[Illustration: JAMES RICHARDSON ESQ^R.
             _In the Ghadamsee Costume._
ENGRAVED BY GEORGE COOK FROM THE ORIGINAL DRAWING.
            London: Richard Bentley, 1848.]



TRAVELS

IN

THE GREAT DESERT
OF SAHARA,

IN THE YEARS OF 1845 AND 1846.

CONTAINING

A NARRATIVE OF PERSONAL ADVENTURES, DURING A TOUR OF NINE
MONTHS THROUGH THE DESERT, AMONGST THE TOUARICKS
AND OTHER TRIBES OF SAHARAN PEOPLE;

INCLUDING A DESCRIPTION OF

THE OASES AND CITIES OF GHAT, GHADAMES,
AND MOURZUK.

BY JAMES RICHARDSON.

Φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

LONDON:
RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET,
Publisher in Ordinary to Her Majesty.
M.D.CCC.XLVIII.

LONDON
HARRISON AND CO., PRINTERS,
ST. MARTIN'S LANE.

[Illustration: MAP _ILLUSTRATING_ THE TRAVELS AND RESEARCHES _OF
JAMES RICHARDSON IN_ THE GREAT DESERT OF SAHARA _BY_ JAMES WYLD
_GEOGRAPHER TO THE QUEEN London, Richard Bentley, New Burlington Street,
1848._ ENGRAVED BY J. WYLD, CHARING CROSS EAST]




INTRODUCTION.


THE sentiment of Antiquity--that "The life of no man is pleasing to the
gods which is not useful to his fellows,"--has been my guiding principle
of action during the last twelve years of my life. To live for my own
simple and sole gratification, to have no other object in view but my own
personal profit and renown, would be to me an intolerable existence. To
be useful, or to attempt to be useful, in my day and generation, was the
predominant motive which led me into The Desert, and sustained me there,
alone and unprotected, during a long and perilous journey.

But, in presenting this work to the British public, I have to state, that
it is only _supplementary_ and _fragmentary_. If, therefore, any one were
to judge of the results of my Saharan Tour merely by what is here given,
he would do me a great injustice. I had expected, by this time, that
certain Reports on the Commerce and Geography of The Great Desert, as
well as a large Map of the Routes of this part of Africa, would have been
given to the public. It is not my fault that their publication is still
delayed. I can only regret it, because what I am now publishing comes
_first_, instead of _last_, and consequently deranges my plan, the
following pages being, indeed, _supplementary_ to the Reports and Map. I
come, therefore, before the public with no small disadvantage.

With regard to these supplementary and fragmentary extracts from my
journal, I have also to state, they consist only of about two-thirds of
the journal. For the present, I deemed it prudent to suppress the rest.
But this likewise may disturb the harmony and mar the completeness of the
work. However, if these portions of the journal are favourably received,
other extracts may yet be published.

On entering The Desert, my principal object was to ascertain how and to
what extent the Saharan Slave-Trade was carried on; although but a
comparatively small portion of the following pages is devoted to this
subject. I have already reported fully on this traffic, and it was
unnecessary to go over the ground again, which might defeat, by
disagreeable repetitions and endless details, the object which I have in
view,--that of exciting an abhorrence of the Slave-Trade in the hearts of
my fellow countrymen and countrywomen.

In these published extracts from my journal, I have endeavoured to give a
truthful and faithful picture of the Saharan Tribes; their ideas,
thoughts, words, and actions; and, where convenient, I have allowed them
to speak and act for themselves. This is the main object which I have
undertaken to accomplish in this Narrative of my Personal Adventures in
The Sahara. The public must, and will, I doubt not, judge how far I have
succeeded, and award me praise or blame, as may be my desert. If I have
failed, I shall not abandon myself to despair, but shall console myself
with the thought that I have done the best I was able to do under actual
circumstances, and in my then state of health. It would, indeed, ill
become me to shrink from public criticism, after having braved the
terrors and hardships of The Desert. However, the publication of this
journal may induce others to penetrate The Desert,--persons better
qualified, and more ably and perfectly equipped than myself, and who may
so accomplish something more permanently advantageous than what I have
been able to compass. Acting, then, as pioneer to others, my Saharan
labours will not be fruitless.

But, if any persons obstinately object to the style and matters of my
Narrative of Desert Travel, I shall likewise as obstinately endeavour to
hold my ground. To all such I say,--"Go to now, ye objectors and
gainsayers, and do better." My mission was _motu proprio_, and I plunged
in The Desert without your permission. But I am but one of the two
hundred millions of Europe. You can surely get volunteers. You have the
money, the rank, the patronage, and the learned and philanthropic
Societies of Europe at your back. Send others; inspire them yourselves,
and they may produce something which you like better than what I have
given you. If I am not orthodox enough,--if I have not reviled the Deism
of The Desert sufficiently to your taste,--send those who will. A little
less zeal in Exeter Hall, and a little more in The Desert, would do
neither you nor the world any harm. A little less clamour about Church
orthodoxy, or any other doxy[1], and a little more anxiety for the
welfare of all mankind, would infinitely more become you, as Englishmen
and Christians, and be more in harmony with that divine injunction, which
sent out the first teachers of Christianity amongst the Greeks and
Barbarians, in The City and The Desert, to preach the Gospel to every
creature under heaven. If I be too much of an abolitionist, send one who
admires slavery, and who will write up the Slave-Trade of The Desert. I
have written in my way: you write in your way. If my pages disclose no
discoveries in science, this I can only lament. When a man has no science
in him, or no education in science, he can give you none. But what are
your European Societies of Science for? Are they play-things, or are they
serious affairs? Have you neither money nor zeal to equip a scientific
expedition to The Desert? If not, I cannot help you. By the way, I was
astonished to receive, since my return, a note from one of your eminent
geologists, repudiating and protesting against all knowledge of the
subject of "The Geology of The Desert." And The Desert is a fifth part of
the African Continent! Yet this gentleman dogmatizes and theorizes on
all geological formations, and can tell the whole history of the geology
of our planet, from the first moment when it was bowled by the hand of
The Omnipotent in the immensity of space, of suns and systems! If such
presumption and self-willed ignorance discover themselves in great men,
what are we to expect of little men?

In the following pages, I have encroached upon my Reports, to describe
several of the Oases of The Desert, besides giving as much of the routes
as was necessary to render the Narrative of my journey intelligible. But
this is all I could conscientiously do. For the rest of the geographical
information, the public must wait.

I return for a moment to the traffic in slaves. Born with an innate
hatred of oppression, whatever form, or shape, or name it may take, and
under what modes soever it may be developed, mentally or bodily, in
chaining men down under a political despotism, or in forging for them a
creed and forcing it on their consciences,--I have, since I could
exercise the power of reflection, always looked upon the traffic in human
flesh and blood as the most gigantic system of wickedness the world ever
saw; and which I most deplore, in this our late, more humane and
enlightened age, stands forth and raises its horrid head, impiously
defying Heaven! In very truth, it is a system of crime, which dares

    "Defy the Omnipotent to arms!"

The reader must, therefore, excuse the language with which I have
execrated this traffic in the pages of my Journal. There may be some men
who think it no crime to buy and sell their fellow-men; I have seen many
such amongst the Moslems. But he who thinks the traffic in slaves to be a
crime against the human race, has a right to denounce it accordingly. I
must therefore make a few preliminary observations, though painful to my
feelings.

It is notorious that the agitations of the Anti-Corn-Law League have
given very lately a powerful impulse to the Slave-Trade, and slaves have
risen in Cuba to 30 and 50 per cent. above their previous average value,
since _slave_ sugar has been admitted upon the same terms, or nearly so,
as _free-labour_ sugar, into England. This is entirely the work of The
League. Some of these gentlemen think we must have cheap sugar at any
risk, at any cost, even if wetted with the blood of the slaves. A
ridiculous incident occurs to me. I once saw a child frightened into a
dislike for white loaf sugar, by holding up a piece to the candle, and
pretending it dropped blood. But there is no delusion or metaphor here,
for the sugars of slave-plantations are really obtained by the
blood-whippings and scourgings of the victimized slaves!

