e a
trial of it.

The cousin of the Sheikh recommended me to dress in my English clothes
on my arrival in Kuka. By doing this, he observed, "you will please the
people, and get many presents." It was ever my intention to dress in
European clothes in Bornou.

The common mode in which a poor person salutes a great man, is by
kneeling down and throwing dust upon the bare head. The degree of
humility and respect is expressed by the quantity of dust thrown! The
Sarkee, of course, gets a great deal of dust, and every personage under
him his portion, according to his rank. The beggars throw the dust about
in clouds. At first, it is painful to see this custom.

CHAPTER XV.

Political News--Animals of Zinder--Sleepy City--District
of Korgum--Razzias--Family of Sheikh Omer of
Bornou--Brothers--Sons--Sisters--Daughters--Viziers--Kashallas--Power of
the Sheikh--A Cheating Prince--Old Slave--Fetishism--Devil in a
Tuarick's head--Kibabs--Fires--A Prophecy--Another Version of the
Razzia--Correspondence between Korgum and Zinder.

Some political news has arrived to-day by the caravan from Ghat.
According to the gazette of the caravan there is peace now between the
Porte and Musku (Russia), and Musku is to restore to the Porte the one
hundred countries taken by her, as also to pay the expenses of the war.
Hostilities have broken out between the Emperor of Morocco and the
French; a Shereef has appeared to recommence the holy war, and Muley
Abd-Errhaman supplies him with the means to fight the French. Thus the
news is all fashioned to Muslim tastes. Also it is said, that in future
the red colour in flags is always to be uppermost. This seems likewise a
compliment to the Muslim power in Europe and Africa. It is very curious
to see how dexterously the caravan-newsman has coined his wares.

The shonshona of Gouber is very faint, and consists of nine very small
cuts.

Gouber is full of Tuaricks, Kilgris, and Iteesan. It is said the Sarkee
will bring an immense number of Hazna, or pagans, with him, on his
return from the razzia.

_29th._--At sunrise, when the thermometer is at 57 deg., I feel the cold. I
am told that, though Kuka is very hot, it is quite free from fever,--in
fact, from all periodic epidemics. So we may expect to do well, if we
escape the fever of Soudan.

The household gods of Zinder are a large species of lizard, who make
their dwelling-places in the walls and roofs of the huts. These are in
great numbers