At about 9.30 pm a most elegant, well-manicured and be-fezzèd pair of Arabic speaking marabouts turned up in a very swish 4X4.- one from Nigeria and one from Mali. They took an air-conditioned room and retired, having first ordered a bottle of mineral water. This fact impressed the staff no end, convincing them that they must be very important people, since 'farafins' (black people) never drink mineral water. Whatever else they may be, they were also representing an Nigerian NGO which digs wells , and they were here on a reconnaissance journey.