As to Cobden, his Cobdenites, and Satellites, they would sell their own
souls, and the whole human race into bondage, to have a free trade in
slaves and sugar. This new generation of impostors--who teach that all
virtue and happiness consist in buying in the cheapest, and selling in
the dearest markets--are now dogging at the heels of Government, in
combination with the West India agents, to get them to re-establish a
species of mitigated Slave-Trade, because, forsooth, there should be
right and liberty to buy and sell a man, as there is right and liberty to
buy and sell a beast.

I am not an enemy to Free Trade. I have duly noticed and praised the
free-trade mart of Ghat, and shown how it prospers in comparison with the
restricted system of the Turks, prevalent at Mourzuk. But this I do say,
the case of Slavery was an exceptional case, as the Ten Hours' Factory
Bill was an exceptional case in the regulation and restriction of labour.
I fear, however, there are some of the Leaguers so outrageous in their
advocacy of abstract principles, that they would have a free-trade in
vice--a free-trade in consigning people to perdition! They are of the
calibre of the men who wielded that dread engine of the "Reign of
Terror," the "Committee of Public Safety," and made it death to speak a
word against the "One Indivisible Republic[2]." These Leaguers are bent
upon establishing an equal, although differently-formed, tyranny amongst
us, and we cannot too soon and too energetically resist their odious and
intolerable pretensions.

But I know not, whether these civil tyrants be so bad as the spiritual
tyrants who have just set up for themselves what they call a "Free Kirk."
These reverend gentlemen have received the fruits of the blood of the
slaves, employed on the laborious fields of the Southern States of
America, to build up their new Free Church, pretending they have a
Divine right to receive the value of the forced-labour of slaves, and
quoting Scripture like the Devil himself. When called upon to refund they
refuse, and make the contributions of the Presbyterian slave-dealers of
the United States a sort of corner-stone of their Free Kirk. Why these
priests of religion out-O'Connell-O'Connell, who point-blank refused, for
the support of his sham Repeal, and sent back contemptuously, the dollars
spotted and tainted with the blood of the slaves! . . . . . . . . It is
the old story, the old trick of our good friends, the Scottish divines,
and their old leaven of Scottish fanaticism. We know them of ancient
date. We have read a line of Milton, who in his time so admirably
resisted their bigotry. It is immortal like all that our divine bard
wrote. Here is the line--

    "New Presbyter is but old Priest writ large."

The Free Kirk has cut its connexion with the State, because it says the
State wishes to enslave its ministers. Yet it has no objection to receive
monies from the slave-holders in America. The Free Kirk will build up its
boasted freedom on the wasting blood and bones of the unhappy children of
Africa! Why, indeed, should these Scottish divines, headed by the
Presbyters Candlish and Cunningham, seek or advocate the freedom of the
slaves held by their fellow Presbyters of the United States? Is it not
enough that they seek and maintain their own freedom, and at whatsoever
cost? Have they not received the pro-slavery mantle of the late
venerated Dr. Chalmers, and can they, poor pigmies, possibly shake it
off? Would it not be impious to do so? No, they cannot,--dare not do
this. For, as it was said by Lord George Bentinck, of a quondam champion
of the people, in the last Session of Parliament, "Liberty is on their
tongues, but despotism is in their hearts."

What can be more humiliating to a generous and tolerant mind, than to see
a body of Christian ministers struggling to obtain by a Parliamentary
enactment, the cession of plots of land for building of churches for the
worship of God in liberty and truth, from the tyrannical holders of the
soil; and, at the same time, this very body of priests does not scruple
to receive the money of American slave-holders, to build and endow these
self-same churches? Such incredible inconsistency makes one sick at
heart, and inclined to question the existence of Christian feelings in
the professors and teachers of Christianity!

It is deeply to be deplored that our Anti-Slavery Society confines itself
so much to protests, and what it calls "the moral principle." No people
of the world has done more for the liberties of Africa than the Society
of Friends in England, and no people more admirably exemplify in their
conduct the humane and pacific morals of Christianity. But when the
Founder of our religion resisted his enemies by the remonstrance, "Why
strikest thou me?" something more was meant than a protest. We have had
lately a _triste_ example of the end of protests in a neighbouring
country. The annual protest of the French Chamber of Deputies against
the extinction of the nationality of Poland, not only ended in barren
results, and excited public ridicule, but actually terminated in the
triumph of the nefarious scheme against which it was made. Never was a
country so humiliated as France in this case!--Its Chief, the Sovereign
of its choice, consenting at the time, to the damning act of the
extinction of Polish nationality, for the sake of accomplishing a low and
scandalous family intrigue in Spain! This was something more than
ridiculous, and is one of the many infamies of our age, perpetrated on so
large a scale. Now, I do not assert, that the protests of the
Anti-Slavery Society will end in the re-enactment of the Slave-Trade by
the British Parliament. But the last and present Sessions of Imperial
Parliament, show symptoms of our country abandoning Africa, after the
labours of half a century, to all the horrors of the Slave-Trade. Mr. P.
Borthwick and Mr. Hume, more especially the latter, pleaded, in
conjunction with others, during last Session, for the withdrawal of the
British cruisers from off the Western Coast of Africa, and free trade in
emigration, if not in slaves. In this good work, of course, they have the
sympathies of the Anti-Slavery Free Trading League. Some of our journals
opine, in their late articles, that a change has come over the spirit of
our abolition dream, and suggest that the clerk, in charge of the
Anti-Slavery Papers at the Foreign Office, is an old antiquated,
superannuated being. In a word, these journals and Mr. Hume's pro-slavery
clique, see no reason why Great Britain should not exhibit to this and
succeeding ages, the most dreadful bad faith in the case of British
abolition. They would have us say to the world:--"All our Anti-Slavery
efforts, our Parliamentary enactments against Slavery, our huge blue
books of published Anti-Slavery papers, our protocols and treaties with
Foreign Powers, all, each, and singular, are one grand organized system
of selfishness and hypocrisy." I know very well that, in general,
foreigners give us no credit whatever for our anti-slavery feelings and
public acts for the suppression of the Slave-Trade. This they have
reiterated in my ears. And, how can they give us credit for sincerity in
abolition, when our public men and public writers call for something like
the re-enactment of the British Slave-Trade?--and, whilst our quondam
champions of Free Churches receive the blood-stained money of
slave-labour to build up their new ecclesiastical establishments? Mankind
reason from actions, and not from verbal or written declarations. Our Act
of Abolition, and the famous twenty millions, are not such wonderful
things after all, when we owed a hundred millions to the descendants of
our slaves. We were also nearly half a century in abolishing the traffic,
after it had been denounced as robbery and murder by our highest and
greatest statesmen, Pitt and Fox[3]. This slowness of our work has given
the cue to the suspicions of our national enemies; and, certainly, to
use a gross vulgarism, has "taken out the shine," or very much dimmed the
lustre of this great act of justice to the African race.

Here I cannot restrain myself from giving a word of caution to the
working-classes of our country, to those more especially who head the new
"National Society," and form other and similar leagues. You say the
politicians of the Anti-Corn Law League are your men; you adore your
Humes, and Duncombes, and Wakleys. You, English democrats, or reformers,
as you may call yourselves, admire the self-government and cheap
government of the Transatlantic Model Republic. You do well. But now read
some of their latest handiworks, without note or comment on my part. The
violent impulse given to the Slave-Trade in Cuba and the Brazils--the
advocacy of a free trade in Slaves by the Leaguers in and out the British
Parliament--the invasion and subjugation of Mexico, on the joint
principles of lust of conquest and the extension of Slavery. Deny these
facts if you can. Learn, then, to think, there may be democracy and
republicanism without liberty or freedom.

I pray God, that the protests and public appeals and remonstrances to
Government of the Anti-Slavery Society may not end in barren results. But
if the Leaguers and Democrats have their own way, its voice, though just
and righteous, will be at length reduced to a faint cry, a last shriek of
despair--overwhelmed by the loud laughs and jeers of the fiends, which
possess the dealers in human flesh and blood, and surround unhappy and
doomed Africa with a cordon of rapine and murder, of blood and flames!

    "Where the vultures and vampires of Mammon resort,
        Where Columbia exulting drains
        Her life-blood from Africa's veins,
    Where the image of God is accounted as base,
    And the image of Cæsar set up in its place."

