Wednesday, Nov. 1st.—Clear. Magaria is now increasing to a town of considerable size. Before, it was without shape or form; now, all the people from the villages, for a considerable distance around, have been ordered to live here; and the houses being properly arranged, each man’s cluster of huts being fenced round with matting, nearly all the vacant places are filled up with houses or enclosures for cattle. A new wall has been built, according to the present Goobur mode of fortifying a town; which is, to build a low wall, with a deep ditch outside, and to erect on the wall a stockade of rough stakes, firmly fixed in an upright posture, through the openings of which the people inside are enabled to shoot their arrows and fire muskets, when they have any. This new wall was not quite completed when I arrived; but as every man having a house in the town was to bear his part in the work, and every man of consideration who held office under the sultan was to superintend that part of it next to his residence, as well as to employ his slaves and servants in bringing wood and materials, the progress advanced rapidly. This evening we had a courier from the nearest town in the province of Zamfra, bringing intelligence that Aleva, the rebel sultan of Goobur, had died by an arrow wound in his side, which he received when we made the attack. Whether this will have any effect in bringing about a reconciliation with Bello and them I know not. Thursday, 2d.—Warm, with light flying clouds. The Juma, or place of worship, in Magaria, is only a temporary one. I have had several opportunities of seeing them at prayers, being only a square enclosure of matting, supported by stakes, and open on one side, which is to the east. The Iman, or priest, a head man, stands at a little distance in front, on his mat; the rest of the people in rows behind him. He repeats the prayer, and those behind him also repeating inwardly at the same time, and with the greatest regularity, in a kneeling posture, with their heads inclined. I had a long visit from Prince Atego this morning, who was amazingly civil: at last it came out that he was afflicted with a disorder which he represented as being very common in this country. I recommended him to drink rice water in plenty, to refrain from pepper and strong spices, and not to visit his ladies too often, and to wear a hat when he rode out. I also gave him a dose of calomel, recommending him to use natron in his food.