252 
SLEEPY CITY. 
traders, they, too, drowse away the period of their 
residence in this sleepy city. They sell their 
goods in a lump, on trust, to the Sarkee, and then 
compose themselves to slumber whilst he goes forth 
on a razzia, and brings them slaves in payment. The 
thick, heavy atmosphere — at any rate during this 
season — appears to forbid any other kind of life. 
It weighs upon the eyelids, and oppresses the souk 
Existence passes away in a tropical dream, and death 
finds its prey, as Jupiter found Maia, " betwixt sleep 
and wake," in this poppied climate. Altogether — 
as far as I can see through my own winking eyes — 
Zinder is a most unlovely place ; by no means de- 
sirable for a stranger to live in. I manage, however, 
now and then to grasp at, and hold, something like 
definite information. In looking over the itinera- 
ries of Captain Lyon, I find that the razzias have 
obliterated many towns and villages from the map. 
At any rate, the people now are ignorant of their 
names. 
Korgum, half- a -day's distance from Konchai, 
two days from Zinder, is, according to a report come 
in this afternoon, the place or theatre of the present 
razzia. The pretext is — for I now hear of a pretext 
— that they will not pay tribute to the Sheikh. 
Korgum consists of three villages and a town, upon 
and under some rocky hills, which are visible during 
three days' march. The district is the residence of a 
sultan. Ten years ago it belonged to Maradee, but 
since then has been wrested from it, though it has 
