Soudan as to morality. In some districts of Begarmi, Yusuf says, a male
takes the first female he meets with, no matter how near the
relationship. All the women, in fact, are in common. We must receive his
asseverations for what they are worth, on this subject in general, and
on the developements into which he entered. According to him, in those
regions where scarcely any other roof is required but the heavens, there
is no other couch spread than the earth, and no one shuns, in any act of
life, the eyes of his neighbours.

Whilst these wonders of witches and tales of African lewdness were being
related, a thing happened which none could disbelieve, none call in
question. This was the appearance of an immense meteor in the sky,
shooting over half the heavens, with a slight curve, from east to west.
It had a tail like a comet, and around its head burnt a blue light of
excessive brilliancy. This phenomenon appeared at a quarter to eight
o'clock in the evening. I never saw anything like it before, and perhaps
shall never again see its equal. It might have been visible two minutes.
We all cried out with surprise at beholding it. We had our faces towards
the south, and the course of the meteor was across the south, but not
very high, at about the third of the circle of the heavens. Afterwards,
every few minutes, small meteors were seen sporting about in the same
direction, some in a straight line and others descending.

_9th._--The wind of this fine cool morning prevented a visit from
En-Noor. That he might not be disappointed, however, I sent him his
customary tea; and amused myself by hearing the Sfaxee discourse of that
constant subject of conversation, the attack of the Fadeea. According to
him, on that occasion great fear was felt by all the caravan. Most of
our servants had formed the resolution to abandon us. There were,
however, some honourable exceptions; amongst the rest, Saïd, the great