Thursday, 24th.—At 9 A.M., it having rained all the morning, I had the camels loaded, and took leave of my servants, whom I left, with much regret, in a land where they were perfect strangers. Richard was still unwell with dysentery. I left with him instructions how to proceed home in the event of my death, and also strict orders to Hadje Salah to afford him and Pascoe every assistance, even the same he would have given to me, and that he would be well paid by the consul at Tripoli. I also desired him to allow Richard one thousand cowries, to keep the house and horse; my poor little Boussa mare having died a few days before. I had been obliged to draw a bill for five hundred Spanish dollars in favour of Hamada ben Medoon, for which I had to take a horse at more than double its price, and only got 1500 cowries for each dollar—just one half,—such is the rate of the country. This money I left in the hands of Hadje Salah for the use of my servants, which amounted to 250,000 cowries (not 100 dollars), the price of the horse being 500,000 cowries. I left them with much regret, as I was in very bad health myself. I was accompanied as far as the horse gate (Coffin Dalkie) by Hadje Salah, Shereef Ali, a Tunis merchant, Hamada ben Medoon, and all the principal Arabs, as they thought that I should bring about a peace between the sheik of Bornou and Bello. After leaving the walls of Kano the country was well cultivated on every side, and planted with Indian corn, millet, doura, potatoes, indigo, and cotton; but the road was very disagreeable, all the hollows being full of water. At 11.40 came to a stream of running water, at this season at least a quarter of a mile broad. At 12.30 got all the people, and baggage, and the camels, across. I was wet up to my seat in the saddle, and once or twice the horse was swimming. Started again, and at four halted at the walled town of Toffa, the walls of which, since the death of Duntungwa, the rebellious governor of Dumburta, have been allowed to go to decay; and unless they are soon repaired and built up, the town will, in a year or two, be without walls. I was provided with a house, and had even milk and pudding—not like our puddings in Britain, but Indian corn-flour boiled in an earthen pot, and stirred with a large stick, without salt or fat, and, when thick enough, it is made up into pieces of about two pounds each, and eaten with milk, if it can be got; if not, with a sauce made of the dried leaves of a certain plant and a little butter. It is the general food for the second meal in all parts between the Quorra and Bornou, and sometimes also in the latter place, if they have millet.