good Arabic. He is to make out for me the route from Zinder to Kuka.

I afterwards went to the Sultan himself, to show him my treasures, viz.
peepshows and kaleidoscope. These barbarians are nothing but great
wilful children. I also took the compass. We entered the interior of the
building, where we found a number of officers, courtiers and slaves,
squatted together on the sand, chatting most familiarly on all subjects.
The building is all made of mud, mixed with large grains of granite.
They say all the buildings of Bornou are built in the same manner, and
very few of stone, on account of the rain; for the stone, not being well
cemented together, falls during the great rains of the tropics.

After we had been kept waiting about half an hour his highness made his
appearance, the courtiers and slaves throwing dust on their heads,
prostrating themselves on the ground before him, crying, "God give you
victory over your enemies!" Whilst the Sultan took his seat upon the
raised mud-bench, the slaves held up two wrappers or barracans, to
shield his highness from public view whilst he took his seat. All the
floor of the apartment was covered with a dense mass of people, and
amongst the number several Tuaricks, including the Sheikh Lousou, and
Haj Abdoua, another distinguished Tuarick. Lousou is a tall thin man, of
light complexion, with European features--a perfect Targhee. His manners
were very mild, and indeed all this tribe are gentle enough here in a
foreign country. The Sheikh shook me cordially by the hands. I then
commenced business as showman to the prince and this mass of people. At
first his highness was timid, and would not look through the glasses of
the peepshows, but when the people began he followed, and acquired the
knack of looking through in a very short time. My compass and watch and
keys were then all examined, and produced great amusement. What pleased
him much was the screw by which the compass was stopped. I was
dreadfully frightened lest the watch should be broken as well as the
compass, and indeed the former has received some damage: such machines
should not be handled by these negro grandees.

Whilst this examination was going on, his highness, as if he had little
time to lose, continued to administer justice. Several cases were
settled whilst the worthy Sultan was looking through the peepshow and
kaleidoscope. Among others, a man came forward in great agitation, and
cried, "O Sultan! my wife will no