erday evening it was cloudy, and the moon had, for several
hours, an immense elliptical ring round it--a common phenomenon in the
northern Sahara.

To-day Yusuf got up in a rage, and threw down his writing, because I
told him he did not take pains to obtain from the people the several
meanings of the words. This has been the case for most of the time we
have been occupied with the vocabulary. I have therefore left him to
himself, since he insulted me in this manner before the servants, and I
fear I cannot trust myself to go with him to Sakkatou. It is a great
inconvenience, but I must search for a kateb (writer) at Zinder. There
are many poor men of this profession in Bornou, and very faithful
people.

_19th._--His highness En-Noor continues to visit us. Yesterday I gave
him an English silver fourpenny piece, an English farthing, and a small
French silver coin, with all of which he was greatly delighted. He
summed up their value in wada; fifty wadas are an English penny. He
admired her majesty's face on the silver fourpence; but his shadow, the
man who generally comes with him, said,--"Oh, no, the face of the woman
for a Sultan is not good. _This_ is good," pointing to the head of Louis
Philippe.

The news came yesterday evening that a razzia had just been made on
Tintaghoda, the assailants carrying away everything before them, and the
inhabitants of the town fleeing to the mountains. This razzia was made
by the people whom the Sultan of Aghadez has lately punished for the
depredations committed on us and other caravans on the road. When this
took place there were a few people at Tintalous, who, on hearing the
news, came off immediately to us after En-Noor, so that now there does
not remain a single inhabitant in the village. The people of the razzia
were much disappointed at finding no more camels, all those of the
villages hereabouts, and indeed through all Aheer, being gone to fetch
salt from Bilma. They wished to make up the number of camels which the
Sultan of Aghadez took away from them. Of course, when the salt-caravan
returns, an effort will be made to avenge this insult on the holy city
of Aheer--this profanation of the abode of marabouts! It is singular,
nevertheless, that only a year ago some neighbouring tribes, thinking
these holy men had too much wealth, carried off a large number of their
camels. This is the much-vaunted place amongst the credulous Moorish
merchants of the coast, where theft and robber