16th.—Barth has picked up a good many words in Aghadez, mostly correct.
17th.—It was colder this morning, although yesterday was very pleasant. Thermometer at sunrise, 41°.
It is expected that we shall still remain here thirty days, which time, if divided half between Haussa and half between Bornouee, will help me on in these languages, the principal of the interior of Africa. Mohammed Tunisee is now the servant of Barth alone. Overweg has given him up.
Yesterday morning I gave Overweg the presents for the Sultan of Maradee, to whom he intends to go on a mission, in the same way as Barth went to Aghadez. The presents consist of a fine burnouse, a fine shasheeah (five mahboubs), two pieces of coloured cotton cloth, two heads of white sugar, knives, scissors, cinnamon, looking-glasses, beads, &c. I hope he will not return without bringing back the treaty signed. He is also to make some arrangement for the establishment of the missionaries in Maradee.
To-day we had prayers in Overweg's tent. I read several short prayers from the Church of England prayer-book, and also the Gospel and Epistle for the Sunday.
18th.—Yesterday evening it was cloudy, and the moon had, for several hours, an immense elliptical ring round it—a common phenomenon in the northern Sahara.
To-day Yusuf got up in a rage, and threw down his writing, because I told him he did not take pains to obtain from the people the several meanings of the words. This has been the case for most of the time we have been occupied with the vocabulary. I have therefore left him to himself, since he insulted me in this manner before the servants, and I fear I cannot trust myself to go with him to Sakkatou. It is a great inconvenience, but I must search for a kateb (writer) at Zinder. There are many poor men of this profession in Bornou, and very faithful people.
19th.—His highness En-Noor continues to visit us. Yesterday I gave him an English silver fourpenny piece, an English farthing, and a small French silver coin, with all of which he was greatly delighted. He summed up their value in wadâ; fifty wadâs are an English penny. He admired her majesty's face on the silver fourpence; but his shadow, the man who generally comes with him, said,—"Oh, no, the face of the woman for a Sultan is not good. This is good," pointing to the head of Louis Philippe.