If I were asked, "What can be done for Africa?" I should reply with no
new thing, no nostrums of my own concocting, but what has been reiterated
again and again. Teach her children to till the soil--to cultivate
available exports by which they may obtain in exchange, through the
medium of a legitimate commerce, the European products and manufactures
necessary for their use and enjoyment. Until this be done, nothing
effectual will be done. In vain you send missionaries of religion, or
agents of abolition; in vain you contract treaties with the Princes of
Africa. It is humiliating to think, equally a disgrace to our religion as
to our civilization, that our connexion with Africa has only served to
plunge her into deeper misery and profounder degradation. With truth we
here may apply the strong censure of a Chinese Emperor, "That the march
of Christians is whitened with human bones." Wherever we have touched her
western shores there our footsteps have been marked with blood and
devastation. We have fostered and encouraged within the heart of Africa
the most odious and unnatural passions. We have stimulated the prince to
sell his subjects, the father to sell his child, the brother to sell the
sister, the husband the wife, into thrice-accursed and again accursed
slavery! We have done all and more than this, whilst we have convulsed
every state and kingdom of Africa with war, for the supply of cargoes of
human beings. And for what? To cultivate our miserable cotton and sugar
plantations! These are the doctrines of mercy and charity which we have
taught the poor untutored children of Africa. Happy for poor forlorn,
dusky, naked Africa, had she never seen the pale visage or met the
Satanic brow of the European Christian! Does any man in his senses, who
believes in God and Providence, think that the wrongs of Africa will go
on for ever unavenged? Already, has not Providence avenged the wrongs of
Africa upon Spain and Portugal, by reducing their national character and
consideration to the lowest in the European family of nations? And as to
the United States of America, has not the boasted liberty of our
Republican countrymen, who colonized America, become a by-word, a
hissing, and a scorn, amongst the nations of the earth? Have not these
slave-holding Americans committed acts, nationally, within the last few
years, which the most absolute Governments of Europe would blush to be
guilty of? And what is one of their last acts, on a smaller scale, but
not less decisively indicative of their national morality? The New York
Bible Society has declared that it will not give the Bible to slaves,
even when they are able to read the Bible! Would the Czar of Russia
permit such an impious rule as this to be made by his nobles for their
slaves or serfs? Such an action would render the liberties of a thousand
republics a mockery, a snare, and a delusion, and their names infamous
throughout the world.

And the time of us Englishmen will come next--our day of infamy! unless
we show ourselves worthy that transcendant position in which Providence
has placed us, at the pinnacle of the empires of Earth, as the leaders
and champions of universal freedom.

In noticing the efforts made for raising Africa from her immemorial
degradation, we are bound to confess our obligations to the Mahometans
for what they have done. If they have extirpated Christianity from the
soil of North Africa, and planted, instead of this tree of fair and pure
fruit, the more glaring and showy plant of Islamism, they have, at the
same time, endeavoured to raise Africa to their own level of
demi-civilization. Whilst we condemn their slave-traffic as we condemn
our own, we must do justice to the efforts which they have made, by the
spread of their creed and the diffusion of their commerce, during a
series of ten or twelve centuries, for promoting the civilization of
Africa. They have succeeded, they have done infinitely more for Africa
than we ourselves. They have organized and established regular
governments through all Central Africa, and inculcated a taste for the
occupation and the principles of commerce. A great portion of this
internal trade is untainted by slavery. Bornou, Soudan, Timbuctoo, and
Jinnee, exhibit to us groups of immense and populous cities, all
regularly governed and trading with one another. They have abolished
human sacrifice, which lingers in our East India possessions to this day.
They have regulated marriage and restrained polygamy. They have made
honour and reverence to be paid to grey hairs, superseding the diabolical
custom of exposing or destroying the aged. They have introduced a
knowledge of reading and writing. The oases of Ghat and Ghadames furnish
more children, in proportion, who can read and write, than any of our
English towns. The Koran is transcribed in beautiful characters by Negro
Talebs on the banks of the Niger. The Moors have likewise introduced many
common useful trades into Central Africa. But above all, the Mohammedans
have introduced the knowledge of the one true God! and destroyed the
fetisch idols. Let us then take care how we arrogate to ourselves the
right and fact of civilizing the world. Nay, there cannot be a question,
if we would abandon Africa to the Mohammedans, and leave off our
man-stealing trade and practices on the Western Coast, the dusky children
of the torrid zones would gradually advance in civilization. But is not
the bare idea of such an alternative an indelible disgrace to
Christendom?

Mr. Cooley, in his learned work, entitled "The Negroland of the
Arabs[4]," seems to doubt if the Slave-Trade can be abolished or
civilization advanced, in Central Africa, because of the neighbourhood of
The Desert. This, however, is transferring the guilt of slavery and of
voluntary barbarism, if barbarism can be crime, from the volition of
responsible man to a great natural fact, or circumstance of creation--The
Desert; and is a style of observation perfectly indefensible, as well as
contrary to philosophy and facts. First, we cannot limit the stretch or
progress of the Negro mind any more than that of the European intellect.
Mr. Cooley himself admits that the Nigritian people have advanced in
civilization. And if they have advanced, why not continue to advance? But
so far contrary are facts to Mr. Cooley's theory, that The Desert,
instead of being an obstacle to civilization, is favourable to it, whilst
the Nigritian countries beyond the influence of The Desert are plunged
into deeper barbarism. The reader will only have to compare my account of
the Touaricks, with the recently published account of the social state of
the kingdom of Dahomy, to convince himself how completely fallacious in
application is Mr. Cooley's theory[5]. Slaves, too, abound in thickly
populated countries as well as desert countries: witness China and India.
The Sahara, also, has its paradisical spots, or oases of enjoyment, as
well as its wastes and hardships. It is likewise, not true, that the
Saharan tribes depend for their happiness on the possession of slaves, or
that life in The Desert is galling and insupportable. Many a happy oasis
is without a slave. However this may be, it is always an extremely
dangerous line of argument, to represent moral depravity as springing
necessarily from certain physical and unalterable circumstances of
creation. Finally, to represent The Great Desert as the buttress of the
Slave-Trade, is contrary to all our experience. In deserts and mountains
we find always the free-men: in soft and luxurious countries we find the
slaves. It is not the free-born Touarick who is the slave-dealer, or the
stimulator of the slave-traffic, but the Moorish merchant, and the
voluptuary on the coast who sends him. All that the Saharan tribes do, is
to escort the merchants over The Desert; and they would still escort them
over The Desert did they not deal in slaves, carrying on only legitimate
commerce.

I may conclude by a word on Discoveries in The Sahara. It is now twenty
years or more since The Sahara was explored, or before my present
hap-hazard tour. From what I have seen since my return, and the little
encouragement given to this sort of enterprise,--the public of Great
Britain being so much occupied with railways, free-trade, and currency
questions, educational schemes, and State endowed, or voluntary
ecclesiastical establishments,--it is difficult to foresee how and when
another tour may be undertaken, or how a tourist will have the heart to
make another experiment. Unhappily, the spirit of discovery, like
Virtue's self, is difficult to be satisfied with its own reward.
Something, however, may in time be expected from the French, who will get
restless in their Algerian limits, and make a bold effort to disenthral
themselves, by leaping the bounds of the mysterious Sahara. Evidently the
French Government have prohibited all isolated attempts. But should their
colony succeed, and they must make it succeed, then a grand stroke of
policy and action will be struck upon the lines of the Saharan routes,
for diverting The Desert trade, if possible, into Algerian channels. We
must wait patiently this time for further researches. Necessity propels
nations in the march of discovery. England has some considerable stake
likewise in the commerce of The Great Desert. But our governmental
affairs are so vast, and ramify over so large a space of the world, that
it is extremely difficult to get a Minister to strike out a new path,
unless he has the sympathies and hearty support of the public with him.
And certainly the last thing in the imagination of the British public is
the undertaking Discoveries in The Great Desert.

A remark may be made respecting the English spelling of Arabic words and
names. I have not adopted the new system, as very few people understand
it. I have endeavoured to represent the sounds of the original words in
the ordinary way, giving sometimes the Arabic letters for those who
prefer greater correctness. The spelling of Oriental and African names is
also occasionally varied for the sake of variety, and sometimes I have
written the words in various ways, according to the style of
pronunciation amongst different Saharan tribes. I have also omitted
accents and italics as much as possible, to avoid confusion and trouble
to the printer. With respect to the contents at the head of the chapters,
numberless little things and circumstances are besides unavoidably
omitted in the enumeration.

