Zibers Conspiracy.

99 dollar. When buying retail in the market, purchasing, for example, a single fowl, a little piece of the cloth is torn off. The articles of commerce are identical with those in the rest of the Soudan : scented woods for perfumes, red pepper, glass beads, cotton goods, seeds, odoriferous oils, eggs, butter, milk, sheep, cattle, and horses. An ox or a bullock costs about ten pieces of cloth — taQci (the name of a certain quality) — that is to say, about four or five dollars. The ox is taught to carry loads and serve as a saddle beast. Ostrich feathers constitute the principal merchandise, and the price of every bird, if it be a male, varies from one hundred and fifty to two hundred tcufn. The Arabs tame small ostriches in order to pluck their feathers twice a year, but these birds never acquire the beauty and, therefore, the value of the ostriches killed in the chase.

During the ]iar%f a great part of the districts of Resegat, Shakka and Kalaka are flooded, and in consequence communication becomes extremely difficult.

Shakka is surrounded by a trenched camp, constructed during Suleiman's rebellion by Messedaglia Be3 It has also four or five hundred wells, which, during the summer season, are so scarce of water that the inhabitants must either suffer thirst or pay fabulous prices for a few quarts of water.

In these three districts the Arabs had numerous seribe, and occupied themselves with commerce in cotton goods, ostrich feathers and, above all, slaves. Joining together frequently to the number of six or seven hundred and armed at all points, they carried on their raids against the negroes into Bahr-el-Grhazal and the very borders of Niam-Niam. Before Shakka, like Darfour, Avas annexed to the Egyptian possessions very few Jelabba ventured to come there, fearing the above-named robbers.

At Shakka I had some news about Suleiman's