Having then passed several ponds, among which the tebki Sugíndo was the most important, and made another rocky descent, from the top of which we overlooked the large valley or dallul of Bóso, and having turned round a small rocky ridge, we reached the village of Gárbo about two o’clock in the afternoon. Gárbo is a small place, half deserted, and greatly harassed by the enemy,—the Déndi of Tanda having made a foray against this place only two days previously, and carried away almost all the cattle belonging to the inhabitants. But it is of importance, as being the last Háusa place in this direction, the regions to the west belonging exclusively to the Songhay and Fúlbe. A clay wall, which was to afford some protection to the town, had just been begun but left half finished. Numbers of corn-stacks inspired us with the hope that we might be able here to supply ourselves with corn; but not a grain was to be obtained. There was therefore no staying in this place, although our heavily laden camels were rather fatigued after the forced march through the wilderness. [Sidenote: Thursday, June 16th.] At a tolerably early hour we were again on the march through the fields, where the fresh crops were just shooting up; but a little further on they had attained already to a greater height, and were just being cleared of weeds. Cattle also were not entirely wanting, and gave sufficient proof that, under a strong government, there were elements enough for the welfare of the people. The ground here is broken by several cavities or hollows, where ponds are formed, which of course vary in size according to the season. Some of them, although of considerable circumference, contained salt water of a blackish colour. Thus, having passed a fresh swampy depression, where dúm and deléb palms also were not unfrequent, we reached, after a march of about seven miles, a farming village called Lanadéji, where the peculiar structure of the corn-stacks attracted my attention; but, although built of clay, they are not pretty, and neither similar to the nobler style of those which we have found in the Músgu country, nor to those which we are to meet with further on, in the country of Másina. The whole cultivation consists here of Negro millet, to the exclusion of rice and sorghum. Last year’s crop had here also been very scanty; and we endeavoured in vain to procure a supply. We had then to cross the bottom of the valley or ráfi, which at present exhibited only separate sheets of water, while on my return journey the following year, later in the season, it was almost entirely inundated. But at a short distance beyond the hamlet, even at present, we crossed with some difficulty an extensive swamp covered with rank grass.