rmined to keep them down, and was not afraid of them.

The Shereef possesses a fair amount of women--some twenty, but only one
son. I sent this evening presents of rings to the ladies.

Yusuf paid a visit to the Sultan this morning, to carry him a present on
his part. He entered the interior of the building, and found it full of
dirt, and bare of every species of furniture. The Sultan himself had
only upon him a Soudan tobe and a white cap. All the rest of his people
were bare-headed, and were covered with dirty tobes. This contempt of
dress arises from the fact that the prince was a slave of the ancient
Sultans of Bornou. There are, besides, other sultans _en route_ to Kuka,
of the same stamp; but he of Minyo is said to dress excessively,
changing his costume five times a-day. We are to remain some days in
Minyo, of which I am glad, because there we shall see the Bornouese
population, in a purer state. Here it is mixed somewhat with the
Kailouees and other tribes. At any rate, the manners of the people are
somewhat influenced by the great number of foreigners. En-Noor and
Lousou have both houses in Zinder, which the people dignify by the name
of _belad_ or "villages," but which are simply enclosures of a few huts.

I have been endeavouring to collect materials for the statistics of
Zinder. The following note exhibits a partial result:--

Various persons give the population of Zinder at 25,000 or 30,000 souls.
Let us take the number at 20,000.

The military force consists of cavalry and foot--two thousand cavalry
having swords, spears, and shields; and eight or nine thousand bowmen,
having only bows and arrows. This force is commanded by one Shroma Dan
Magram, who receives the enormous pay of half the land taxes of some
fifty towns and villages in the circle of the province of Zinder. The
officers of the Sultan of Zinder are mostly slaves.

The principal personages are Shroma Dan Magram; the Kady, Tahir; the
Bash Kateb, or Secretary, Dang Gambara; the chief of the Treasury,
Nanomi; of the Custom-house, Fokana. There are four officers of the
Treasury, and four of the Custom-house; and, moreover, four Viziers, the
principal of whom is Mustapha Gadalina.

The Arabs do not pay any custom duties, but all the blacks and the
Kailouees and Fullans pay as follows:--

A camel, laden or unladen -- 5000 wadas.
An ass " " -- 100 "
An ox " " -- 100 "

There is no duty on goods, and, whethe