I have few acknowledgments to make to those who rendered me assistance in
the prosecution of my Saharan tour and researches. I have rather
complaints to prefer against professed friends. I was unable to get up in
The Desert a single thing, the most trifling, to aid me in my
observations, when I had determined to penetrate farther into the
interior; whilst, somehow or other, a Memorandum was obtained from the
Porte to recal me instead of a Firman to help me on my way. Fortunately I
was beyond its power when it arrived at Tripoli, from Constantinople. But
if I feel the bitterness of this want of sympathy, and these acts of
hostility, I have the pleasure of being triumphant over all the obstacles
thrown in my way. I felt freer in The Desert, unloaded by obligations.
Indeed, the fewer of these a traveller has, the better. He always
supports his trials and privations with lighter spirits and a more
cheerful heart. His success is his own, if his failure is his own also.
Nevertheless I have not forgotten, nor can I ever forget, to the latest
day of my life, the acts of kindness shown to me by the rude and
simple-minded people of The Desert, and I have duly and most scrupulously
chronicled them all.

                                           JAMES RICHARDSON.

        LONDON,
    _December, 1847._

POSTSCRIPT.--It is hoped, for the honour and humanity of our Government,
that they will resist the clamour to withdraw the Cruisers from the
Western Coast of Africa, and that they will NOT WITHDRAW the British
Cruisers. If a blow is to be struck, let it be struck at Cuba, or the
Brazils, and not on the defenceless Africans, because they are
defenceless. If a burglar prowls about, a whole neighbourhood is on the
alert to protect itself against his depredations. If a band of pirates
swarm in a sea or infest our coasts, a fleet is fitted out to capture
them. But it is attempted to let loose upon weak, defenceless Africa a
legion of pirates and murderers--for such will be the result if the
British Cruisers are withdrawn from the Western Coast.

FOOTNOTES:

[1] See the newspapers for the correspondence between some of the
    Bishops of our Church and the Premier. As the question is, Whether
    Dr. Hampden be a Heretic or a Christian? I may here observe that
    the term "Christian" is used in the following pages for
    "European." To the epithet "Christian," in the strict sense of the
    term, I have no other pretensions than that of being a
    conscientious reader of the New Testament.

[2] "Une et indivisible."

[3] Lord Brougham, in his Life of Pitt, very properly takes off
    some discount from the Anti-Slavery zeal of this great Statesman,
    for being so tardy in the work of Abolition, and allowing his
    Under Secretaries and subordinate Ministers to support the
    Slave-Trade against himself, and whilst he was advocating its
    extinction.

[4] "It is impossible to deny the advancement of civilization in
    that zone of the African continent which has formed the field of
    our inquiry. Yet barbarism is there supported by natural
    circumstances with which it is vain to think of coping. It may be
    doubted whether, if mankind had inhabited the earth only in
    populous and adjoining communities, slavery would have ever
    existed. The Desert, if it be not absolutely the root of the evil,
    has, at least, been from the earliest times the great nursery of
    slave hunters. The demoralization of the towns on the Southern
    borders of The Desert has been pointed out; and if the vast extent
    be considered of the region in which man has no riches but slaves,
    no enjoyment but slaves, no article of trade but slaves, and where
    the hearts of wandering thousands are closed against pity by the
    galling misery of life, it will be difficult to resist the
    conviction that the solid buttress on which slavery rests in
    Africa, is--The Desert." (p. 139.)

[5] See MR. DUNCAN'S _Travels in Western Africa_.




ILLUSTRATIONS.


VOLUME I.

PLATES.
Portrait of the Author
Map of the Desert
Slave Caravan

WOOD-CUTS.
Arab Tents
Facsimile Specimen of the Writing of a Young Taleb
Manner of drawing Water from Wells
Great Spring of Ghadames
Bas-Relief
Square of Fountains
City of Ghadames
Cistern of an Ancient Tower
Negro's Head
Ancient Ruins of Ghadames
Region of Sands
Rocking Rock

[Illustration: A SLAVE CARAVAN. _J. E. S. del. J. W. Cook. sc._]




TRAVELS

IN

THE GREAT DESERT.




CHAPTER I.

FROM TUNIS TO TRIPOLI.

     Project of Journey.--Opinions of People upon its
     practicability.--Moral character of Europeans in Barbary.--Leave
     the Isle of Jerbah for Tripoli in the coaster _Mesâoud_.--Return
     back.--Wind in Jerbah.--Start again for
     Tripoli.--Sâkeeah.--Zarzees.--Biban.--The _Salinæ_, or
     Salt-pits.--Rais-el-Makhbes.--Zouwarah.--Foul Wind, and put into
     the port of Tripoli Vecchia.--Quarrel of Captain with
     Passengers.--Description of this Port.--My fellow-travellers, and
     Said the runaway Slave.--Arrival at Tripoli, and
     Health-Office.--Colonel Warrington, British Consul-General.--The
     British Garden.--Interview with Mehemet Pasha.--Barbary
     Politics.--Aspect of Tripoli.--Old Castle of the Karamanly
     Bashaws.--Manœuvring of the Pasha's Troops.--The Pasha's opinion
     of my projected Tour.--Resistance of the Pasha to my Voyage, and
     overcome by the Consul.--Departure from Tripoli to Ghadames.


ACCIDENT often determines the course of a man's life. The greater part of
human actions, however humiliating to our moral and intellectual dignity,
is the result of sheer accident. That the accidents of life should
harmonize with the immutable decrees of Providence, is the great mystery
of an honest and thinking mind. The reading accidentally of a fugitive
_brochure_, thrown upon the table of the public library of Algiers, gave
me the germ of the idea, which, fructifying and expanding, ultimately led
me to the design of visiting and exploring the celebrated Oasis of
Ghadames, planted far-away amidst the most appalling desolations of the
Great Saharan Wilderness. This should teach us to lower our pretensions,
and take a large discount from our merits in originating our various
enterprises; but, alas! our over-weening self-love always manages to get
the better of us. The _brochure_ alluded to was a number of the _Revue de
L'Orient_, published at Paris, containing a notice of Ghadames by M.
Subtil, the notorious sulphur[6]-explorer and adventurer of Tripoli.

On leaving Algiers, in January, 1845, I carried the idea of Ghadames with
me to Tunis; and thence, after agitating an exploration to The Desert
amongst my friends, some of whom plainly told me, if I went I should
never return, I should be consumed with the sun and fever, or murdered by
the natives, and to attempt such a thing was altogether madness, I
journeyed on to Tripoli, where I entered with all my soul and might into
the undertaking. But as in Tunis so in Tripoli, I heard the birds of
evil-omen uttering the same mournful notes of discouragement:--"I should
never reach Ghadames, no one else had done so, or no one else had gone
and returned. I should perish by the hand of banditti, or sink under the
burning heat. I was not the man; it required a frame of iron. Enthusiasm
was very well in its way, but it required a man who was expert in arms,
and who could fight his way through The Desert." And such is the absurd
character of men, and some people pretending to be friends of African
discovery, that, on hearing of my safe return after nine months' absence,
they felt chagrined their sagacious vaticinations were not verified. Like
a man who writes a book, and ever so bad a book, he cannot afterwards
adopt a right sentiment, or course of action, because he has written his
book. It is true, the fate of Davidson, in Western Barbary, and the late
disastrous mishap of the young Tuscan on his return from Mourzuk,
favoured the pretensions of these Barbary-coast prophets, who cannot
comprehend a deviation from what had happened before, but it is equally
true that the violent deaths of these individuals, so far as we can
gather from the details, were brought about by the greatest possible
imprudence on their part. However, I may say without hesitation, no
people dread The Desert so much, and have in them so little of the spirit
of enterprise and African discovery, as the naturalized Europeans of
Tunis and Tripoli, and other parts of Barbary. To purchase the
co-operation of a volunteer in these countries would require more money
than defraying the expense of an expedition, and after all, from the love
of intrigue and double-dealing which Europeans long resident in Barbary
acquire, as well as other drawbacks, you would be very badly served.

I shall begin the narrative of my personal adventures in The Sahara with
my departure from the island of Jerbah to Tripoli.

