l these chieftains are both pastors and
merchants. One of their chief articles of traffic is, I am sorry to say,
their unfortunate fellow-creatures. They are the greatest slave-dealers
in the Sahara; two-thirds of the whole commerce is in the hands of the
Kailouees. The Sultans levy duties likewise on the caravans that pass
through their territory--duties which, to our cost, we know to be
neither regular nor moderate; but they have no right to apply taxation
to their quasi-subjects. Sometimes, when they are "hungry," they make a
razzia on a distant tribe, and find both slaves and cattle at their
disposal.

As might have been expected, the Kailouees--princes and people--are not
very refined in their ideas or luxurious in their habits. Their food
consists principally of the grains ghaseb and ghafouley, or guinea-corn.
They have also flocks and herds of sheep, camels, and bullocks; but the
bullocks are used chiefly for draft, and to carry goods from Aheer to
Soudan. Asses are exceedingly numerous, and likewise go to Soudan to
fetch guinea-corn. The population of Aheer, being scattered about in
small towns and villages, a few hours journey apart, these animals are
found very useful for the transport of the persons and effects of the
poor. The richer people have camels of the maharee species, like all the
Tuaricks; and in some respects it is the possession of this splendid
animal which distinguishes the Kailouee population from the people to
the south. For example, all their sports and pastimes would be exactly
Soudanese, were it not for the introduction of the maharee. On the
celebration of a wedding, the Kailouees ride round the groups of guests
on their silent-treading camels, which measure their movements to the
sound of a big rude drum. Such scenes would otherwise be perfectly
Nigritian. The men dance, flourishing their lances; and the slaves both
dance and sing. But I have already noted down all that I observed
remarkable in manners, and need not here repeat myself.

The great natural features of Asben, also, are doubtless by this time
impressed on the mind of the reader. They consist of a series of naked
granite rocks or mountains, some of them rising to upwards of three or
four thousand feet, ranging in every direction, with many isolated
peaks; and of picturesque valleys winding along between steep
precipices--threads of green, in which the tholukh and all species of
mimosa and acacia, with the souag and other tree