. Cats are the principal nuisance and the thieves of the
place--attacking and devouring fowls. Of rats and mice I have observed
none. But few small birds show themselves. The small filthy vulture is
everywhere, and a few eagles of a diminutive white species are seen
amongst them. Some few dogs are kept, ill-looking and mongrel in their
breed. The domestic cattle are horses, asses, oxen, sheep and goats, and
a few camels.

The life of the male population of Zinder seems to pass in dreamy
indolence, varied continually by the excitement of a razzia. The women
divide their time between the kitchen and the toilette. No amusement is
sought, except from drum-beating and the attendant dance. Thus time
lapses with these black citizens. As for the foreign merchants and
traders, they, too, drowse away the period of their residence in this
sleepy city. They sell their goods in a lump, on trust, to the Sarkee,
and then compose themselves to slumber whilst he goes forth on a razzia,
and brings them slaves in payment. The thick, heavy atmosphere--at any
rate during this season--appears to forbid any other kind of life. It
weighs upon the eyelids, and oppresses the soul. Existence passes away
in a tropical dream, and death finds its prey, as Jupiter found Maia,
"betwixt sleep and wake," in this poppied climate. Altogether--as far as
I can see through my own winking eyes--Zinder is a most unlovely place;
by no means desirable for a stranger to live in. I manage, however, now
and then to grasp at, and hold, something like definite information. In
looking over the itineraries of Captain Lyon, I find that the razzias
have obliterated many towns and villages from the map. At any rate, the
people now are ignorant of their names.

Korgum, half-a-day's distance from Konchai, two days from Zinder, is,
according to a report come in this afternoon, the place or theatre of
the present razzia. The pretext is--for I now hear of a pretext--that
they will not pay tribute to the Sheikh. Korgum consists of three
villages and a town, upon and under some rocky hills, which are visible
during three days' march. The district is the residence of a sultan. Ten
years ago it belonged to Maradee, but since then has been wrested from
it, though it has ever shown a doubtful allegiance. When the former
chief fled to Maradee, he stopped to drink water at Korgum; but the
sultan refused to grant him permission. The present Sarkee, on being
restored to his government,