. On horseback through Nigeria; or, Life and travel in the central Sudan . med. There are few large treesexcept in the town itself, which is shady and streets are lined with trees, and the com-pounds are surrounded by matting, except those ofthe chiefs, which are bounded by clay walls. Eachcompound is provided with a public entrance-hallor zauri, a circular hut with two doors, one leadingoutwards to the street and the other inwards to theprivate apartments within the compound. The citywalls are low and worn and evidently long dis-used, and the reason is not far to seek. Thesariki, or
. On horseback through Nigeria; or, Life and travel in the central Sudan . med. There are few large treesexcept in the town itself, which is shady and streets are lined with trees, and the com-pounds are surrounded by matting, except those ofthe chiefs, which are bounded by clay walls. Eachcompound is provided with a public entrance-hallor zauri, a circular hut with two doors, one leadingoutwards to the street and the other inwards to theprivate apartments within the compound. The citywalls are low and worn and evidently long dis-used, and the reason is not far to seek. Thesariki, or king, of Nassarawa has been a greatwarrior in his time, and, himself secure, before thecoming of the British, had ravaged and conqueredall the country southward to the Benue and west-ward to the Niger. He had even carried his vic-torious arms northward to the walls of Keffi, andwas on the point of attacking this rival State whenthe English came, and he wisely determined tothrow in his lot with them. Now, being old andcorpulent, he devotes himself to agricultural pur- 54. Lokoja to Keffi suits, and at the time of my arrival he had gone tospend the day upon his farms at some little distancefrom the town. One of his henchmen, however,waited on me and brought me fowls, eggs, yams,water, and firewood, and everything else that Irequired. Next day, while I rested in the bariki,the old warrior himself came to see me, and Ilost no time in preferring my request that, as I wasin a hurry to reach Bauchi, he should either sell mea horse or lend me one to ride as far as Keffi. Iiireply, he said that his horses also had almost alldied during the past season, that several of themwere still sick, and that he had none for salesuitable for me to ride. He had, however, a smallpony at one of his bush farms which he would lendme with pleasure as far as Keffi, if that would beof any use. I thanked him for his offer, and askedhim to be so good asto see that it was sent upto the bariki by dawn next mor
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