luxurious descriptions of the beauties of the proffered bride.

As soon as the people hear I have a wife in Tripoli, they begin to ask
how many children I have got. On receiving for answer, "None," they are
greatly astonished, and ask me the reason of so strange a matrimonial
phenomenon.

This evening another fine meteor appeared in the south-east. Its head
was like a blazing star, and it left behind it a train of sparkling
light and flame. There were also numbers of smaller meteors.

_16th._--The morning of the Eed. According to the Fezzanees, prayers are
soon ended; because, they say, "these Kailouees know nothing of their
religion."

The Fezzanees asked me to hoist the British flag; to which I replied,
"No; the flag belongs to the Queen, but I will give you a little powder
for your matchlocks." All these Mahommedan feasts are celebrated on the
northern coast of Africa by the discharge of gunpowder.

No certain information can be obtained of the route from Zinder to
Sakkatou, in this place. The people only say the present Sultan is not
so strong as was his father; thereby intimating that the routes are not
so secure as formerly.

It is usual for the inhabitants of Tintalous to visit those of Asarara
on the morning of the present feast. About sixty men, natives of this
place, accompanied by a dozen Moors from Tripoli and Mourzuk, went,
accordingly, to Asarara this morning. Then a number of the people of
Asarara returned with them. Yusuf remarked, with some surprise, that