_May 7th, 1845._--Left Jerbah in the evening for Tripoli in the coaster
_Mesâoud_ ("happy"). The captain and owner was a Maltese, but the colours
under which we sailed were Tunisian. Generally, a Moorish captain _di
bandeira_ commands these coasters, because it saves them dues at the
various ports. Indeed, most of the small coasting craft of Tunis and
Tripoli, though the property of Europeans, sail under the Turkish, rather
Mahometan (_red_) flag. Although May, our captain told me, it was the
worst month in the year for coasting in Barbary. The wind comes in sudden
puffs and gales, blowing with extreme violence everything before it,
prostrating and rooting up the stoutest and strongest palm-trees. So, in
fact, as soon as we got out, a _gregale_ ("north-easter") came on
terrifically, and occasioned us to return early next morning to Jerbah.
During the night, we were nearly swamped a few miles from the shore. The
_gregale_ continued the next two days, striking down several of the
date-trees with great fury. When these trees are so struck down, the
people do not make use of the wood for months, nay years, because it is
ill-luck. Jerbah is a grand focus of wind, and it sometimes blows from
every point of the compass in twelve hours. Æolus seems to patronize this
isle; and, as at Mogador on the Atlantic, wind here supplies the place of
rain. The inhabitants of Mogador have wind nine months out of twelve; but
seasons pass without a shower of rain.

_10th._--Evening. Left again for Tripoli. We passed the night about ten
miles off the island, amongst the fishing apparatus, which looks at a
distance like so many little islets. They consist of mere palm-tree
boughs, struck deep into the mud as piles are driven; and large spaces
are thus enclosed. When the tide[7] falls, the fish get entangled or
enclosed in these enclosures, and are caught. Very fine fish are taken,
and a fifth of the ordinary sustenance of the islanders is derived from
this fishing. Unhappily the poor fishermen are obliged to pay from
twenty-five to fifty per cent. of the fish caught to Government; so the
poor in all countries are the worse treated because they are poor.

_11th._--The wind becoming again foul, we put into a little place called
Sâkeeah, a port of the island in the S.E. Here is nothing in the shape of
a port town, only a small square ruinous hovel of mud and plaster, and a
rude hut put up temporarily by a Maltese, who is building a boat. I often
think the Maltese are the _Irish_ of the South. Maltese enterprise is
prevalent in all parts of the Mediterranean but in their own country. The
port, such as it is, is defended by a little round battery, four feet
high, with three rusty pieces of cannon. If these could be fired off, the
masonry would tumble to pieces. This is the _present_ state of all the
fortifications of Mahometan Barbary. It frequently happens that when a
vessel of war visits the smaller Barbary ports, and wishes to fire a
salute in honour of the governors, it is kindly requested this may not be
done, because it is necessary etiquette to return the salute, and, if
returned, the masonry of the fortifications may tumble down. The scene
was wild and bare; the colours of the landscape light and bright. There
were some Moors winnowing barley. An ox was treading out the corn, in
Scripture fashion. Crops of barley and other grain are grown all over
this fertile isle, under the date-palm and olive trees. Small boats were
waiting to carry off the grain to Tunis. As in Ireland, little remains to
feed the people. They must feed on dates, or fish, or vegetables and
roots.

_12th._--Left Sâkeeah with a strong breeze. On looking back on the island
it had the appearance of thousands of date-palms, boldly standing out of
the sea, the land being so low as not to be discernible a few miles'
distance. Jerbah, from this appearance, as from reality, deserves the
name of the "Isle of Palms." After crossing the channel, which runs
between the island and the continent, whose waters were deep and rough,
we got aground in the Shallows, off Zarzees. This place is a round tower
(_burge_) on the continent, with a few houses and plantations of olives
and dates. Here commences the shoal-water, or _bassa-fondo_, as our
semi-Italian boatmen called it, which continues east along the coast for
eighty miles, as far as Rais-el-Makhbes. When we got off again, at the
flow of the tide, we passed Biban ("two doors"), the frontier place of
the Tunisian dominions. Biban is a castle, with some fifty Arab houses,
built of palm-wood and leaves in the shape of hay-stacks, and is situate
on an islet, on each side of which the sea passes inland and forms a
large lagoon. There is at Biban a single European resident, an Italian,
who acts as a French agent and spy on the frontiers of Tunis and Tripoli.
He is paid about eighteen-pence a day, cheap enough for his high
political mission. The French are mighty fond of planting spies all over
Barbary; but espionage is their forte. In the evening we arrived at the
_Salinæ_[8], "salt pits," on the coast, where we found several small
coasters loading with salt for Tripoli. Salt is also exported from this
place to Europe. Here we brought up for the night, creeping and feeling
our way as in the days of ancient navigation. Our bringing up, however,
was fortunate, for the wind suddenly blew a gale from the N.W.,
continuing all night, and until next day, when it fell a dead calm again.
Strange weather for the fine month of May. But the Mediterranean, which
is called the "_home_ station," is one of the nastiest chafing seas in
the world, and in this fair season of the year is exposed to the most
tremendous squalls, nay, continuous gales of wind.

_13th._--We weighed again our little anchor, and in the afternoon cast it
before Rais-el-Makhbes, the last anchoring ground of the _bassa-fondo_.
The shore from Zarzees to Rais-el-Makhbes is extremely low. The
_bassa-fondo_ stretches off the coast in some places at least thirty or
forty miles, and is so shallow, that boats of the smallest burden often
ground. Here our Maltese captain observed to me, with great mystery,
"See, _Signore_, we must now be very cautious how we act, and watch the
wind, so as to take it on the very first breath of its being favourable,
for from here it is all deep water to Tripoli." In general, however, the
Maltese captains display more courage than the Italians in these
coasters.

_14th._--In the morning we cleared Cape Makhbes. The captain was to have
rounded it and entered the little port of Zouwarah, where there is a
quarantine agent, and landed me there according to agreement. I had
letters for this place, and was to have gone thence to Tripoli by land,
two or three days' journey. On remonstrating, he gravely asked, "Whether
I wished to do him an injury, compelling him to go to Zouwarah, from
which port he couldn't get out for the wind?" Perceiving the captain had
fully made up his mind to break a written agreement, signed before the
Consul, for the temporary advantage now offering, I left off
remonstrating, though extremely dissatisfied. We continued our course. It
soon fell calm, and, as usual, the calm was again succeeded with a
violent _gregale_, against which we could not make head. I now told our
Palinurus it was necessary to look out for the port of Tripoli Vecchia,
otherwise we should be obliged to go back or keep the open sea all night,
for we could not reach Tripoli to-day. Half an hour elapsed, and the wind
continuing to freshen, the captain took my advice. We turned direct
south, and sought the port. After experiencing some difficulty, during
which the captain, to my surprise, discovered the most serious alarm, we
found and entered the wished-for haven. It was a real miracle of good
luck, for the wind came on dreadfully, the angry spray was covering us
with water, and our sufferings would have been beyond description if we
had been obliged to keep the sea. Our bark was a mere cockle-shell, into
which were rammed and jammed and crammed twenty-two mortal and immortal
beings: _C'est à dire_, four sailors, fourteen Moorish passengers,
including a woman and a child, two Jews, myself, and a runaway slave. So
that our heartfelt thankfulness to a good Providence, pitying our folly
and imprudence, may be easily imagined. In the midst of our confusion
while searching for the port--having only three or four hours' daylight
before us--the most ludicrous scene was enacted, which might have ended
in the tragic. Some of the Moors professed to know the port of Tripoli
Vecchia. Hereupon each fellow gave a different description, a thing
perfectly natural, as each would have seen the port under different
circumstances of time and place. "It was surrounded with white
cliffs,--it was black,--rocky,--it was a sandy shore." All bawled and
clamoured together. The captain put his fingers in his ears with rage. He
had never been in before, or his men. At last, losing all patience, the
Maltese fire got up, blown to fury, and, seizing a knife, the captain
swore he would cut their throats if they didn't hold their tongues, or
give a more distinct account of the port. This menace cowed them down
like so many bullies, and they fell into a moody but vindictive silence,
their looks discovering the internal oaths of revenge. It was really
droll, if the words used allow the expression, to hear how the captain
blended Italian, Maltese, and Arabic oaths and abuse in his rage. Now
"_Santo Dio!_" now "_Scomunicat!_" _Sacrament!_ now "_Allah!_" "_Imshe_,"
"_Kelb_," "_Andat_," "_per Bacco!_" &c. At length, when a sailor from the
mast-head descried the port, and a tremendous surf was seen or said to be
seen rolling near the entrance, the Moors, who although mostly sulky
under the influence of their fatalism, and show very little courage in
the dangers of the sea, cried out with fear, "Allah, Allah!" "Ya,
Mohammed!" (O God! O God! O Mahomet!) The captain even felt disposed to
blubber at the sight of the furious surf, so nothing less could be
expected from the passengers. A bad example is this to the sailors and
people, but one which often occurs aboard Italian and Maltese vessels.

