Chap. LXX. MATERIAL EXISTENCE. 
3 
the cold season, agreed with me infinitely better than 
that of any other part of Negroland ; but this was 
not the case with the Melopepo^ although it is an 
excellent and palatable vegetable. In the beginning of 
my stay I had consumed a great many young pigeons, 
which form a favourite dainty in this city. They are 
sold at the almost incredibly cheap rate of ten shells 
each, or at the rate of three hundred for a dollar ; but 
the poor little things were used for culinary purposes 
so soon after breaking the shell as to be almost taste- 
less. A very rare dainty was formed by an ostrich egg, 
which was one day brought to me. This article is more 
easily to be obtained in the desert than in the towns, 
and such strong food, moreover, is not well adapted 
to the stomach of a resident. The Sheikh used also 
to send me a dish late at night, sometimes long after 
midnight ; but, on account of the late hour, I never 
touched it, and left it to my servants. 
It had been arranged that we should make another 
excursion to Kabara, but our visit was put off from 
day to day, although I was extremely anxious to 
witness the features of the country, in the present 
high level of the river, at the place where I had first 
landed on my arrival. Thus I was reduced, for en- 
tertainment, to my intercourse with the Sheikh, his 
kinsfolk, and followers ; and as religious topics were 
always brought forward more prominently by my 
enemies, but especially in the learned letters which 
the emir of Hamda-Allahi sent in reply to the 
K 2 
