CUSTOMS. 23S veyed across the Sahara, for pipe-tubes for the negroes of Timbuctoo, and other territories of Sudan, bordering on the Nile el Abeed, or Nile of the Negroes (Niger).

Passing through this territory ofencampments, when travellers are disposed to sleep at a douar, one of the party presents himself at the confines of the encampment, and exclaims {Deef Allah) " The guest of God." The sheik of the douar is immediately apprised of the circumstance ; and after investigating the rank of the travellers, he enquires if they have tents with them; if they have not, he has his own or {kheyma deaf) the guest's tent appropriated for the travellers. If they have their own tents, which persons of respectability generally have, the sheik comes and directs the servants where to pitch them ; the camels and mules are disburthened, and the sheik declares (atshie m'hassub alia) " For all this baggage I hold myself accountable." Europeans travelling in this country generally follow their own customs : accordingly, among the English, tea is ordered j a most delectable refreshment after a fatiguing journey on horseback, exposed to the scorching rays of the African sun. If the sheik and a few of his friends are invited to tea, which these Arabs designate by (elma skoon u el hadrd) hot water and conversation, they like it very sweet, and drink half-a-dozen cups at least. Nothing ingratiates travellers with theses people so much as distributing a few lumps of sugar among