[16] Zanairas is the native place of Ferajee and Deedee, where Lousou exercises authority. This list is still very imperfect. It is difficult to find a man who will give correct and full information. As will be seen, my informant gave me wadys and sheep-walks for towns, in many cases. [At the end of the volume will be found more complete information on the positions of places in Aheer, subsequently obtained by Mr. Richardson.--ED.]
It would have been very interesting to collect authentic information as to the population of many places in Aheer. I suspect the number of inhabitants is very small indeed. I had already been powerfully impressed with the paucity of the population of the districts of Ghât, the desert region occupied by the Azgher, and had been led to compute that they cannot contain in all more than a couple of thousand people.
Zinder Caravan--Negress playing "Boree"--Curious Scene--Objects of Barter--Fresh Annoyances--Remarks on our Reception in Aheer--En-Noor--Asoudee--Better News--Fresh Extortions--En-Noor disappoints us--Europeans taken for Spies--Things in demand at Aheer--Exercise--Overweg's Patients--Wild Animals in Aheer--Kailouees in dry Weather--Robbing a Prince--Ghaseb and Ghafouley--Aheer Cheese--Mokhlah Bou Yeldee--Our Wealth noised abroad--Alarm at Night--A fresh Attack--Saïd's Gallantry--Disorderly Protectors--Thirteen Robbers--Amankee--Loss of my Tea--Country of Thieves.
_10th Sept. continued._--Yusuf has been to the town, but has come back without any authentic news of the departure of the caravans for Zinder. He says, however, that En-Noor is better; and that it is reported that the first caravan will go in fifteen or twenty days, and the second and largest, with which En-Noor himself talks of setting out, about twenty days afterwards.
I was disturbed this evening from my repose on the dry sand under the pale moonlight by the most unearthly noises, coming from a group of our black servants. On getting up to see what it was, I found that one of our negresses, a wife of one of the servants, was performing _Boree_, the "Devil," and working herself up into the belief that his Satanic majesty had possession of her. She threw herself upon the ground in all directions, and imitated the cries of various animals. Her actions were, however, somewhat regulated by a man tapping upon a kettle with a piece of wood, beating time to her wild manoeuvres. After some delay, believing herself now possessed, and capable of performing her work, she went forward to half-a-dozen, of our servants, who were squatting down, on their hams, ready to receive her. She then took each by the head and neck, and pressed their heads between her legs--they sitting, she standing--not in the most decent way, and made over them, with her whole body, certain inelegant motions, not to be mentioned. She then put their hands and arms behind their backs, and after several other wild cries and jumps, and having for a moment thrown herself flat upon the ground, she declared to each and all _their future_--their fortune, good or bad. I did not stop to see the result of the ceremony. The slaves carry these mysteries with them in their servitude, and the practice of such indecent and profane things tolerated by the Muslims of the coast. The Moors and Arabs, indeed, have great faith in these mysteries, and resort to them to know _their future_.