ISO 
JOURNEY FROM BOUSSA TO KANO. 
Their songs are mostly extempore, and allude to the company 
present. The booza is made front a mixture of doura, or Guinea 
corn, honey, Chili pepper, the root of a coarse grass on which the 
cattle feed, and a proportion of water : these are thrown in equal 
proportions into large earthen jars, open at top, and are allowed to 
ferment near a slow fire for four or five days, when the booza is 
fit to drink, and is put into earthen jars. It is a very fiery and 
intoxicating beverage ; but, whether Mohamedan or pagan, they 
all drink, and agree very well together when in their cups. At 
first neither I nor my servants could sleep for their noise, but now 
I have got used to it. This night the new moon was seen, and 
Mohamedan and pagan joined in the cry of joy. My landlady 
had thirteen pieces of wood, on each of which was written by the 
Bornou malem the word “ Bismillah,” the only word he could 
write. These boards she then washed and drank the water, and 
gave to her family to drink. She offered some of it to me ; but I 
said I never drank dirty water : and I thought that if she and her 
servants had taken a comfortable cup of booza or bum it would 
have done them more good than drinking the washings of a board 
written over with ink ; for the man was a rogue who had made her 
pay for such stuff. “ What !” says she, “ do you call the name of 
God dirty water? it was good to take it.” These rogues, who 
call themselves malems, impose on the poor ignorant people very 
much ; and the pagans are as fond of having these charms as the 
Mohamedans. These dirty draughts are a cure for all evils, pre- 
sent and to come, and are called by the people dua. Some of 
their fighting men will confine themselves to their houses for 
thirty or forty days, fasting during the day, and only drinking 
and washing with this dirty stuff. If a man is fortunate, or does 
any feat above the common, it is attributed to the dua, or medicine : 
neither his wit nor the grace of God gains a man any thing. 
Tuesday, 9th. — Clear and warm. The new moon having been 
