108 TRANSLATION OF JOKES WELLS. 
the rocks and prowl abroad for prey in great 
numbers. Their footmarks frequently cover the 
length and breadth of the wadys. Barth himself 
saw (very fortunately, for it is a sight seen by very 
few persons indeed) as many as five together. 
Monkeys also abound in great numbers. I related 
to En-Moor the anecdote, as a joke, of the monkey 
shaving the cat in Paris ; but this he took seriously, 
for he observed, " That is nothing ; I have seen the 
monkeys crack lice just like men." It is always a 
difficult matter to translate a joke to these people. 
Over weg has been out these last two days hunting* 
for ostrich eggs, in the places which these birds 
frequent. He saw their foot-prints, dung, feathers, 
&c, and two specimens, but found no eggs. It 
appears this is a most difficult bird to catch. 
En-Noor continues to be very friendly. I get- 
milk now every morning, for which I pay sugar 
and coffee. His highness and his people went out 
yesterday to dig a well, about two hours distant. 
All the water in this place is exhausted. It appears 
to be merely a deposit of rain-water under the sand, 
at a depth of from four or five to eight feet. It be- 
comes, as in this case, entirely exhausted before the 
commencement of the next rains ; but of course 
there are some springs, and many wells which are 
not dried up during the whole year. 
1NT.B. — If I remain a month at Zinder, I must 
make a little excursion amongst the Bornou villages 
and see the rustic life of the people : but I fear it will 
