CHAP. III. 
NOTICES OF THE INTERIOR. 
143 
language understood by the boy, to ask him, as if undesignedly, 
which part of a man was considered to taste best in his country. 
He immediately and readily answered, " The breast, which is eaten 
by the men ; the other parts being given to the women and 
children." But on further questioning him, it appeared he did not 
know whether the victims were prisoners or natives. 
This country joins Zegzeg to the southward ; it is of great 
extent, and the people are reported to live in a state of nature. Ya- 
gooba borders on Yemyem, six days south of Zegzeg. Maradi is a 
country lying half-way between Kashna and Gooberr, now nearly 
depopulated by the constant attacks of the Fellata. The natives 
are Kaffirs, and go naked, with the exception of a leather wrapper 
round their loins. They are a very liandsome race of people. Tirka 
in Soudan appears not to be known. There is a watering place of 
the Tibboo in Borgoo, called Tirki. 
Tuat is mentioned in many maps as a town ; but it is a large 
tract of country on the borders of Soudan, inhabited chiefly by 
Tuarick. It is situated on the Great Desert, and is not very 
fertile. Fine horses are bred there, and the flocks are numerous. 
The natives trade with Tembuctoo, Soudan, Ghadams, and Fezzan, 
but seldom go so far east as Bornou. The chief length of the 
country is from north to south, and the towns bear very nearly in 
that direction to each other. The houses are built of stone and 
mud, and have no second story ; many of the towns are waUed. 
Ain el Salah, or the Fountain of Saints, is the principal town. It 
takes its name from the sanctity of its inhabitants, who have all the 
credit of being Maraboots. A story is told of its having 366 castles, 
which were built by the first Mohammedan conquerors of the 
country ; they are said to be of a great height and in fine pre- 
servation. I suspect, however, they are pretty nearly of the same 
description as those of Fezzan, of which we heard so many wonderful 