_15th._--The wind continued all night and the following day. It dropped
down on the afternoon of the 16th; on the 17th a pleasant breeze sprung
up, and continued until we got within a couple of miles off Tripoli. We
were followed for three hours by a shoal of porpoises, some nearly as big
as our bark, which enjoyed highly the run with us, "_perceiving_," as the
captain said, "_our motion_." The first night of our anchorage in the
Tripoli Vecchia, we had several alarms that the tiny bark had dragged its
anchor, and was about to take us out into the open sea: no one could
sleep. After the wind subsided, our _Christian_ sailors were alarmed that
we might have our throats cut by the _Ishmaelite_ Arabs from the shore
the next night. When it was quite calm we went on shore to search for
water; we found a well of good water on the N.E. landing of the port. A
palm beckoned us to the spring, but a single palm is often found where
there is no well or water; and it is not true, as vulgarly supposed, that
where there are date-palms there must be water. The country in this
vicinity is a perfect desert, yet on this arid waste shepherds drive
their flocks in the spring, and up to May and June. The captain
considered Tripoli Vecchia, which is a very ancient port, and the site of
a once famous city, more secure than that of Tripoli itself, though
certainly much smaller. Whilst we were here no bark visited it.
Good-sized ships occasionally anchor in it. Like Tripoli, it is defended
with a sunken reef of rocks, some peaks of which rise several feet out of
the water. Along this line is a strong surf always chafing and roaring.
There are two mouths of entrance; the deepest water within is about
twelve or fourteen feet. There is another but much smaller port, two
miles further east; the coast from this to Tripoli offers nothing to the
tourist. Twelve miles this way begin those forests of fine broad-waving
palms, which form so noble a feature in the suburban landscape of
Tripoli. When we got off Tripoli we had a dead calm, and myself looking
about for the wind, the Moors got angry, and said, "Be still; if you
restlessly stare about, and wish the wind to come, it will never come:
you cast the '_eye malign_' upon it." These superstitious ideas are not
peculiar to the Moors. An English captain once told me, if I continued to
stay below, the wind would never be fair. Tripoli looked here very bold,
massive, and imposing from the sea; its broad lime-washed towers, and the
graceful minarets beyond, all dazzling white in the sun, contrasting with
the dark blue waters of the Mediterranean. Such is the delusion of all
these sea-coast Barbary towns; at a distance and without, beauty and
brilliancy, but near and within, filth and wretchedness.

A word of my fellow passengers and crew. Our Maltese _Rais_, although he
broke his agreement with me, behaved well; I therefore paid him,
requesting the Chancellor of our Consulate only to scold him, and warn
him for the future. He is a good Maltese Christian; and when I told him
Malta had fifty years' possession of Tripoli, he replied, "Ah, how the
world changes! what a pity God has given this fine country into the hands
of rascally Turks." Sometimes he would kick the Moors about and through
the ship like cattle: at other times he would say, "Aye, come,
_bismillah_[9]," and help them to a part of his supper. The Moors
provided for only _four_ days' provisions, a day over the average time,
and they were all out of bread before arriving at Tripoli. The captain
consulted me as to what was to be done; we arranged to supply them with a
few biscuits every day, I taking the responsibility of payment, pitying
the poor devils. If a Moor has a good passage at sea, he says, "Thank
God!" if not, _Maktoub_, ("It is written,") and quietly submits to the
evils which he has brought on himself by sheer imprudence. Their
provisions, in this case, consisted of barley-meal, olive-oil, a few
loaves of wheaten bread, and a little dried paste for making soup. The
soup was made of a few onions, dried peppers, salt, oil, and the paste.
On first starting, some of the more respectable had a few hard-boiled
eggs, with which the Jews most frequently travel; and others had a little
pickled fish. When the paste was finished, the barley-meal was attacked,
and when this was gone, the greater part lived on biscuits sopped in
water. We tried to buy a sheep from a flock driven by the shore, for
which I furnished a dollar; but the current was so strong, that the man
could not reach the land. One poor old Moor lived actually on bread and
water all the time he was on board, and would have nothing else, telling
me, "What God gives is enough." Yet he was cheerful and talkative. One of
the two Jews was also a very old blind man, clothed in rags. He, too,
mostly fared on biscuits sopped in water; nevertheless, he also was quite
happy! "Where are you going, Abraham?" I said to him. "Where God wills I
go," he replied; "but I wish to lay my poor bones in the land of our
fathers. Many long years God has afflicted us for our sins, but it will
not be for ever." The old gentleman was going to get a passage from
Tripoli to the Holy Land. How little suffices some! How much does faith!
So mysterious are the ways of the Creator in distributing contentment.
For myself, I fared extremely well in the midst of this _happy_ melée of
misery and starvation, Mr. Pariente, of Jerbah, having filled for me a
large box of provisions, consisting of a leg of lamb, a fowl, pigeons,
fish and bread, besides wine and spirits. But this was as liberally
distributed amongst all as given to me, and not a crumb was left on
arriving at Tripoli. When we were getting safe into port, I gave the grog
to the crew; they had often cast wistful eyes at the _acquavite_, but
none was poured out whilst at sea. Two or three drunken sailors would
have sent our cockle-shell to the bottom; still, in spite of the
coffee-drinking vessels, a little spirits may occasionally be very
usefully distributed to men, fighting and wrestling with the wild waves
and the tempest. Our bark was from six to eight tons' burden, and the
cabin was just big enough for me and the captain to move in; the woman
and child slept in the forecastle, and all the rest on deck. Each Moorish
passenger paid half a dollar for the voyage. I have been thus particular
in describing our coaster and its _live_ freight, to show what misery is
endured in these coasting voyages. It was, however, a fit introduction to
my painful journeyings through the still more inhospitable _ocean_
desert.

I have now to mention my runaway servant, Said. This negro was the slave
of Sidi Mustapha, Consular Agent of France in Jerbah. Mustapha was
formerly Consular Agent of England, and being found to possess slaves, he
was dismissed. He got up however false documents, to show that he had
disposed of his slaves; but this being discovered, the cheat did not
avail, and he was not allowed to be any longer England's Consul. Then,
seeing his imposture had failed, he again resumed power over his slaves,
and Said was still his slave on my arrival at Jerbah. Hearing of this, I
told Said to go on board, and wait till the boat left. He did so. The
captain winked at it, and apparently every one else, for Said was
securely numbered on the vessel's _papers_ as a passenger. This, of
course, happened before the Bey of Tunis finally abolished slavery, which
important event took place in the beginning of the year 1846, to the
eternal honour of the reigning Mussulman prince. But, even if slavery had
continued in Tunis, Mustapha, the French Consular Agent in Jerbah, could
have had no legal right over Said, after having given a document to the
British Consul-General, certifying that he had liberated all his slaves.
The runaway Said was in reality a freed man. The reader, however, will be
pleased to understand that I am not justifying my conduct for enticing a
slave to run away. I despise such an attempted justification. On the
contrary, I consider that every man, who has the means of striking off
the chains from a slave, and does not embrace the opportunity of doing
so, is the rather the man who commits an offence against natural right.
As to the French Consular Agent, I asked some people why the French
Government did not dismiss him also for his premeditated forgery of
public documents? I was told that, on the contrary, this was a reason for
keeping him French Consul--that he could not be _disavowed_ in connexion
with _British_ affairs, or, if disavowed, he must be pensioned off. A
French Consul, whose acquaintance I made in North Africa, replied to me,
on rallying him on the various disavowals of French functionaries in
different parts of the world: "I assure you, the only way to get
distinction in our consular service is to get disavowed. When disavowed
about English differences, we must be decorated, or the mob of Paris and
its journals would not be satisfied."

