visited that country several times. I intended to accompany those who were going the following spring, if I had remained among them. The Brakna marabouts are as idle as the hassanes; they take no other exercise than walking to the mosque; and their only diversion is reading the Koran. They sometimes converse together as they lie on the sand, and go to sleep while talking over religion and politics. Of all the classes of Moors the marabouts give the least and require the most; their quality of priests causing them to be considered as the dispensers of favours, they are never refused any thing, especially as the Moors are persuaded that they shall gain heaven by liberality. It is not to the hassanes alone that they apply; they harass one another also, and they torment the poor zenagues more especially. This class, despised by the others, is oppressed by them all. If the marabouts do not maltreat them as the hassanes do they threaten them with everlasting fire; and the poor zenague, in the hope of a happier life hereafter, strips himself to comply with the demands of his insatiable masters in this. Those marabouts who have no slaves to collect gum, being far too lazy to work for themselves, would be without clothes if the zenagues did not supply them with the means of procuring them. In the same way they obtain bags of butter to sell at the markets for Guinea cloth. It may be thought, perhaps, that the marabouts are grateful, and know how to appreciate the sacrifices which the zenague makes to please them; but ingratitude is one of their vices, and scarcely have they obtained what they want before they slander their benefactors, curse them, and devote them to eternal fire. Some of these wretches, who have no other means of subsistence, settle amongst the zenagues to instruct their children: besides their food, they receive in payment sheep, butter, tanned hides, and stuff for tent-covering. The marabouts are not more susceptible of friendship than of gratitude. I told Mohammed-Sidy-Moctar one day, that I should like to go and see his son-in-law; he tried immediately to dissuade me. “He is a good-for-nothing fellow,” said he; “he ought to have given you an ox the first time you went to his tent, and he only gave you a coussabe; he never gives _me_ any thing; he does not like me.” I asked him if he liked Hamet-Dou, who had made him presents before my eyes: “Oh,” said he, “Hamet-Dou is rich.” I recollect, that when I was leaving the camp, I gave a pagne to a slave who had taken care to supply me with sangleh; my marabout, who was near, took the pagne from her, and gave her a severe scolding. I insisted that the pagne should be returned, but he would not hear of it, and he scolded me in my turn, and told me that a marabout ought never to give, but always to receive. At last he handed the pagne to my guide, and bade him put it with the rest of my goods. This trait conveys a good idea of their character.