He found the market well supplied with every necessary and luxury in request among the people of the interior. The sheikh, who superintended it, however, fixed the prices of all wares, for which he was entitled to a commission; and, after every bargain, the seller returned to the buyer a stated part of the price by way of a blessing, or a “luck-penny” as it would be called in England. Cowries were here used as coins, though somewhat cumbersome, as twenty were worth only a halfpenny; thus, in paying a pound sterling, nine thousand six hundred shells had to be counted out. As he remarks: “The great advantage of the use of the cowrie is that forgery is excluded, as it cannot possibly be imitated.” The natives show also great dexterity in counting out even the largest sums.
The butchers were numerous, and understood showing off animals to the best advantage. Sometimes they even stuck a little sheep’s wool on a leg of goat’s flesh, to make it pass for mutton. When a fat bull was brought to the market to be killed, its horns were dyed red with henna, the drummers attended, a mob soon collected, the news of the animal’s size and fatness spread, and all ran to buy. Near at hand were small wood fires stuck round with wooden skewers, on which small bits of fat and lean meat, the size of a penny-piece, were roasting, superintended by a woman with a mat dish placed on her knees, from which she served her guests, who were squatted round her. Indeed, the market was as busy a one as can be seen in any country. Jugglers also, like those of India, were practising their tricks with snakes, having extracted the venomous fangs.
Haussa is celebrated for its boxers, the most expert of whom are found among the butchers. Clapperton having intimated his willingness to pay for a performance, a number of combatants arrived, attended by two drummers and the whole body of butchers. A ring was soon formed, by the master of the ceremonies throwing dust on the spectators to make them stand back. The drummers entered the ring, followed by one of the boxers, who was quite naked with the exception of a skin round his middle. Placing himself in an attitude as if to oppose an antagonist, he wrought his muscles into action, and then went round the ring showing his arms to the bystanders and exclaiming: “I am a hyaena! I am a Hon! I am able to kill all that oppose me!” To which the spectators replied, “The blessing of God be upon thee!—Thou art a hyaena: thou art a lion.”
A number of fighters then came forward, when they were next ranged in pairs. If they happened to be friends, they laid their left breast together twice, and exclaimed: “We are lions! we are friends!” Then one left the ring, and another was brought forward. If the two did not recognise one another as friends, the combat immediately commenced. They parried with the left hand open, and struck as opportunity offered with the right, generally aiming at the pit of the stomach and under the ribs. Occasionally they closed with one another, when one seized the other’s head under his arm and beat it with his fist, at the same time striking with the knee between his antagonist’s thighs. Indeed, much the same brutality was exhibited as in English prize-fights. Clapperton, hearing that they sometimes gouged out each other’s eyes, and that such combats seldom terminated without one or more being killed, having satisfied his curiosity, ordered the battle to cease, and gave the promised reward.
The custom in this place is to bury the people in their own houses, which are occupied as usual by the poorer classes; but when a great man is buried, the house is for ever after abandoned. A corpse being prepared for interment, the first chapter of the Koran is read over it. The funeral takes place the same day. The bodies of slaves are dragged out of the town and left a prey to vultures and wild beasts in most places; but in Kano they are thrown into the morass or nearest pool of water.
On the 22nd of February, Clapperton commenced his journey towards Sackatoo, in company with an Arab merchant, Mahomet Jolly, having left his Jew servant, Jacob, to return in case of his death, with his effects to Bornou.
At the towns where he stopped he was generally taken for a fighi, or teacher, and was pestered to write out charms. One day his washerwoman insisted on being paid with a charm in writing, that would induce people to buy earthenware of her.
After travelling for some days he was met by an escort of one hundred and fifty horsemen with drums and trumpets, sent by Sultan Bello to conduct him to his capital, which he reached on the 16th of March. He, as usual, dressed himself in his naval uniform; and, as he approached the gates, he was met by a messenger from the sultan, to bid him welcome and to acquaint him that his master, who was out on an expedition, would return to Sackatoo in the evening.
Large crowds were out to look at him, and he entered the city amid the hearty welcomes of young and old. He was conducted to the house of the gadado, or vizier, where apartments were provided for him and his servants. The gadado himself arrived in the evening, and was excessively polite, but would not drink tea with him, as he said that he was a stranger in their land, and had not yet eaten of his bread.
Next morning the sultan sent for him. Clapperton found him seated on a small carpet, between two pillars supporting the roof a thatched house. The walls and pillars were painted blue and white in the Moorish taste. Giving him a hearty welcome, the sultan at once entered into conversation. He asked numerous questions about Europe, and seemed perfectly well acquainted with the names of the more ancient sects, inquiring whether his visitor was a Nestorian or a Socinian. Clapperton replied that he was a Protestant, but had to acknowledge that he was not sufficiently versed in religious subtleties to solve all the knotty points on which Bello wished for information. He then ordered some books belonging to Major Denham to be brought, among which was his journal, and they were all in a handsome manner returned. He spoke with great bitterness of Boo-Khaloum for making predatory inroads into his territories, next putting the puzzling question: “What was your friend doing there?” Clapperton replied that Major Denham had no other object than to make a short excursion into the country.