e Eed. According to the Fezzanees, prayers are
soon ended; because, they say, "these Kailouees know nothing of their
religion."

The Fezzanees asked me to hoist the British flag; to which I replied,
"No; the flag belongs to the Queen, but I will give you a little powder
for your matchlocks." All these Mahommedan feasts are celebrated on the
northern coast of Africa by the discharge of gunpowder.

No certain information can be obtained of the route from Zinder to
Sakkatou, in this place. The people only say the present Sultan is not
so strong as was his father; thereby intimating that the routes are not
so secure as formerly.

It is usual for the inhabitants of Tintalous to visit those of Asarara
on the morning of the present feast. About sixty men, natives of this
place, accompanied by a dozen Moors from Tripoli and Mourzuk, went,
accordingly, to Asarara this morning. Then a number of the people of
Asarara returned with them. Yusuf remarked, with some surprise, that
even the women went out to pray, about forty in number. So that it would
seem the Kailouees educate their women in religion more than the Muslims
of the coast.

The most interesting event to us, however, this morning, was the arrival
of the boat from Seloufeeat. Our servants were very quick in their
return. They came all night, to avoid any further attempts to carry off
the camels. They were all alone. I welcomed the return of the boat as I
would that of an old friend.

There was no firing this evening, as was expected, En-Noor being very
unwell-suffering rheumatism and fever.

The most agreeable sight in all these Mahommedan feasts is to see all
the people dressed out in their finery. The merchants have appeared in
splendid burnouses, all more or less in good humour. The slaughtering of
the sheep to-day was the dirtiest part of the business. All here on such
occasions play the part of butchers-men, women, and children; and all
attack, stab, skin, and maul the poor animals, in a way frightful to
behold. The environs of the town were turned into dirty
slaughter-houses.

_17th._--I have determined to purchase no more things from the Sfaxee at
present. He makes me pay double price. It will be better to wait and see
what can be done at Zinder. An infidel traveller, who is known to be in
possession of any property, is sure in these countries to be looked upon
as a milch-cow. Does not "the book," according to the vulgar opinion,
authorise the faithful to