the merchants. So much depends on the magnitude of those attractions for which their southern sisters are so celebrated, that 1 have known a man about to make a purchase of one out of three, regardless of the charms of feature, turn their faces from him, and looking at them behind, just above the hips, as we dress a line of soldiers, make choice of her whose person most projected beyond that of her companions. The day before the Rhamadan,, which commenced on the 13 th instant (May), I had an interview with the sheikh, who mentioned his intended departure for Munga; and after some conversation, it was agreed that 1 should proceed to Old Bornou or Birme; and after seeing that part of the country, the ruins of the town of Gambarou, and the river of that name, which is said to come from Soudan; that I should follow its course, and join him at a place called Kabshary on the same river, to which he was about to proceed by a different route. The whole population was in confusion at the departure of this o-hrazzie, and nearly all the people of Kouka, with the exception of the kadi, were to accompany the sheikh. Previously, however, to his departure, he had determined on sending off a courier to Tripoli, with an account of Boo Khaloom’s death, and we availed ourselves of the opportunity by writing to England. On the 17th of May the courier departed; and on the 18th the sheikh began his march, and bivouacked at Dowergoo. CHAPTER IV. - l i ’ l f o ' t .i I t . ' 1 t ;*■>.!. H - '«tit’j .!■! ;r,t, f ¡m n t 'J if i f f EXCURSION TO MUNGA AND TH E GAMBAROU. May 21.—E v e r since my return from Mandara, an expedition, to be commanded by the sheikh in person, had been in agitation against a numerous people to the west called Munga. These people had never thoroughly acknowledged the sheikh’s supremacy, and the collecting of their tribute had always been attended with difficulty and bloodshed. They had, however, now thrown off all restraint, and put to death about one hundred and twenty of the sheikh’s Shouaas, and declared they would be no longer under his control, as the sultan of Bornou was their king; and headed by a fighi of great power, had begun to plunder and burn all the sheikh’s towns near them. I t was reported, and with some truth, that they could bring 12,000 bowmen into the field; by far the most efficient force to be found in the black country. To oppose these, the sheikh assembled his Kanemboo spearmen (who had accompanied him from their own country, and assisted him in wresting Bornou from the hands of the Felatahs), to the amount of between eight and nine thousand. These, with about five thousand Shouaas and Bornou men, composed the force with which he meant to subdue these rebels. Another complaint against the Mungowy was, “ That they were kaffering*, and not saying their prayers! the dogs;” This is, however, a fault which is generally laid to the charge of any nation against whom a true Mus- selman wages war, as it gives him the power of making them slaves- By the laws of Mohammed, one believer must not bind another. Ehamadan, the period generally chosen for these expeditions» * Gaadeen, kafir,.
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