. The city being very large, he seldom had an opportunity of
seeing the king, as at Timbuctoo. He saw him but twice in two
years, and only in the courts of justice; he was remarkable for the
width of his nostrils, the redness of his eyes, the smoothness of
his skin, and the fine tint of his perfectly black complexion.

DRESS.

Like that of Timbuctoo, their turbans are of the finest muslin. The
sleeves of the soldiers are small, those of the merchants wide. The
former have short breeches, the latter long. The officers dress
like the merchants, each according to his circumstances. The caftan
is of silk, in summer, brought from India; instead of the silk
cords worn by the king of Timbuctoo, the king of Housa wears two
silk sashes, three fingers broad, one on each shoulder; they are
50 richly adorned with gold; in one hangs his dagger, and when he
rides out, his sword in the other; he wears not the silk pear in
his turban, as does the king of Timbuctoo. The front of his turban
is embroidered with gold.

BUILDINGS.

The houses are like those at Timbuctoo, but many much larger. They
have no wind or water-mills, but they have stone mills, turned by
horses.

MANNERS.

They never bow. An inferior kisses the hand of a superior; to an
equal he nods the head, gives him his hand and asks him how he
does. The women do the same.

The general body are honest and benevolent, the lower class is
addicted to thieving. They are very careful of children, to prevent
their being stolen. Snakes do not frequent cultivated lands, so
that animals are not there in danger from them. The people of
Timbuctoo and Housa resemble each other in their persons and in
their manners. They castrate bulls, sheep, and goats, but never
horses. Supper is the principal meal. They do not use vessels of
brass or copper in cookery; they are all of earthenware. At sunset
the watchmen are stationed in all parts of the town, and take into
custody all suspected or unknown persons. They have lamps made of
wood and paper; the latter comes from Fas. Women of respectability
51 are attended by a slave when they walk out or visit, which they do
with the same freedom as in Europe. The women ride either horses or
asses, they have no mules; the men commonly prefer walking, they
are stro