FIVE CAPITALS. 
217 
these liquors with me. After resisting some time, 
I delivered up to his highness half a bottle of mastic, 
with which retiring to his innermost chamber, and 
taking with him his son-in-law, he made himself 
very merry ; so much so, that he was unable to make 
his appearance in public or justice-hall all this day. 
The immediate territories of Bornou contain five 
large and important capitals, viz. Zinder, which 
belongs to Haj Beshir, the prime minister. 
Mashena, belonging to Mala Ibrahim, second 
minister. 
Minyo, belonging to Abd-Er-Rahman, brother 
of the Sheikh. 
Yumbi, belonging to the mother of the Sultan. 
These capitals are the centres of large popula- 
tions and provinces. 
The taxes are appropriated by the various per- 
sonages to whom they are given by the Sheikh, 
but these personages are expected to give up to his 
highness the greater part of the funds which they 
derive from them. 
2\st. — I made various routes, and got a state- 
ment of the principal articles of commerce, as 
current in Zinder and Kanou, Mourzuk and Tri- 
poli. I repeat, there is no chance for an English 
merchant in this part of Africa. 
The houses of Zinder are mostly built of double 
matting, but a good number have mud walls and 
thatched roofs. Others are all built of mud. There 
are no nice mosques with minarets. The residence 
