0 very
handsome cotton covers for beds, of Sudan manufacture. May all this
arrive safe, with the blessing of God. I will inform you by the
spring caravan what merchandize to send here next autumn. I refer
you to a long letter, which I have sent to you by L'Hage Tahar.
Peace be with you, and the blessing of God be upon you.
349
Written at Timbuctoo, the 29th Duelhaja El Huram, year 1204.

L'HAGE HAMED ELWANGARIE.
[203]God protect him.

[Footnote 203: The Muhamedans, in signing their name, always
invoke the protection, mercy, or providence of God upon
themselves.]

_Food of the Desert._

The people, whose interest induces them to cross the desert, (for
there are no travellers from curiosity in this country,) obviate
the objection to salt provisions, which increases the propensity to
drink water, by taking with them melted butter, called _smin_; this
is prepared without salt. They also cut beef into long pieces,
about six inches long, and one inch square, without fat; these are
called _el kuddeed_, which are hung on a line, exposed to the air
till dry; they then cut them into pieces, two inches long; these
are put into (_buckul_) an earthen pot; they then pour the _smin_
into the _buckul_ till it is covered. This meat and butter, besides
being palatable, is comprised in a small compass, and feeds many.
When this butter has been thus prepared and kept twelve or fifteen
years, it is called _budra_, and is supposed to contain penetrating
active medicinal qualities. I have seen some thirty years old.

_Antithesis, a favourite Figure with the Arabs._

Mahmoud, sultan of Ghezna in the beginning of the eleventh century,
350 though the son of a slave, was very powerful. He sent to the khalif
Alkader, requesting a title suited to his exalted dignity. The
latter hesitated; but fearing the power of the sultan, sent him at
the expiration of a year the ambiguous title, _Uly_, i.e. a prince,
a friend, a slave. Mahmoud penetrated the khalif's meaning, and
sent him immediately 100,000 pieces of gold, with a wish to know
whether a letter had not been omitted. Alkader received the
treasure, and took the hint, instantly dispatching letters patent
in full form, creating him _Uaely_ which signifies, without
equivocation, a sovereign indepe