re a few buttons which he had purloined, for as he stood up they
dropped from the folds of his garment on the floor. The man's
confusion was immediately apparent, but they did not wish to punish
him further by increasing his shame, and they suffered him to go
about his business, in the belief that the circumstance had wholly
escaped their observation. Gilt buttons fetch a high price at Kiama,
from two to three hundred kowries each, and as they had a great
number of them, it was likely that from henceforth they would be of
infinite service to them. Women use buttons to ornament their
fingers, necks, and wrists, and they imagine that the brightest of
them are made of gold.

A messenger arrived this day at the king's house with the
information, that Doncasson, the ex-king of Houssa, had recently
taken no less than twelve towns in that empire from the Fellatas, in
which he had been greatly assisted by the sheik of Bornou. The
Fellatas have a tradition, that when Danfodio, Bello's father, and
the first king of Soccatoo, was a simple shepherd, he made a vow to
the great author of evil, that if he would assist him in the
subjugating the kingdom of Houssa, he would be his slave for ever
after. The request of Danfodio, it is reported, was complied with on
his own conditions, but for no longer than thirty years, after which
the aborigines of the country were to regain their liberty, and
re-establish their ancient laws and institutions. The term was now
nearly expired, and the Fellatas began already, said the Houssa men,
to tremble with apprehensions at the prospect of this tradition being
realized.

June 1st, was the eve of the Bebun Salah, or great prayer day, and
which is generally employed by the Mussulmans in Kiama, in making
preparations for a festival which was to commence on the following
day, and to be continued till the evening of the ensuing day. Every
one in the town, who is in possession of the means, is obliged to
slaughter either a bullock or a sheep on the anniversary of this day,
and those who are not in possession of money sufficient to procure a
whole bullock or sheep, are compelled to purchase a portion of the
latter, at least, for the purpose of showing respect and reverence
for the "Bebun Salah." The Mahommedans make a practice on this
occasion of slaughtering the sheep, which may have been their
companion in their peregrinations during the past year, and as soon
as the holidays are over, they procure anot