Chap. LXVII. VIEW OF THE TOWN". 
441 
come familiar with the principal features of the town, 
through which I was not allowed to move about at 
pleasure, I ascended as often as possible the terrace 
of my house. This afforded an excellent view over 
the northern quarters of the town. On the north 
w T as the massive mosque of Sankore, which had just 
been restored to all its former grandeur through the 
influence of the Sheikh el Bakay, and gave the whole 
place an imposing character. Neither the mosque Sidi 
Yahia, nor the "great mosque," or Jingere-ber, 
was seen from this point ; but towards the east the 
view extended over a wide expanse of the desert, 
and towards the south the elevated mansions of the 
Ghadamsiye merchants were visible. The style of 
the buildings was various. I could see clay houses 
of different characters, some low and unseemly, 
others rising with a second story in front to greater 
elevation, and making even an attempt at archi- 
tectural ornament, the whole being interrupted 
by a few round huts of matting. The sight of this 
spectacle afforded me sufficient matter of interest, 
although, the streets being very narrow, only little 
was to be seen of the intercourse carried on in 
them, with the exception of the small market in the 
northern quarter, which was exposed to view on 
account of its situation on the slope of the sand-hills 
which, in course of time, have accumulated round 
the mosque. 
But while the terrace of my house served to make 
me well acquainted with the character of the town, 
