accidents on the road.

The evening of the feast of the "Descent of the Koran from Heaven," all
good Muslims ought to sit up all night to read the Koran, through and
through again.

There is a curious commerce of yămăneé, or agate stones, in
Soudan. These yămăneé are originally brought from the eastern
coast of Africa, from and near Mombas (Mozambique), where they pass as
money, like the cowries. From Mombas they are carried, by the Muscat
traders, to Yamen, and thence to Mekka; in which place they are blessed,
and rendered doubly precious. From Mekka they are brought to Egypt, and
from Egypt to Mourzuk; from which point they are distributed all over
this part of Africa, and the souk of Kanou is stocked with them. They
are much esteemed by all classes of the inhabitants of the interior of
Africa, and are worn equally by the men and women.

In this commerce we see the round-about-way in which some articles are
conveyed for sale. If there were a road from Mombas direct to Bornou,
this agate would be cheap enough. But then, perhaps, it would not be
esteemed or valued at half its present cost. It would not be blessed at
Mekka, and so lose all its talismanic and mysterious power. The name is
derived from Yaman, evidently from the first country in Arabia, to which
they were brought originally from Africa.

According to Overweg, Madame En-Noor is still very unwell with her lip.
It is cut right across under her nose, penetrating to the gums; she is,
nevertheless, very lively, and is always pestering Overweg to read the
fatah with, or marry a young girl, one of her relations. She endeavours
to warm my worthy friend to comply with her match-making wishes by