216 TRAVELS IN AFRICA.

neighbouring villages having fled to it for pro-' tection. So great was the crowd that many could not find room to lie down in the streets.

On one occasion when all the women were busily employed drawing water from the wells, where were also many of the men endeavouring to procure for their horses a share of the scanty and muddy supply they afforded, the alarm was given by some people who had been attending herds of cattle to tlie eastward of the town, from which direction they were seen running in the utmost confusion, the altercations at the wells, and the busy scene going on there, soon closed by one of a still more extraordinary and confused nature. The supposed approach of the enemy was no sooner made known amongst them, than they all, as if by magic, dropped their jars, calabashes, and leather bags, and ran with all their might to the nearest gate of the town, which, being rather narrow, was so much crowded, that an old man and a girl about eight years of age were trampled to death.

A council of war, composed of some of the princes and their followers, withAlmamy at their head, assembled between our camp and the town. I attended to witness their proceedings, wliich were carried on with the utmost contempt to the rules of order or regularity ; every one present proposing yome plan of his own, and rtject-