My friend Bíllama also frequently called on me, and furnished me with a variety of information[14], while I applied myself strenuously to the study of the Kanúri language, which had discouraged me at first, owing to the difficulties of its grammatical structure: and I could scarcely have had a better teacher than our friend Háj Edrís; for, being of Kanúri origin, he had lived a great many years in the east, especially in Medína, and had become almost an Arab. He was certainly an intelligent and honest man; and in the course of our stay we became indebted to him in many respects. Of course we could not expect him to render his service gratuitously, as he himself was not in affluent circumstances, though as a courtier he had to keep up a good appearance; but being myself very poor at the time, I could do nothing but place him upon a needle-pension, the needles being very useful in the encampment for buying provisions. [Footnote 12: Between Yédi and the Tsád, the following places are situated—Léga, a considerable town surrounded by a wall; Díbbuwa, Jíggeri, Manawáze, Górdiná, and Mógolám.] [Footnote 13: With regard to the direction of its lower course, the statements of the people do not entirely agree, and I shall have occasion to say something more about it when I speak of my return journey from Bagírmi.] [Footnote 14: Among other things, he informed me that at a short distance north from Díkowa lies the town Ájiri, equally surrounded by a clay wall, and inhabited by Kanúri; but while a tribute is levied on Díkowa by the Malá Mása Mándará, Ájiri belongs to a man called Ábsa. About two hours south by west from Díkowa is another walled town, called Gáwa; but this town still at the present day is inhabited by the ancient population of the country, viz., the Gámerghú, and is the residence of a petty native chief, Bíllama Sára, while another petty chief of the Gámerghú has his residence in Degímba, the Dagwamba of Major Denham. Of the Gámerghú I have spoken on a former occasion.] CHAP. XLIII. THE BORDER-REGION OF THE SHÚWA. [Sidenote: Saturday, December 6th.]