Our captain gave me a hint that, on arriving at Tripoli, there would be
exhibited a good deal of _fantazia_, ("humbug[10]") by the health-office
department. Accordingly, after we had been an hour in port, the health
officer came alongside, and affected great surprise at our not having
_passports_, and asked me, with great pomposity, what was my "_reverito
nome?_" The Turks always adopt and caricature the worst parts of European
civilization, leaving its better forms wholly unimitated. This is,
perhaps, in the nature of the struggles which a semi-barbarous power may
make to attain the standard of its civilized neighbour.

On landing, I went off with Said to the British Consulate. Although I had
seen Colonel Warrington at Malta, I was now so sea-worn and browned with
sun and wind, with an _incipient_ desert beard, that he did not
immediately recollect me. I therefore presented my letter of
introduction, mentioning my name, when at once the Colonel recognized me.
"Ah!" observed the Colonel, "I don't believe our Government cares one
straw about the suppression of the slave-trade, but, Richardson, I
believe in you, so let's be off to my garden." I rode one of the
Colonel's horses, which had been so long in the stable without exercise,
that I found the Barbary barb no joke. A most violent _gregale_ swept the
bare beach of the harbour as we proceeded to the gardens and plantations
of the Masheeah, and the restive prancing of the horse was not unlike the
dancing about of the cockle-shell bark to which I had been condemned for
the last ten days. The _British Garden_ I found to be a splendid
horticultural developement, containing the choicest fruit-trees of North
Africa, with ornamental trees of every shape, and hue, and foliage--all
the growth of thirty years, and the greater part of them planted by the
hands of Colonel Warrington himself. The villa is on the site of an
ancient haunted house--for what country does not boast of its haunted
house? The spot which once was visited nightly by some Saracen's-head
ghost, in the midst of a waste, is now the fairest, loveliest garden of
Tripoli! Amongst its rich fruit-trees is an immense peach-tree--the
largest in all this part of Africa. It is a round, squatting,
wide-spreading tree, not nailed up to the walls, but the size of its
girth of boughs is enormous.

I must take the liberty of leaving off daily dates here. I detest daily
note-writing, although the reader may find for his peculiar infliction so
long a journal as these pages.

_19th._--A _ghiblee_ day. The wind from The Desert is coming with a
vengeance. Its breath is the pure flame of the furnace. I am obliged to
tie a handkerchief over my face in passing through the verandahs of the
garden. I had not the least idea it could be so hot here in the middle of
May. At 2 P.M. the thermometer in the sun was at 142° Fahrenheit.

Neither Tunis nor Tripoli has been sufficiently appreciated by the
politicians of Europe. Indian and American affairs are the two ideas
which occupy our merchants. And yet the best informed of the consuls in
Tripoli say, "The future battles of Europe will be fought in North
Africa." At this time there is considerable agitation and political
intrigue afoot here. Algerian politics, also, envenom these squabbles.

The aspect of the city of Tripoli is the most miserable of all the towns
I have seen in North Africa. And they say, "It grows worse and worse."
Yet the present Pasha, Mehemet, is esteemed as a good and sensible man.
Unfortunately, a Turkish Governor can have very little or no interest in
the permanent prosperity of this country. His tenure of office is very
insecure, and rarely extends beyond four or five years; so that whilst
here he only thinks of providing for himself. The country is therefore in
a continual state of impoverishment as governed by successive pashas.
Each successive high functionary works and fleeces the people to the
uttermost. Even in our own colonies the exception is, that the Governor
cares more for the welfare of the colony than for his own immediate
benefit. In Turkish colonies we must therefore expect the rule to be,
that the Pasha should govern only for his private benefit and personal
aggrandizement.

_21st._--This afternoon His Highness Mehemet Pasha had arranged to grant
me an interview. I was introduced, of course, by our Consul-General,
Colonel Warrington. Mr. Casolaina, the Chancellor of the Consulate, and
his son, were in attendance as interpreters. His Highness receives all
strangers and transacts all business in an apartment of the celebrated
old castle of the Karamanly Bashaws, whose legends of blood and intrigue
have been so vividly and terrifically transcribed in _Tully's Tripoline
Letters_. On entering this place I was astonished at its ruinous and
repulsive appearance. Nothing could better resemble a prison, and yet a
prison in the most dilapidated condition. Walking through the dark,
winding, damp, mildewy passages, shedding down upon us a pestiferous
dungeon influence, Colonel Warrington suddenly stopped, as if to breathe
and repel the deadly miasma, and turning to me, said: "Well, Richardson,
what do you think of this? Capital place this for young ladies to dance
in, so light and airy. Many a poor wretch has entered here, with promises
of fortune and royal favour, and has met his doom at the hand of the
assassin! In my long course of service, how many Kaëds and Sheikhs I have
known, who have come in here and have never gone out. I'm a great reader
of Shakspeare. It's the next book after the Bible. But a thousand
Shakspeares, with all their tragic genius, could never describe the
passions which have worked, and the horrors which have been perpetrated,
in this place." The Colonel's tragic harangue was not without its effect
in these dungeon passages, and the old gentleman seemed to enjoy the
shiver which he saw involuntarily agitate me. Indeed, the darksome
noisome atmosphere, without this tragic appeal, could not fail to make
itself felt, as Egyptian darkness was felt, after leaving the fiery heat
and bright dazzling sun-light without. Winding about from one ruinous
room to another, and ascending various flights of tumbling-down steps and
stairs, we got up at length to the eastern end, where there are two or
three new apartments constructed in the modern style. In one of them, not
unlike a city merchant's receiving-parlour, we found the Pasha and his
court. We were immediately introduced, and somewhat to my surprise, I
found His Highness an extremely plain _unmilitary_-looking Turkish
gentleman, of about fifty years of age, and dressed without the least
pretensions of any kind. How unlike the ancient gemmed and jewelled
Bashaws! flaming in "Barbaric pearl and gold." The present Ottoman
costume is most simple. His Highness had only the _Nisham_, or Turkish
decoration of brilliants upon his breast, to distinguish him from his own
domestics, coffee-bearers, or others. As soon as he saw us, he hurriedly
came up to us and seized hold of our hands and shook them cordially. The
troops were at the moment being reviewed, and we had a good sight of them
from our elevated position. They were manœuvring on the sea-beach between
the city and the Masheeah. "Tell the Bashaw," cried out the Colonel to
Casolaina, "I never saw such splendid manœuvring in all the course of my
life. They do His Highness and Ahmed Bashaw, the Commander-in-Chief,
infinite credit." This compliment was interpreted and graciously
received though its value was no doubt properly appreciated by the
politic Turk. The Colonel continued:--"Tell the Bashaw, that as long as
the Sultan has such troops as these, he will be invincible." This was
answered by, "_Enshallah_, _enshallah_, (If God pleases, if God
pleases)". The Colonel still laid it on:--"Casolaina, tell the Bashaw, I
myself should not like to command even English troops against these fine
fellows." To which the Bashaw and his Court replied, "_Ajeeb_,
(Wonderful!)" Ahmed Bashaw, the Commander-in-Chief, a most
ferocious-looking Turk, seized hold of my shoulders and pushed me to the
window to admire his brilliant men. I could just see that their
manœuvrings were in the style of the "awkward squad;" but their arms and
white pantaloons dazzled beautifully in the sun upon the margin of the
deep-blue sea.

After we had satisfied our curiosity or admiration in looking at the
troops, the windows were shut down, and all sat down to business. His
Highness began by asking my name, when I came, and what I was going to be
about? The Consul replied to these first and usual questions of Turkish
functionaries, and more particularly explained my projected visit to
Ghadames. The Pasha immediately consented, as a matter of course, with
Turkish politeness; but before the interview was concluded, various
objections were started and insisted upon, showing the _not_ suddenly
excited jealousy of these functionaries, who, previous to my interview,
knew all about my anti-slavery and literary projects. His Highness
observed:--"The heat is killing now, the distance is great, the road is
infested with robbers; I shall have to send an escort of five hundred
troops with your friend, (addressing the Consul); not long ago two
hundred banditti attacked a caravan. All Tunisian Arabs are robbers; the
Bey of that country cannot maintain order in his country; besides, an
Arab will kill ten men to get one pair of pistols; but I'll make further
inquiries." His Highness also related a feat of his own troops, who
captured seven camels from the banditti, which he said he distributed
amongst the captors. He also gave his own people, the Tripolines, a very
bad character. But, of course, the Tripolines and the Turks must mutually
hate one another. We were served with pipes, coffee, and sherbet. I
pretended to sip the pipe two or three times, as a matter of politeness,
for though I have been in Barbary some time, where smoking is universal,
I have not adopted the dirty vice. Near the Pasha sat the second in
command, or Commander-in-Chief of the forces, the Pasha himself devoting
his attention almost exclusively to civil affairs. As I have said, this
functionary was a most savage-looking fellow, and his acts in Tripoli and
his reputation accord with the character broadly stamped on his
countenance. He has risen from the lowest ranks--one of the _canaille_ of
the Levant--and is blood-thirsty and vindictive whenever he has the means
of showing these dreadful passions. How many tyrants have risen from the
ranks of those who are the victims and objects of tyranny!

