n), a little sugar, jani, senbal, a few cloves, and
two or three rings; with which he was well satisfied.

Before noon I waited on the Shereef to deliver my present. I was much
struck with this man's appearance. He was quite an European--white as
myself. His countenance seemed full of thought and meaning. He is a
native of Fez, and has lived long in Algiers. He has served in the war
against the French under Abd-el-Kader, and has only been two years in
Bornou and in Kuka, and once in Zinder. He is here as the _nather_,
"looker-on;" one who watches over the interests of the country,
particularly in its foreign relations. To speak plainly, he is a spy of
the Sheikh of Bornou over the authorities of Zinder, including the
Governor. All the people say, "Without the Shereef nothing can be done
in Zinder;" and well they may, considering that he is in the entire
confidence of the Sheikh. The Shereef is also the agent of all
foreigners, and our goods were directed to his care from Tintalous--that
is, those things which we sent up before us. The Sultans of Zinder are
always a little disaffected; and to check them, and watch their conduct,
the Shereef has been sent here. This personage is also universally
respected for his learning, piety, and almsgiving; so that, apparently,
the Sheikh could not have intrusted his interests to a more able man.
The Shereef knows well the use of arms, for it is reported here in
Zinder that he has killed _forty thousand_ Frenchmen with his own hands!
The people actually believe this most marvellous report!

After leaving the Shereef we went to salute the Sultan Ibrahim, and
deliver to his highness our present. We were conducted into a species of
fort, built of clay, with walls exceedingly thick. Here in a sort of
anteroom, or open skifa, or hall, we found some fifty soldiers of the
Sultan, unarmed and bare-headed, with one or two governors of
neighbouring places, all squatted upon the ground. I was requested to
squat down amongst them, which I did near a raised mud-bench. There was
little light, the place being built to shut out the glare and heat of
the sun. Here I waited a quarter of an hour, till the Sultan was
announced by the cries of the soldiers, slaves, and domestic officers.
His highness took his seat upon the mud-bench; and whilst so doing his
attendants all squatted down, many of them taking up the dust from the
ground and throwing it over their bare heads, and crying, "Long live the
Sult