i68 A TROPICAL DEPENDENCY In connection with the departure of this caravan, scenes are described which throw a curious light upon the habits of the learned in the remote universities of the Soudan at that day. '* On the day of departure," it is said, "there were to be seen bearded men of middle age trembling with fright at the prospect of having to bestride a camel, and falling helplessly off as the animal rose from its knees." This came, we are told, from the custom which existed amongst the ** virtuous ancestors" of the people of Timbuctoo of ** keeping children so close to their apron-strings, that, having while they were young never learned to play, they grew up without knowing anything at all of the affairs of life. Now games in the season of youth," the chronicle gravely continues, ''form the character of man and teach him a very great number of things." After the exodus to Biro this was recognised. *' Parents regretted from this time to have acted as they had done, and when they afterwards returned to Timbuctoo they relaxed the constraint which they had been accustomed to impose, and the children of the learned were allowed the time to play." The middle-aged professors who tumbled off their camels because they had not practised athletics in their youth, must have suffered considerably on the road to Aiwalatin, which was a rough ride of 500 miles across the desert. Their children — still the degenerate children who had not learned to play — were carried the whole way on the backs of faithful slaves. But, having arrived safely at Aiwalatin, the members of the caravan had reason to congratulate themselves upon their flight, and upon the safety of such precious books and manuscripts as they had brought with them.

For Sonni Ali, enraged at the unexpected resistance of the town, took it by assault, sacked and burnt the principal buildings, and put many of the leading inhabitants to death.

Three times in the course of its native history Tim-