seen with
men in them, watching evidently to carry off into slavery any of the
blacks who might come to cut reeds on the banks of the lagoon. Further
on they reached another creek inhabited by hippopotami, which were
snorting about in every direction, and by two species of crocodile.
There were no elephants seen, however, as that animal always likes to
secure a dry couch on the sand, elevated above swampy ground, where it
may be free from mosquitoes. On the northern part of the lake, where
there are ranges of low sand-hills, immense herds are to be met with.

At the village of Maduwari, he made the acquaintance of a chief, Fugo
Ali, who treated him with great kindness and continued his friend ever
afterwards. It was at his house, a year and a half later, poor Dr
Overweg was destined to expire. Accompanying Fugo Ali, he made a long
excursion in the neighbourhood of the lake, which is difficult to be
reached, as it is surrounded by forests of reeds and broad creeks. He,
however, got to one of these, a fine, open sheet of water, now agitated
by a light east wind, which sent the waves rippling on the shore. The
surface was covered with water-plants, and numberless flocks of fowl of
every description played about. To reach it he had to pass through very
deep water which covered his saddle, though he was mounted on a tall
horse; and one of his companions on a little pony was swamped
altogether, his head and his gun alone being visible from time to time.

The inhabitants on the shores of the lake subsist chiefly on fish, which
they catch in an ingenious way. The fisherman takes two large gourds,
which he connects by a bamboo of sufficient length to allow him to sit
astraddle between them. He then launches forth on the water, taking his
nets. These are weighted by little leathern bags, filled with sand and
supported by bits of bamboo. Having shot his net, he paddles about with
his hands, driving the fish into it, and then, taking them out, kills
them with a club, and throws them into the gourds. When they are full,
he returns to the shore.

Returning to Kukawa, Dr Barth found encamped outside the town a large
slave caravan. There were seven hundred and fifty slaves in the
possession of the merchants who went with it. Slaves were at that time
the principal export from Bornou.

Soon after this Dr Overweg arrived, looking greatly fatigued and much
worse than when the doctor parted from him four months before.

O