Produced by Carlo Traverso, Annika Feilbach and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF/Gallica) at http://gallica.bnf.fr) [Transcriber's note: This text contains the unicode characters ā, ă, ĕ and ō in a few places. If any of these characters do not display for you properly, please see the Latin-1 text version for a transcription.] NARRATIVE OF A MISSION TO CENTRAL AFRICA PERFORMED IN THE YEARS 1850-51, UNDER THE ORDERS AND AT THE EXPENSE OF HER MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT. BY THE LATE JAMES RICHARDSON, AUTHOR OF "TRAVELS IN THE GREAT DESERT OF SAHARA." IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. II. LONDON: CHAPMAN AND HALL, 193 PICADILLY. MDCCCLIII. LONDON: Printed by G. Barclay, Castle St. Leicester Sq. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Description of Tintalous and its Environs--Palace and Huts--Bedsteads--Kailouee Race--Unhandsome Conduct of Mr. Gagliuffi--Proposed Journey to Aghadez--Dr. Barth starts--An obstinate Bullock--Present extraordinary--State of Zinder--Affability of the Sultan--Power of Charms--Scorpions--Dialogue with a Ghâtee--Splendid Meteors--Visit from En-Noor--Intrigues of the Fellatahs--A Sultan loaded with Presents--Talk of departing for Zinder--State of the Bornou Road--Division of a Bullock--Bottle of Rum stolen--More Visits from the Sultan--A Musical Entertainment--Curious Etymological Discussions--A wonderful Prophetess--Secret Societies--Magicians--The Evil Eye--Morality of Soudan--Magnificent Meteor--Stories of the Sfaxee. CHAPTER II. Muslim want of Curiosity--Gossip on Meteors--A Family Broil--Rationale of Wife-beating--Abominable Dances--Evil Communications--Dr. Overweg--Kailouee Vocabulary--Windy Day--Account of Wadaï--Madame En-Noor--Profits of Commerce--The letter _Ghain_--Fellatah Language--Introduction of Islamism--Desert Routes--Trade in Agate Stones--A lively Patient--The Eed--A Visit _en masse_--Arrival of the Boat--Butchers--Exchange of Visits with the Sultan--Diet--A Shereef--A delicate Request--Information on Maradee--Tesaoua--Itinerant Schoolmasters--En-Noor's Territory in Damerghou--Unpleasant Communication--Amulets--The Foundation of a City in the Desert--En-Noor's Political Pretensions. CHAPTER III. News from Barth--Camels restored--Expensive Journey--Proposed Migration of Males--Supply of Slaves, whence--A new Well--Pagans and Christians--Tibboo Manners--The great Gong--When is a Tibboo hungry?--Hunger-belt--Queen of England in the Sahara--The Shanbah--A hasty Marriage--Saïd's new Wife--Wild Cauliflowers--Tolerance of the Kailouees--Men go to fetch Salt from Bilma--Approach of Dr. Barth--Lion's Mouth--Tibboos and Kailouees--Mysteries of Tintalous--Fewness of Men in Aheer--Trees preserved in the Valley--Bright Stars--Method of Salutation--Purposed Stars--Kailouee Character--Champagne at Tintalous--The Wells. CHAPTER IV.