TRADE IN AGATE-STONES. 
29 
the Koran from Heaven," all good Muslims ought 
to sit up all night to read the Koran, through and 
through again. 
There is a curious commerce of yamanee, or 
agate stones, in Soudan. These yamanee are origin- 
ally brought from the eastern coast of Africa, from 
and near Mombas (Mozambique), where they pass 
as money, like the cowries. From Mombas they 
are carried, by the Muscat traders, to Yam en, and 
thence to Mekka; in which place they are blessed, 
and rendered doubly precious. From Mekka they 
are brought to Egypt, and from Egypt to Mourzuk; 
from which point they are distributed all over this 
part of Africa, and the souk of Kanou is stocked 
with them. They are much esteemed by all classes 
of the inhabitants of the interior of Africa, and are 
worn equally by the men and women. 
In this commerce we see the round-about- way 
in which some articles are conveyed for sale. If 
there were a road from Mombas direct to Bornou, 
this agate would be cheap enough. But then, 
perhaps, it would not be esteemed or valued at half 
its present cost. It would not be blessed at Mekka, 
and so lose all its talismanic and mysterious power. 
The name is derived from Yam an, evidently from 
the first country in Arabia, to which they were 
brought originally from Africa. 
According to Overweg, Madame En-Noor is still 
very unwell with her lip. It is cut right across 
under her nose, penetrating to the gums; she is, 
