278 
AMERICANS AT NIFFEE. 
med Ben Welid respecting his intercourse with an 
American vessel at Niffee.* He first describes the 
vessel as very large ; the sides being ascended by a 
ladder. Then these Americans (English they were 
called) had a black interpreter, who spoke Arabic. 
Through this black fellow they inquired of the man 
of Ghadamez from whence he came. He replied, 
" Ghadamez," — this they did not know ; then " Tra- 
blous," — this they did not know ; then " Tunis," — 
nor was this place known ; and, finally, " Malta." 
"Ah !" they cried, "we have heard of this place." 
They then asked him what he traded in, and gave 
him some tobacco and rum. They were full of 
goods of every description, — calicoes, powder, shot, 
rum, tobacco, dollars, and wada yaser (a great 
quantity of cowries), &c. 
My room has been an hospital all this day, 
full of the sick, with various disorders. They 
come mostly from the villages around Zinder, 
and amongst them are a great number of Tua- 
ricks, these people being more exposed to the 
weather, or more delicate, or more fanciful in 
their complaints. These poor devils all bring some- 
thing — a little cheese, or a little milk; and I have 
received more of these trifling presents from them 
during the twenty days that I have been in Zinder, 
than in all the five or six months which I spent in 
their country. The reason may be, that in Asben 
* See the Appendix. This Haj appears to have given some useful 
information to Mr. Richardson. — Ed. 
