Among the different kinds of Sudan, are the people of Zayla (4). They are the most virtuous of the Sudan. They are Muslims, fast, pray, walk the pilgrimage to Mecca every year. From the land of the Sudan to the Zanj and the seas, there is a distance of fourteen years of walking. The people of Zayla (4) eat the dogs they prefer to sheep; they also eat rats.

In the center of Cairo, on a corner between two streets, there is a mosque inside which is the sepulchre of a man named Affan. This mosque has iron windows, and everyone who passes before it says, May God have mercy on you, O Affan. I wondered at this custom, and inquired of the wise men of Cairo, who told me Next story: Affan was a tailor from Cairo, who had bought a young black slave, originally from the land of the Zany, putting him at his service. One day Affan instructed his slave to light the oven to cook the bread; The negro obeyed him, but when he heard the crackling of the fire, he was filled with great joy, so excited that he took up his master's robes and threw them into the oven with his turban and all that was there. When Affan saw what the slave had done, he armed himself with patience and showed himself indulgent to the point of repatriating the boy, providing him with everything he needed for the journey.

He gave him (his slave) everything for the trip, after having granted him freedom and a salary. He made sure there were witnesses of the emancipation act.  When those returned to their house, every wise person knew what the slave had done and what had been the attitude of Affan, and they felt towards him the highest consideration.  After some time, one of the main merchants of the city went to see Affan and spoke to him in this way:  I have very appropriate merchandise to sell in India and I trust it to you so that you take it, distributing the benefits to us in such and such a way.  Once agreement made, the merchant provided him with all he needed.  And one day Affan left, taking numerous merchandise of that man and arriving there; he remained there during some time and later embarked to India, where he sold all what remained, obtaining very high gains.  When ready of return to his mother country, a strong hurricane dragged his boat to the land of the Zany.  The merchants, frightened, were forced to disembark, from fear of a shipwreck.  When jumping to earth, the natives came to their encounter and they one by one were lead before the king, who, without directing the word to them, ordered that they were to be brought back to the boat. Then it was Affans turn to be before the king.  When this one saw him, he rose, he went towards him and kissed his hands and feet :  he remained standing before him, in respectful attitude. Affan felt fear, but the king, using an interpreter, said to him:  Are you not Affan, the tailor of Cairo? Did you not buy a black slave whom you emancipated, although he had burned your suits, providing him with provisions for the trip, without beating nor insulting him for the damage that he had caused to you? Affan answered him:  Yes, oh king.  That is me.  The king said then:  I am that slave of yours to whom you gave freedom.  God has favored me with the well-being that you see, by virtue of your good behaviour towards me.  This is your kingdom, sit on the throne on my side because if I am the king of this country, you reign over me.  Affan, after praising God, went to the king in these terms:  Oh king:  You are like a son for me; nevertheless, it could not feel happy in your country, because it is to me excessively warm;  in addition I would find uprooted, far from mine. Then the King issued the order that the boat, be loaded with valuable things, offering it to Affan as a gift.  Later he had some of his servants accompany him, entrusting to them that he be lead happily to his country.  He left Affan, in possession of an immense fortune and he never regretted that he requested aid to him.  Affan constructed a great number of houses, commerce-houses and public-baths, for the use of the poor Muslims.  In his own house he commanded to build the mosque that we now see, in that he dug his grave, next to which he used to pray all the nights.  And the totality of his goods were deposited on his tomb.  Thursday and Friday of every week, the executors appear.  They distribute between men, young people and old, of both sexes. When they enter the mosque they distribute great amounts of money to the poor and those that pass on the outer part of the iron windows in the walls of the building murmur: Oh Affan, that God has mercy of you, and this is repeated, throughout the day and at night, by thousands of women and children.  I by chance stopped next it and observed that multitude that prayed for Affan the divine compassion during so many hours; the small five and two year old children even repeated those words.  He made the impression to me deeply that God granted to that man so many favors, not only in life, but also surely after his death.
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Physical and moral peculiarities of some countries:
  One says that the Byzantines are blond; the Zany, black;  the Turks, robust;  Chinese, the ugly ones;  those of Gog and Magog (23), short, and the Ethiopians crazy.