he seemed ashamed of the paltry booty
his followers had obtained, and Denham seized the favourable moment to
advise that the Arabs should give everything back, and have a few sheep
and an ox for a feast. He gave the order, and the property was
restored, with the exception of ten sheep and a fat bullock.

An old _maraboot_ assured Denham that to plunder those who left their
tents, instead of supplying travellers, was quite lawful. Too often the
natives are not only plundered, but murdered, by the armed attendants of
caravans as they make their way across the desert.

The natives, as may be supposed, retaliate. Should any animal straggle
from the main body, it is certain to be carried off. Major Denham lost
a favourite dog, which was captured and eaten.

On reaching Lara, a small town of conical-topped rush huts, to the
delight of the travellers they saw before them, from a rising ground,
the boundless expanse of Lake Chad, glowing with the golden rays of the
sun. They hastened down to the shores of this large inland sea, which
was darkened with numberless birds of varied plumage--ducks, geese,
pelicans and cranes four or five feet high, immense spoonbills of snowy
whiteness, yellow-legged plovers--all quietly feeding at half
pistol-shot. A large basket to supply their larder was soon filled.

Moving along the shores of the lake, the caravan arrived at Woodie, a
negro town of considerable size. It was here arranged that the caravan
should wait till an embassy could be sent to the Sheikh of Bornou, to
obtain permission for presenting themselves before him.

The empire of Bornou had, some twenty years before, been overrun and
subjected by the Felatahs, a powerful people to the west. The present
sheikh, a native of Kanem, though of humble birth, had by his superior
talents and energy rallied round him a band of warriors, and, pretending
that he had received a command from the prophet, hoisted the green flag,
and had in a few months driven the invaders out of the country, which
they had never since been able to occupy, though frequently attacking
his borders.

While waiting for the sheikh's reply, Major Denham rode out early one
morning in search of a herd of a hundred and fifty elephants, which had
been seen the day before. He found them about six miles from the town,
on ground annually overflowed by the waters of the lake. They seemed to
cover the whole face of the country, and exceeded the number he expected