STAY AT SAY 337 even when grown up, are very fond of teaching and of being taught. Their ambition, however, is generally limited to learning to write a letter to their friends or family. They take great delight in corresponding with the absent, and I have known young fellows in the Sudan who spend nearly all their salaries in sending telegraphic despatches to their friends. I knew others, amongst whom was Baudry's servant, who gave up most of their free time at Say to writing letters which never reached their destination, for a very good reason. They were all much in the style of the one quoted below — " Dear Mr. Fili Kante, — I write to inform you that the Niger Hydrographical Expedition has arrived at Fort Archinard, and that, thanks to God, all are well. When you write to me, send me news of my father and mother, and my friends at Diamu (the writer's native village). I shall be very pleased, too, if you will send the twelve samba isembe) (coverlets), four horses, ten sheep, etc.

"With my best greetings, dear Mr. Fili Kantd.

"(Signed) MusSA DiAKHlTE (in the service of Mr. Baudry.) " Might you not fancy this letter, with all its decorative strokes, to be one from the soldier Dumanet to his parents ?

Nothing is wanted to complete the resemblance, not even the attempt to fleece his correspondent.

Besides these lovers of correspondence, there were others who were mad about arithmetic. Samba Demba, Suzanne's groom, already often mentioned, wanted to know enough arithmetic to matriculate. All through the hour of the siesta, and often also when he was at work, he was muttering the most absurd numbers over to himself; absurd for him, at least, for the negroes who do not live where