ls!" What is then done? The sultan of a
province foments a quarrel with a town or village belonging to himself,
and then goes out and carries off all the people into slavery. Thus acts
the present Sultan of Zinder, and so did his brother during his year of
administration. To appease the Sheikh of Bornou they send him a portion
of the spoil. Indeed, the Sheikh countenances the system, so detrimental
to his interests as a sovereign, and so immoral in its character. The
brother of the present sultan was accustomed to go out every month, and
bring in razzias of slaves, particularly to Dura, a country which
belongs half to the Sheikhs of the Fullans. The real Kerdi people are
now very distant, and you must go many days' journey if you will catch
genuine Kafer slaves.

On Friday, Yusuf paid his respects to the Sultan at noon, being the
Sunday of the Muslims, when visits are made by true believers to the
princes. He found his highness surrounded by his court, in a cloud of
dust, which the people raised by throwing it in handfuls upon their
heads, and thus doing homage to their prince. Yusuf and some other Moors
obstinately abstained from such a grovelling mode of "rendering to
Caesar the things which are Caesar's," and contented themselves with
saluting his highness in the Moorish fashion. Yusuf observed, "Our
religion does not teach this servility." The natives salute their Sultan
by the cry of "God give you victory!" (i.e. over your enemies.) In
Soudanee this phrase is "_Allah shabaka nasara_;" and in Bornouese,
"_Kabunam sherga!_"

_18th._--I sent letters for Government and my wife _via_ Kuka, as
caravans are expected to leave Bornou for Moursuk about this time. My
rooms were full of visitors to-day. First came the commander-in-chief,
Shroma. I showed him all my treasures, portable peepshow, kaleidoscope,
&c. &c. He was marvellously pleased. I treated him also with sugar, but
coffee he positively refused as too bitter. He brought with him some
twenty of his troops and a chosen aide-de-camp. He is just the man for a
negro commander, full of cunning and address, very active if necessary,
and on familiar terms with his men, pleasing them by low fun and
buffoonery. Afterwards came the sons of the Sultan, all of whom I
treated with sugar and coffee: that is, as many as would venture to
taste of it. Then followed a host of Fezzan merchants, with the son of
the Kadi of Kuka--a very nice, pleasant young fellow, who writes pretty