THE HAJA.H— CATTLE. 283 
All the Moors and Arabs whom I conversed with 
extol the power of the Sheikh of Bornou, and repre- 
sent him as the greatest sheikh in Central Africa. 
Nevertheless, the Fellatahs are everywhere, far and 
wide, from Sakkatou to Adamaua, a dominant peo- 
ple, though few in number compared with the popu- 
lation of the subjected kingdoms. 
One of the most remarkable women, perhaps the 
only remarkable woman in Zinder at the present 
moment, is a certain Hajah (i. e. a woman who has 
made the pilgrimage of Mekka). She is a native of 
Fezzan, and is now employed in the household of 
the Sheikh of Bornou. She is excessively free and 
easy with all men folks ; and although such a saint, 
her chastity, I am told, does not rate high. She 
returns to Kuka with us — no great gain to our 
caravan. 
Near our enclosure is a long space full of 
bullocks and cows — some four hundred and fifty. 
These are distributed amongst the whole population 
by ones, twos, and threes. I have seen no herd but 
this, and if this is really the only one, it speaks little 
for the wealth of the people of Zinder. In fact, with 
regard to horses it is much the same, — the Shereef 
can hardly find me a horse to ride on in the whole 
town. 
Apparently, Zinder is a wretchedly poor place. 
All are needy, from the Sarkee downwards, and 
when they get any property it all comes from the 
razzias. The system of living on rapine and man- 
