RESIDENCE AT SOCCATOO AND MAGARIA. 
229 
They yearly, after the grain has been cut and got in, arrive in 
Houssa with salt, which they visit in the latter end of harvest, or 
in the months of October or November, to exchange for grain, 
blue tobes or large shirts, mugabs or blue turban dresses for their 
women, and swords ; they also lay in a sufficient quantity of millet 
and doura to last them through the season, until they return to 
their own country, as they neither sow nor reap. During the whole 
of the dry season they remain in Houssa, principally in the pro- 
vinces of Kano, Kashna, Zamfra, and Soccatoo. The latter mostly 
Ivillgris ; and Kashna and Kano are the principal resort of the 
Etassan and Killaway : they do not live, except a few, in houses in 
the town ; but build temporary huts in the woods, not far distant 
from them, where they have their wives, their bullocks, horses, and 
camels, the men only visiting the town : in this way they live 
until the month in which the rains commence, when they retire 
north to the desert. They are a fine manly looking race of men, 
but extremely dirty in their persons, not even washing before 
prayers, but going through the form with sand, as if washing. 
The poorest amongst them are armed with a sword and spear, 
which are their constant companions. 
Wednesday, 13th. — The sultan sent me a present of a sheep 
and four Guinea fowls and some rice, from the Sanson, apologizing 
for his long absence in the camp, as the Tuaricks were very un- 
settled, and they had not as yet determined what party to side 
with. 
Thursday, 14th. — I to-day employed Hadji Omar and Malam 
Mohamed, the latter to give me a route, noting the northing and 
southing of the road, between Massina, the country in which he 
was born, to Soccatoo; the other, who has just returned from 
Mecca, to give me an account between this and Sennar, with a de- 
scription of the countries, towns, and rivers: his route is from Kano 
