206 
A CROWD OF VISITORS. 
victory !" (L e. over your enemies.) In Soudanee this 
phrase is "Allah shabaka nasara;" and in Bornouese, 
" Kabunam sherga /" 
18th. — I sent letters for Government and my 
wife via Kuka, as caravans are expected to leave 
Bornou for Mourzuk about this time. My rooms 
were full of visitors to-day. First came the com- 
mander-in-chief, Shroma. I showed him all my 
treasures, portable peepshow, kaleidoscope, &c. &c. 
He was marvellously pleased. I treated him also 
with sugar, but coffee he positively refused as too 
bitter. He brought with him some twenty of his 
troops and a chosen aide-de-camp. He is just the 
man for a negro commander, full of cunning and 
address, very active if necessary, and on familiar 
terms with his men, pleasing them by low fun and 
buffoonery. Afterwards came the sons of the 
Sultan, all of whom I treated with sugar and 
coffee ; that is, as many as would venture to taste of 
it. Then followed a host of Fezzan merchants, with 
the son of the Kadi of Kuka — a very nice, pleasant 
young fellow, who writes pretty good Arabic. He 
is to make out for me the route from Zinder to 
Kuka. 
I afterwards went to the Sultan himself, to show 
him my treasures, viz. peepshows and kaleidoscope. 
These barbarians are nothing but great wilful child- 
ren. I also took the compass. We entered the 
interior of the building, where we found a number 
of officers, courtiers and slaves, squatted together on 
