The cousin of the Sheikh recommended me to dress in my English clothes on my arrival in Kuka. By doing this, he observed, "you will please the people, and get many presents." It was ever my intention to dress in European clothes in Bornou. The common mode in which a poor person salutes a great man, is by kneeling down and throwing dust upon the bare head. The degree of humility and respect is expressed by the quantity of dust thrown! The Sarkee, of course, gets a great deal of dust, and every personage under him his portion, according to his rank. The beggars throw the dust about in clouds. At first, it is painful to see this custom. CHAPTER XV. Political News--Animals of Zinder--Sleepy City--District of Korgum--Razzias--Family of Sheikh Omer of Bornou--Brothers--Sons--Sisters--Daughters--Viziers--Kashallas--Power of the Sheikh--A Cheating Prince--Old Slave--Fetishism--Devil in a Tuarick's head--Kibabs--Fires--A Prophecy--Another Version of the Razzia--Correspondence between Korgum and Zinder. Some political news has arrived to-day by the caravan from Ghât. According to the gazette of the caravan there is peace now between the Porte and Musku (Russia), and Musku is to restore to the Porte the one hundred countries taken by her, as also to pay the expenses of the war. Hostilities have broken out between the Emperor of Morocco and the French; a Shereef has appeared to recommence the holy war, and Muley Abd-Errhaman supplies him with the means to fight the French. Thus the news is all fashioned to Muslim tastes. Also it is said, that in future the red colour in flags is always to be uppermost. This seems likewise a compliment to the Muslim power in Europe and Africa. It is very curious to see how dexterously the caravan-newsman has coined his wares. The shonshona of Gouber is very faint, and consists of nine very small cuts. Gouber is full of Tuaricks, Kilgris, and Iteesan. It is said the Sarkee will bring an immense number of Hazna, or pagans, with him, on his return from the razzia. _29th._--At sunrise, when the thermometer is at 57°, I feel the cold. I am told that, though Kuka is very hot, it is quite free from fever,--in fact, from all periodic epidemics. So we may expect to do well, if we escape the fever of Soudan. The household gods of Zinder are a large species of lizard, who make their dwelling-places in the walls and roofs of the huts. These are in great numbers. Cats are the principal nuisance and the thieves of the place--attacking and devouring fowls. Of rats and mice I have observed none. But few small birds show themselves. The small filthy vulture is everywhere, and a few eagles of a diminutive white species are seen amongst them. Some few dogs are kept, ill-looking and mongrel in their breed. The domestic cattle are horses, asses, oxen, sheep and goats, and a few camels.