Lagun is also under the Sheikh, and has become a province of Bornou.
In this country, it is said, there are pieces of cannon. Also, there is another country, Kussuri, four days south of Begarmi, now united to the Sheikh's territories; and besides, Maffatai, four days south-east from Kuka (a country of a sultan).
Dikua, two days south from Kuka; a province with a powerful sultan, who has the power of life and death.
Kulli, one day west of Dikua; Blad-es-Sultan.
En-Gala, two days south of Kuka, country of a sultan; belonging to Yusuf, brother of the Sheikh.
I went to see the renegade Jew; he was busy in a quarrel with a servant of Lousou, to whom he had given eight slaves to take to Ghât, to be sold on his account. Lousou had sold the slaves, and rendered no account to the renegade—a most unprincely proceeding, to say the least of it; if, indeed, it would not be more African to say princely proceeding: for there seems no vice, whether violent or mean, which is not exaggerated by the holders of power in these parts.
The souk is almost deserted to-day, on account of the Sarkee being absent. I passed the slave-stalls, and saw another poor old woman for sale, upwards of fourscore years of age. The slave-merchants offered her for four thousand wadâs, about eight shillings. People purchase these poor old creatures that they may fetch wood and water, even until their strength fails them and they faint by the way.
I made other inquiries about the Hazna of Zinder. It seems the Sarkee himself is still half pagan, for at the beginning of every year he proceeds with his officers to a tree, the ancient god of paganism, and there distributes two goffas of wadâ (about 100,000), three bullocks and sheep, and ghaseb, to the poor. These things are really offered to the deities of his ancestors, though the poor of the country get the benefit of them. There are four or five trees of this description, at which such annual offerings are made; but there is only one Tree of Death where malefactors are executed, the one mentioned in a former page.[17] The Muslim converts of Soudan find the Ramadhan excessively burdensome, as well as many other rites of Islamism, and for this reason the greater part of the population of Soudan, who profess Mohammedanism, are still pagans in heart. It is vain to expect a nation to pass from loose to ascetic practices without some moral motive, such as that which sustained the Muslims at their first brilliant start in the world.
A Tuarick came this morning and said the devil was in his head, and that he wanted some medicine to drive him out. I gave him an emetic of tartarised antimony, which I hope served his purpose.