30 
MORNING OF THE FESTIVAL. 
nevertheless, very lively, and is always pestering 
Over weg to read the fatah with, or marry a young 
girl, one of her relations. She endeavours to warm 
my worthy friend to comply with her match-making 
wishes by luxurious descriptions of the beauties of 
the proffered bride. 
As soon as the people hear I have a wife in 
Tripoli, they begin to ask how many children I have 
got. On receiving for answer, " None," they are 
greatly astonished, and ask me the reason of so 
strange a matrimonial phenomenon. 
This evening another fine meteor appeared in 
th'e south-east. Its head was like a blazing star, 
and it left behind it a train of sparkling light and 
flame. There were also numbers of smaller meteors. 
16th. — -The morning of the Eed. According to 
the Fezzanees, prayers are soon ended; because, 
they say, " these Kailouees know nothing of their 
religion." 
The Fezzanees asked me to hoist the British 
flag; to which I replied, " No: the flag belongs to 
the Queen, but I will give you a little powder for 
your matchlocks." All these Mahommedan feasts 
are celebrated on the northern coast of Africa by 
the discharge of gunpowder. 
No certain information can be obtained of the 
route from Zinder to Sakkatou, in this place. The 
people only say the present Sultan is not so strong 
as was his father; thereby intimating that the routes 
are not so secure as formerly. 
