SIEGE OF KORGUM. 273 
There are some merchants of consequence from 
Fezzan, viz. Basha Ben Haloum, Mohammed es- 
Salah, the agent of Gagliuffi, Sidi Ali, and Fighi 
Hamit, who always goes to Goujah (blad of the 
gour-nuts). This country of the gour is distant 
three months' travelling, making small stages south- 
west by west. Morocco, Tuat, and the countries of 
the west, are scarcely represented by merchants in 
Kanou — there being one or two of them at most. 
Nor are there any from Egypt or the East. 
According to my informant, a small merchant, 
but well acquainted with these parts, not more than 
one hundred and fifty or two hundred slaves pass 
through or from Zinder annually to the north, and 
about five or six hundred go by the route of Tesaoua 
to the north, i. e. Tripoli, and a few to Souf. After 
all, the great slave - market is Central Africa 
itself. 
An affecting incident is told of the people of 
Korgum during the late razzia. The Sultan of 
Zinder besieged one town four days, and would not 
allow the people to drink water. They then sent 
word that " they did not know either God, or the 
Prophet Mahommed, or the Sheikh of Bornou, only 
him, Sarkee Ibrahim of Zinder, as their ruler and 
lord, and prayed him to give them water and 
peace." The Sarkee replied, " When my brother fled 
to you, you also would not allow him to drink, nor 
will I now permit you ; therefore surrender into our 
hands." The people of the town held out these four 
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