Our direct road from this point would have led straight to Zurríkulo; but an officer of the name of Ádama, who was to accompany me to Zínder, having joined me, I was induced to take a more southerly road, by way of Donári, which constituted his estate; and I was very glad afterwards that I did so, as this road made me acquainted with the peculiar character of the territory of Bedde, which I should not otherwise have touched at. [Sidenote: Tuesday, December 7th.] The first part of our march led through a more dreary tract of country, which was neither very picturesque nor exhibited any great signs of industry among the natives; but after a stretch of a little more than eleven miles, large, wide-spreading tamarind trees announced a more fertile district, and a few hundred yards further on we reached the border of one of the great swampy creeks connected with the south- western branch of the komádugu, and intersecting the territory of Bedde, which we had now entered. We kept close along its border, which was adorned by fine, luxuriant trees, till we encamped at a short distance from Dáddeger, a place inhabited by Bedde, and at that time forming part of the estate of Malá Ibrám. The village is situated on a small mound close to the swamp or jungle; for the water is so thickly covered with forest, that no portion of the aqueous element is to be seen. It forms rather what the Kanúri call an ngáljam (that is to say, a swampy shallow creek or backwater, having little or no inclination) than a kulúgu; and there can be no doubt of its connection with the great komádugu of Bórnu. The natives call it at this spot Gojágwa[16], and further on, Máje. They are pagans, and wear nothing but a narrow leather apron or funó round their loins[17], with the exception of a few Kanúri, who are living amongst them, and who cultivate a small quantity of cotton, for which the banks of the swamp are very well suited, and would no doubt be extensively used for this purpose if the country were inhabited by civilized people. The Bedde, according to their language, are closely related to the Manga, but, as far as I had an opportunity of judging, are much inferior to them in bodily development, being not at all distinguished for their stature; but it is very probable that the inhabitants of these places in the border district, who come into continual contact with their masters the Bórnu people, are more degenerate than those in the interior, who, protected by the several branches of the komádugu and the swamps and forests connected with them, keep up a spirit of national independence, possessing even a considerable number of a small breed of horses, which they ride without saddle or harness, and in the same barbaric manner as the Músgu. [Sidenote: Wednesday, December 8th.]