32 
INTERVIEW WITH THE SULTAN. 
animals, in a way frightful to behold. The environs 
of the town were turned into dirty slaughter-houses. 
\lth. — I have determined to purchase no more 
things from the Sfaxee at present. He makes me 
pay double price. It will be better to wait and see 
what can be done at Zinder. An infidel traveller, 
who is known to be in possession of any property, is 
sure in these countries to be looked upon as a milch- 
cow. Does not "the book," according to the vulgar 
opinion, authorise the faithful to take our lives 1 
" Our purses are more lawful." 
The festival being over, I went to pay my 
respects to Sultan En-Noor. He is much better in 
health than yesterday, but has still a bad cold, and 
continues to blow his nose and wipe it — pardon the 
naive statement — with the sole of one of his sandals ! 
The action struck me as rather uncleanly and un- 
dignified in a prince ; but Kailouees are not punc- 
tilious. 
Mr. Gagliuffi had mentioned to me that he 
had given assistance to some shepherds who were 
begging their way to Soudan. One of these poor 
fellows had come to see the Sultan. He seemed, 
indeed, miserably poor, but tried to hide the fact, 
saying to them and Yusuf : " I have news for you ; 
now I am your friend, as I was a friend to the 
Consul in Mourzuk." He was quite a young man, 
and excited my compassion. 
In the afternoon I received a visit from En- 
