made a number of extravagant presents to one of the gadado’s female slaves, of whom he was passionately enamoured, I was obliged to dismiss him my service, although both a smart and a brave fellow, uniting at once in his person the important functions of barber and butler. April 4.—Cool and clear. My ague had left me. In the evening the sultan returned to town. April 5.—This morning Hadje Ali Boo Khaloom arrived from Kano. Although he left the town of Quarra with a large kafila, consisting of a thousand people, and protected by an escort of fifty horsemen, yet they were attacked between the lake of Gondamee and the wells of Kamoon, by the people of Goober and Zanfra, who after killing one shreef, two Arabs of Tripoli, and seventeen Fela- tahs, and taking the negroes prisoners, captured all the baggage except that of Hadje Ali. He fortunately escaped with his camels, though less by his own bravery than through the address of one of his slaves, who kept cheering up his master's spirits, and urging the camels to their utmost speed, until they completely outstripped their pursuers. The shreef who was killed left two young children, to whom I sent ten dollars, by way of encouraging others to contribute to their relief.—In the afternoon I paid my respects' to the sultan, on his return from the army. Hadje Ali Boo Khaloom accompanied me ; but the sultan did not deign to look towards the place where he sat, although he was extremely kind to me, inquiring how I did, and if any thing had happened in his absence. A slave belonging to Mahomed Moode, the gadado’s brother, whose duty it was to run with his spears by his horse’s side, had feigned lameness, to be excused attending his master. For this offence his legs were heavily shackled, in which miserable plight he often contrived to crawl to the square before my door, and at length begged me to intercede with his master for his release. In the evening, when his master came as usual to see me, I asked him to pardon the slave, who was immediately sent for, and his fetters taken off. I t is but justice to say, his master appeared as grateful to me for affording him the opportunity of liberating his slave, as if I had done him a personal favour. The mode of punishing slaves in Sackatoo is by putting them in irons, and throwing them into a dungeon under the common prison of the city. The dungeon is reported to be extremely filthy and abominable. Here they remain without any food, but what is gratuitously supplied by their fellow slaves, until their master releases them. This punishment is much dreaded, and its duration depends entirely on the caprice of the master. April 6.—Clear and cool. April 7.—Having obtained the permission of the gadado to purchase from Ateeko the sorry remains of Major Denham’s baggage, I went early this morning with El Wordee to the prince’s house, which is situate at the west end of the town. After waiting some time in the porch of a square tower, we were introduced into an inner coozee hung round with blue and yellow silk, in sharp pointed festoons, not unlike gothic arches. Ateeko soon made his appearance, and after a few compliments, we proceeded to business. He brought out a damaged leathern trunk, with two or three shirts and other articles of dress, much the worse for wear, and the sextant and parchment already mentioned. The sextant was completely demolished, the whole of the glasses being taken out, or where they could not unscrew them, broken off the frame, which remained a mere skeleton. He seemed to fancy that the sextant was gold, in which I soon undeceived him; and selecting it with the parchment and one or two flannel waistcoats and towels, likely to be useful to Major Denham, I oflered him 5000 cowries, at which he appeared much surprised and mortified. El Wordee whispered in my ear,—“ Eemember he is a prince, and not a merchant.” I said, loud enough for his highness to hear, “ Remember
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