mbuctoo; from Sakkatou there is, however, a short route
to Timbuctoo, and it is said to be a safe one. The number of days here
mentioned are merely general numbers; they vary according to the good
state of the camels, or the disposition of the people, or certain
accidents on the road.

The evening of the feast of the "Descent of the Koran from Heaven," all
good Muslims ought to sit up all night to read the Koran, through and
through again.

There is a curious commerce of yamanee, or agate stones, in
Soudan. These yamanee are originally brought from the eastern
coast of Africa, from and near Mombas (Mozambique), where they pass as
money, like the cowries. From Mombas they are carried, by the Muscat
traders, to Yamen, and thence to Mekka; in which place they are blessed,
and rendered doubly precious. From Mekka they are brought to Egypt, and
from Egypt to Mourzuk; from which point they are distributed all over
this part of Africa, and the souk of Kanou is stocked with them. They
are much esteemed by all classes of the inhabitants of the interior of
Africa, and are worn equally by the men and women.

In this commerce we see the round-about-way in which some articles are
conveyed for sale. If there were a road from Mombas direct to Bornou,
this agate would be cheap enough. But then, perhaps, it would not be
esteemed or valued at half its present cost. It would not be blessed at
Mekka, and so lose all its talismanic and mysterious power. The name is
derived from Yaman, evidently from the first country in Arabia, to which
they were brought originally from Africa.

According to Overweg, Madame En-Noor is still very unwell with her lip.
It is cut right across under her nose, penetrating to the gums; she is,
nevertheless, very lively, and is always pestering Overweg to read the
fatah with, or marry a young girl, one of her relations. She endeavours
to warm my worthy friend to comply with her match-making wishes by
luxurious descriptions of the beauties of the proffered bride.

As soon as the people hear I have a wife in Tripoli, they begin to ask
how many children I have got. On receiving for answer, "None," they are
greatly astonished, and ask me the reason of so strange a matrimonial
phenomenon.

This evening another fine meteor appeared in the south-east. Its head
was like a blazing star, and it left behind it a train of sparkling
light and flame. There were also numbers of smaller meteors.

_16th._--The morning of th