s always bring
something, and the townspeople of Zinder nothing. Some of the Tuaricks
are not sick; they come only to see the Christian, and stop, and look,
and stare, and watch the minutest action of the said Christian,--more
especially the women, who would never leave my room if I were not to
drive them away.

_6th._--I am told by a well-informed person, that morals are much
relaxed here. To-day a black man came from the country to beg for his
wife, who had been taken away from him and given to a Moor, who was
about to send her to the coast for sale. She is to be restored to the
man in exchange for two young girls, whom he has fetched from the
country (probably kidnapped). The woman, however, has been given over,
in the first place, to Shroma, the commander-in-chief; and after she has
passed two or three days with him, she will be allowed to return to her
husband. This woman was first kidnapped by the Sultan, and belonged to
the Sheikh's dominions, to a village near Zinder, and was taken in a
razzia. The Sultan gave or sold her to the Moor. This is a sample of the
transactions daily going on there. I am also assured that the three
hundred wives of the Sarkee himself are at almost everybody's disposal,
two or three gour-nuts being the utmost which these ladies ask. But this
is not all; for these women, wives of the Sultan, have intrigues with
the slaves of the Sultan, with the brothers of the Sultan, and even with
the sons of the Sultan. Whatever may be said of the Tuaricks and their
freebooting, they do not practise such revolting immoralities as these.

The Sarkee of Zinder is feared both by Fellatahs and Tuaricks,
especially on account of the barbarous nature of his executions, which I
have described. It may be supposed that a better system, both of
government and morality, is practised in Kuka, and the more connected
Bornou provinces.

A man came to me to beg or buy some large beads for his wife; he said
his wife was very anxious for them, to wear round her loins. Various are
the caprices of fashion. Europeans show their finery, but here children
and women wear beads round their loins under their clothes.

It is now said we shall leave Zinder positively on Saturday next.

CHAPTER XVII.

News from Tesaoua--Razzia on Sakkatou--Laziness in Zinder--The
Hajah--Herds of Cattle--More Tuarick Patients--Gardens--My
Luggage--Adieu to the Sarkee--Present from his Highness--Start from
Zinder--Country--Birds--Overt