MANSA MUSA 125 Abu Ishak, better known by the name of Toueidjen, to return with him, and to take up his residence at the court of Melle. Every kind of royal favour was afterwards, it is said, showered upon the family of Toueidjen, who established themselves permanently at Aiwalatin. The caravan returned from Mecca by the eastern route, and at Ghadames, in the desert, it was met by a certain El Mamer, a chief who, being at the time out of favour with the powers of Tunis, was anxious to conciliate Mansa Musa, " whose authority extended over the desert." Mansa Musa received him very hospitably, and took him also in his train to Melle. El Mamer relates how he and the Spanish architect travelled together in the royal cortege in great comfort. Precedence was given them over many of the native chiefs and viziers. '' His Majesty," El Mamer says, ''seemed to take pleasure in our conversation." And at every halting-place their table was provided from the royal kitchen with food and sweetmeats. On its way to the capital the caravan passed through Songhay and stopped at Kagho, where the emperor caused a mosque to be built. It was apparently a mosque of some importance, and it was still in existence three hundred years later. Mansa Musa also took the two young sons of the Songhay monarch, by name Ali Kolon and Suleiman Nare, to educate at his court.

Having thus made the complete round of his empire, Mansa Musa re-entered his capital and immediately employed his Spanish architect to design for him a hall of audience, built after the fashion of Egyptian architecture.

Abou Ishak, it is said, displayed all the wonders of his genius in the creation of ''an admirable monument" which gave great satisfaction to the king. The hall was square and surmounted by a dome. It was built of stone, covered with plaster, and decorated with beautiful coloured arabesques. It had also, we are told, two tiers of arched windows, of which the windows of the lower tier were framed in gold, plated upon wood, and the windows of the upper tier were framed in silver, plated upon wood.