In the forenoon I received a visit from the Iman of the mosque of Zinder. I asked about the Hazna, or pagans, thinking to get a little information; but I only learnt what I knew before, that the Hazna make their offerings, which consist, of milk and ghaseb, under trees. These Hazna are mostly peasants—little farmers; and, like Cain, they offer to their deity the fruits of the earth. The Iman said their deity was Eblis, or the Devil; an accusation commonly bandied between rival creeds. He informed me, also, that there are a good number of Hazna in both Zinder and the other towns and villages of the province. He despaired of their ever becoming Muslims, but added, "The great men amongst them must become Muslims by order of the Sheikh, whilst the poor people are left to do as they please, and so furnish a constant supply for the home and foreign slave-mart. It is not the interest of the Sarkee or the foreign merchants that they should become Muslims."
I have heard of the names of two other Tuarick tribes, viz. the Ezzaggeran, near Gouber, and the Daggera, near Minyo, belonging to the Tuarick country of Gurasu. These, apparently, are fractions of tribes.
I register the following legend, which seems to imply that Zinder, like many of the towns of this part of Africa, is of comparatively modern origin.
Twenty years ago there was a fine spring of water bubbling from under the largest granite rock of Zinder. It was this spring which first attracted a population to settle here. Suleiman, father of the present Sarkee, one day harangued the people, and told them, "This water is not necessary for us; the Sheikh of Bornou will hear of this prey, and come and take our country from us. Now let us fetch a fighi, who shall write a talisman; and we will put this talisman upon the mouth of the spring, and with it a large stone, and the water of the spring shall immediately dry." The people consented to this; the charm was written and thrown into the spring, and the stone was rolled on to its mouth; since which the spring has in reality ceased to flow.
The population of Zinder is now supplied with water from three wells, about half an hour distant from the spring, now dry. Upon the stone over this dried spring are several marks, like the footprints of camels and horses. Other people add, "the marks of a man when he kneels down to pray."
The Shereef Kebir says, that Lousou brought a piece of magnetic iron to him, which he sent to Haj Beghir in Kuka. Lousou reports that there is an abundance of magnetic iron in Aheer. Kohul is very cheap in the market of Zinder. In Kanou it can be had for ten reals (Fezzan) the cantar; and in Yakoba, whence it is brought, for three reals. There is a whole rock of kohul in Yakoba, the property of the Sultan. The Fellatahs rule Yakoba as well as Adamowa. They are still very powerful in all this part of Africa. Individual Fellatahs have as many as five thousand slaves, who work partly for their masters and partly for themselves.
I visited this evening Sidi Bou Beker Weled Haj Mohammed Sudani, cousin of the Sheikh of Bornou. He was surrounded with all the objects of Bornou luxury,—carpets, guns, pistols, swords, umbrellas, &c., &c. He was busy looking over a book containing an explanation of dreams, with a vastly-knowing mâlem. They both made pretensions to great learning. In other respects, the cousin of the Sheikh was very affable. He said, Bornou is the only good country hereabouts. All the rest are full of fever or bandits. "There were two English," he observed, "came to us (in Bornou), and were very well until they went to Soudan, where they died." These persons were Oudney and Clapperton. I told him I must return by way of Wadaï, which he disapproved of. I added, that Abbas Pasha would write to Darfour and Wadaï, to give me protection. He then said, "Oh, if the Sheikh writes to Wadaï, you can go in safety."
This cousin of the Sheikh is a great merchant, and comes backwards and forwards to Zinder from Kuka.
28th.—The nights are still rather cool, but the days not so. The weather continues heavy, with a south-east wind. I went to the cousin of the Sheikh to administer to him a dose of Epsom salts. I have often been surprised to see how greedily these people drink off this nauseous medicine, and smack their lips as if it was something excessively delicious.
Afterwards I had a visit from a great sister of the Sarkee, a woman who is a Sheikha (female Sheikh), and receives the revenues of fifty villages for her own private use. She was quite well, but begged hard for medicine. At last I gave her some tea, which she drank off, after laughing a good deal.