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                  CHAP. XXXI.

                      THE TSiD.



My stay in the town was agreeably interrupted  by

an excursion to Ngornu and the shores of the lake.

  Sheikh  cOmdr,  with his whole court, left  Thursday>

Kiikawa in the night of the 23rd of April,  April 24th.

in order to spend a day or two in Ng6rnu, where  he

had a tolerably  good house;  and, having been  in¬

vited by the vizier to go there, I also followed on the

morning of the next day.  This road to Ngornu is

strongly marked  with that sameness  and monotony

which characterize the neighbourhood of Kiikawa.  At

first nothing is seen but the melancholy " kawo," Ascle-

pias proeera or gigantea; then "ngille," low bushes of

Cucifera, appear, and gradually trees begin to enliven

the landscape, first scattered here and there, further

on forming a sort of underwood.  The path is broad

and well-trodden, but consists mostly of deep  sandy

soil.  There are no villages on the side of the road,

but a good many at  a little distance.  In the rainy

season  some  very   large  ponds are  formed by  its

side.   Two  miles  and  a half  before the traveller

reaches Ng6rnu the trees cease again, being only seen

in  detached clusters at  a great distance, marking