of which large baskets were thrown by means of a sort of network; they were returning from the capital, having delivered their quota of the ashúr or "kúngona máibe." The system of tax-paying in these western provinces is very different from that usual in Bórnu Proper, as I shall soon have another opportunity of relating.

After a march of about six miles, an isolated date palm announced a different region, and a little further on we entered the valley of Túnguré, running from west to east, and adorned with a fine plantation of cotton, besides a grove of about two hundred date palms. Having traversed this valley where the road leads to Bílla Mallem Gárgebe, we entered a thicket of mimosas, while the eminences assumed a rounder

* Vol. II. p. 72.

CHAP. LIV. PALM GROVE.-VIEW OF GU'RE.

51

shape. The country then became gradually more open, scarcely a single tree being met with, and we obtained a distant view of Gúre, situated at the southern foot and on the lower slope of a rocky eminence, when we began to descend considerably along the shelving ground of the expansive plain laid out in stubble-fields, with here and there a few trees, and intersected by several large and deep ravines.

Having first inspected the site of the town, I chose my camping-ground in a small recess of the sandy

downs which border the south side of a concavity or dell surrounding the town on this side, and laid out in small kitchen-gardens and cotton plantations as shown in the accompanying woodcut; for, notwith

standing the entreaties of the governor, I did not like to take up my quarters inside the place.

In the evening, I received a visit from Yusuf Mukní, the late Mr. Richardson's interpreter, who at present had turned merchant, and, having sold several articles to Múniyóma the governor of the country, had been waiting here three months for payment. He was very amiable on this occasion, and apparently was not indisposed to accompany me to Sokoto, if I had chosen to make him an offer; but I knew his character too well, and feared rather than liked him. He gave me a faithful account of the wealth and power of Múniyóma, who, he said, was able to bring into the field 1500 horsemen, and from 8000 to 10,000 archers, while his revenues amounted to 30,000,000 of shells, equivalent, according to the standard of this place, to 10,000 Spanish dollars, besides a large tribute in corn, equal to the tenth part, or ashúr, which, in all the provinces of Bórnu north-west of the komádugu, in consequence of the governors of these territories having preserved their independence against the Fúlbe or Felláta, belongs to them, and not to the sovereign lord, who resides in Kúkawa. Each full-grown male inhabitant of the province has to pay annually 1000 shells for himself, and, if he possess cattle, for every pack-ox 1000 shells more, and for every slave 2000.

I had heard a great deal about the debts of this governor; but I learned, on further inquiry, that they only pressed heavily upon him this year, when the

CHAP. LIV.

ESTATE OF MU'NIYO'MA.

53

revenues of his province were greatly reduced by the inroad of the Tawárek of which I have spoken before. As a specimen of his style of life, I may mention that he had recently bought a horse of Tarkiye breed for 700,000 shells, -a very high price in this country, equal to about 50l. sterling.

Having got ready my presents for the Friday, governor, I went to pay him a visit; and December 17th. while waiting in the inner courtyard, I had sufficient leisure to admire the solid and well-ornamented style of building which his palace exhibited, and which almost cast into the shade the frail architectural monuments of the capital. I was then conducted into a stately but rather sombre audience-hall, where the governor was sitting on a divan of clay, clad in a blue bernús, and surrounded by a great number of people whom curiosity had brought thither. Having exchanged with him the usual compliments, I told him that, as Mr. Richardson had paid him a visit on his first arrival in the country, and on his way from the north to Kúkawa, it had also been my desire, before leaving Bórnu for the western tribes, to pay my respects to him as the most noble, powerful, and intelligent governor of the country, it being our earnest wish to be on friendly terms with all the princes of the earth, more especially with those so remarkably distinguished as was his family. He received my address with great kindness, and appeared much flattered by it.

The number of people present on this occasion was