A large flowered form of _Nigella arvensis_, with a few other plants which we had not seen since we approached the mountains, indicated a change in the soil, now much less barren as we descended the north-west slope of the hills; and as twilight had set in we reached the _kasbah_ of the Governor of Mtouga, a large pile surrounded by lofty stone walls. The soldiers, who had ridden forward to announce our approach, found for some time no response to their summons at the gate; and it was after some delay that two or three slaves presented themselves, and we then learned that the Governor and all his men had gone forth to fight against their enemies from Haha. No orders had been given for our entertainment; but we were told that within the enclosure of the _kasbah_ there were rooms which were at our disposal. Our brave escort at once grasped at the prospect of shelter and safety within the walls, and were urgent that we should at once decide on accepting the offer. On inspecting the room to which he was conducted, Hooker had no difficulty, however, in at once refusing the proffered accommodation, and the alternative course of pitching our tents within the enclosure, on ground constantly trodden by cattle, was equally uninviting. Much to the trouble of our followers, the order finally went forth that the tents should be pitched on some moderately level ground outside the _kasbah_. Slowly and sulkily the order was obeyed, we meanwhile sitting on our horses, while the night fell gloomily around us. There was no real ground for the uneasiness which our people undoubtedly felt, as night attacks are quite foreign to the usages of the country; but there was a genuine feeling that the Mtouga people were greatly overmatched in their struggle with the Haha tribes, three or four times more numerous than themselves. In the absence of supper every ear was on the alert for the approach of some one with tidings of the fray. At last, about 9 o’clock two men appeared; whether they had taken part in the fight, or judiciously taken flight, did not clearly appear. They claimed a victory for Mtouga, declaring that eighteen men of Haha had been killed, and that many prisoners had been taken, while acknowledging that the victors had also suffered losses. Half an hour later the main body approached, but it was soon evident that the return was anything rather than a triumph. The night was too dark to take account of the whole number that passed by our camp, or to observe their countenances; but the Governor with a good many mounted soldiers, and a file of from twenty to thirty prisoners tied together to bring up the rear, passed close before our tent, and the dark outline of each figure against the sky passed in long succession before us.