the bad quality of the wood, that composes them.  Thick palm planks, of four or five inches in breadth, for the size and manner of cutting a tree will not afford more, have a square hole punched through them at the top and bottom, by which they are firmly wedged together with thick palm sticks; wet thongs of camels’ hide are then tied tightly over them, which, on drying, draw the planks more strongly and securely together.  There are not any hinges to the doors, but they turn on a pivot, formed on the last plank near the wall, which is always the largest on that account.  The locks and keys are very large and heavy, and of curious construction.  The houses are generally built in little narrow streets, but there are many open places, entirely void of buildings, and covered with sand, on which the camels of the traders rest.  Many palms grow in the town, and some houses have small square enclosures, in which are cultivated a few red peppers and onions.  The street of entrance is a broad space, of at least a hundred yards, leading to the wall that surrounds the castle, and is extremely pretty.  Here the horsemen have full scope to display their abilities, when they skirmish before the sultan.  The castle itself is an immense mud building, rising to the height of eighty or ninety feet, with little battlements on the walls, and at a distance really looks warlike.  Like all the other buildings, it has no pretensions to regularity.  The lower walls are fifty or sixty feet in thickness, the upper taper off to about four or five feet.  In consequence of the immense mass of wall, the apartments are very small, and few in number.  The rooms occupied by the sultan are of the best quality, that is to say, comparatively, for the walls are tolerably smooth and white-washed, and have ornamental daubs of red paint in blotches, by way of effect.  His couch is spread on the ground, and his visitors squat down on the sandy floor, at a respectful distance.  Captain Lyon and his party were always honoured by having a corner of the carpet offered to them.  The best and most airy part of the castle is occupied by the women, who have small rooms round a large court, in which they take exercise, grind corn, cook, and perform other domestic offices.  The number of great ladies, called kibere, seldom exceed six.  This dignified title is generally given to the mothers of the sultan’s children, or to those, who having been once great favorites, are appointed governesses to the rest; there are, altogether about fifty women, all black and very comely, and from what stolen glances we could obtain, they appeared extremely well dressed.  They are guarded by five eunuchs, who keep up their authority by occasionally beating them.