Chap. XXVI. THE SHERl'F AND HIS ATTENDANTS. 155 
sherif in Negroland means scarcely anything but an 
impudent, arrogant beggar), yet, by his education and 
fine, noble character, he deserved certainly to be called 
a gentleman. The name " Konche" (Mr. Sleep) had 
been given to him by the natives, from his very rea- 
sonable custom of sleeping, or pretending to sleep, 
the whole day during the Rhamadan, which enabled 
him to bear the fasting more easily. His real name 
was f Abd el Khafif. 
Our first salutation was rather cold ; but we 
soon became friends ; and I must say of him that 
he was the most noble Arab merchant I have seen 
in Negroland. Though at present he had not much 
merchandise of value with him, he was a wealthy 
man, and had enormous demands upon several go- 
vernors and princes in Negroland, especially upon 
Muniyoma, or the governor of Miiniyo, who was in- 
debted to him for about thirty millions — shells, of 
course, but nevertheless a very large sum in this 
country. Of his " sirriya," who always rode at a 
respectful distance behind him, I cannot speak, as she 
was veiled from top to toe ; but if a conclusion might 
be drawn from her attendants, who were very 
sprightly, well-formed young girls, she must have 
been handsome. The male servants of my new friend 
were all characteristically dressed, and armed in the 
native fashion with bows and arrows, — knapsacks, 
water-bottles, and drinking- vessels all hanging around 
them in picturesque confusion; but among them 
there was a remarkable fellow, who had already 
