Chap. LIV. CHARACTER OF ZANDER. 
79 
larger plantation which the sherif el Fasi, the agent of 
the vizier of Bornu, had recently begun to the south 
of the town, although very promising and full of 
vegetables difficult to procure in this country, was 
too young to contribute anything to the general cha- 
racter of the place. It was entirely wanting in larger 
trees, and had only a single palm tree and a lime. 
I am afraid, after the revolution of December 1853, 
which caused the death of that noble Arab, who was 
one of the more distinguished specimens of his nation, 
it has returned to the desolate state from which he 
called it forth. 
The accompanying ground-plan of the town and 
its environs will, I hope, convey some idea of its pe- 
culiar character ; but it can give not the faintest 
notion of the bustle and traffic which concentrate in 
this place, however limited they may be when com- 
pared with those of European cities. Besides some 
indigo-dyeing, there is scarcely any industry in 
Zinder; yet its commercial importance has of late 
become so great, that it may with some propriety be 
called " the gate of Sudan." But of course its im- 
portance is only based on the power of the kingdom 
of Bornu, which it serves to connect more directly 
with the north, along the western route by way of 
Ghat and Ghadames, which has the great advantage 
over* the eastern or Fezzan route, that even smaller 
caravans can proceed along it with some degree of 
security, that other route having become extremely 
unsafe. It was then the most busy time for the 