The Consul hinted to me afterwards, that this military tyrant would
oppose my journey to the interior, and throw all sorts of obstacles in
the way, but thought the Pasha would not listen to his insinuations. On
asking the Consul what he thought of the objections of the Pasha? he
said: "Oh, they are only to increase the merit of his facilitating your
trip." Mehemet Pasha has the rank of three tails, and the Pasha of the
Troops two tails. There was present also Mohammed Aly, a Moor, who
interprets between the Moors and Arabs, and the Turks. He is said to be
entirely in the interest of the English. He frequently visits the
Vice-Consul, Mr. Herbert Warrington, who treats the interpreter with a
bottle of champaigne, and in this way things are greatly smoothed down
before His Highness. A glass of wine is often more potent than an
elaborate speech in these and other diplomatic transactions. It is but
justice to these functionaries to say, whatever money they may take away
from Tripoli, that they are very moderate in their style of living and
dress in this place. The apartment in which we were received was
exceedingly plain. All the furniture was of the most ordinary European
stuff; there was nothing oriental in it but a large square ottoman. A few
flowers were placed gracefully on the table, and there was a pretty
bronzed lamp. We visitors sat on cane-bottomed chairs. The costume of
these high functionaries was the usual large Turkish frock-coat, tightly
buttoned up, and white or other light-coloured pantaloons, for summer
wear, and these strapped over thick heavy black leather shoes, the straps
often inside the shoes as an Ottoman improvement on the European fashion.
The head was covered with the _shasheeah_, or fez, with a large blue silk
tassel hanging prettily from the crown. On the breast hung the _Nisham_
decoration, distinguishing the various grades and rank.

We left His Highness under the impression that he would do every thing in
his power to forward our views, and never dreamt of a future memorandum
of recall after having reached Ghadames with His Highness's permission.

It is not now my intention to give an account of Tripoli, so I pass on to
a second interview I had with the Bashaw. This was on the 7th of July. In
this long interval, I had been waiting for letters from England, and in
every way was learning lessons of most imperturbable patience.

I was visiting some sick officers in the castle with a Maltese doctor of
the name of _Gameo_, whose acquaintance I had made, and whom I found
useful in collecting information on Tripoli and the interior, when one of
the functionaries of the Castle came to tell me the Bashaw would like to
see me. I felt some delicacy in going, but thought it better to comply
with the wish of His Highness. There was immediately presented to me, as
usual to all visitors, a pipe, coffee, and sherbet. Our interview lasted
about half an hour, and the conversation was _to the point_, referring
solely to my journey to the interior. But, although I exerted all my
skill and tact, I could not remove the jealousies of His Highness, and I
believe for one, and only one reason. It had been given out in Tripoli
that I was to be appointed Consul at Ghadames. The Bashaw fearing that
such an appointment would interfere with his system of extorting money
from the inhabitants of that country (the treasury being empty in
Tripoli), set his face against my journey, and endeavoured to delay it
until he could get a _counter_ order from Constantinople. His Highness
was however very polite, and promised to furnish me with tents, if I had
need, and a large escort. The Turks are getting sensitive of the press.
The Bashaw said he had heard I was a great newspaper writer, and asked me
if I had any objection to writing an article in his praise.

At the end of the month of July (30th), Colonel Warrington suggested to
me the propriety of writing to him a letter, stating my wish and objects
in visiting the interior. I did so, and received an answer from the
Colonel the same day. Mr. Frederick Warrington, who had great influence
with several people about His Highness, and myself, went again to the
Bashaw, in order to conciliate His Highness and persuade him to give a
_bonâ fide_ protection to me through the interior of Tripoli, as also to
obtain a passport. It unfortunately happened, that about a week ago, a
Ghadames caravan had been captured by some hostile Arabs on the frontiers
of Tunis. His Highness immediately produced this case, and said it was
impossible for me to go whilst the routes were so insecure. He also
alleged, and with more reason:--"The season was now too late, the heat
was intolerable, and an European of my delicate constitution must
succumb." We therefore returned much depressed. Colonel Warrington then,
annoyed at the Bashaw's resistance, wrote the next day a letter to his
Chancellor, requesting him to wait upon the Bashaw, and demand formally a
passport for me, my servant, and camel-driver. I went with Mr. Casolaina,
but did not see His Highness, waiting only at the door of the hall of
audience, in case I should be wanted. His Highness apologized for his
opposition, stating his objections of the season and the insecurity of
the routes, but gave the order for the passports. I find the following
note in my journal:--"Left Tripoli for Ghadames on the 2nd August, 1845;
I had grown completely tired of Tripoli, and left it without a single
regret, having suffered much from several sources of annoyance, including
both the Consulate and the Bashaw."

FOOTNOTES:

[6] Many newspaper articles have been written, and companies
    formed, for the promotion of exploring for sulphur in Tripoli (the
    Syrtis); but somehow or other, all these schemes have failed. I
    have been told there is sulphur in the Syrtis, and the failure of
    obtaining it in remunerative quantity is to be attributed alone to
    the chicanery or want of skill in the agent.

[7] There is a far greater ebb and flow of tide here than at any
    other coast of the Mediterranean, the sea rising and falling no
    less than ten feet. This tidal phenomenon extends to the Lesser
    Syrtis and to Sfax.

[8] Like the fish-lakes of Biserta in Tunis, these salt-pits were
    worked by the ancients, and have been inexhaustible and
    unchangeable through two thousand years. Whatever may be the
    geological changes in other regions of the globe, those of North
    Africa are not very rapid, beyond filling up a few of the
    artificial harbours, or _cothons_, with mud. Barbary contains
    several Roman bridges which have spanned a stream remaining the
    same size, and running in the same bed, through a course of
    centuries. The salt of the _Salinæ_ is of good quality.

[9] _Bismillah_, "In the name of God," the formula used by Moslems
    when they partake of food. In the _Lingua Franca_ we have
    sometimes "_Avete_ bismillah?" or "bismillah_ato_?" that is,
    "taken your meal?"

[10] In the present application, for this _Lingua Franca_ word
    generally means "vain silly shewing off." The "playing at powder,"
    or "firing off matchlocks for amusement," is also called a
    _fantazia_ in Algeria and Morocco.




CHAPTER II.

FROM TRIPOLI TO THE MOUNTAINS.

     Leave Tripoli for the Interior.--Feelings on
     Starting.--Ghargash.--Gameo, the great quack of
     Tripoli.--Janzour.--Account of my Equipment.--Camels fond of the
     Cactus.--Arab Tents.--Jedaeen.--Zouweeah.--The
     Sahara.--Beer-el-Hamra.--Squabbling at the Wells.--The strength
     of Caravan, and character of Escort.--Shouwabeeah.--Difficulty of
     keeping the Caravan together.--Camels cropping herbage _en
     route_.--The _Kailah_ or _Siesta_.--Arab Troops seize the Water
     of the Merchants.--Wady Lethel.--Irregular March of the
     Caravan.--Aâeeat.--Descent into Wells.--Learn the value of
     Water.--The Atlas and its Tripoline divisions and
     subdivisions.--The ascent of Yefran, and its Castle.


NOTHING is more common than that, after long delay and various
negotiations, in waiting and preparing for a journey, everything at last
is hurried with a most reckless dispatch; this, at least, was the case
with me. I was to have been escorted out of Tripoli by the Consular
corps, with the British Consul at their head, in the wonted style of
Europeans setting out for the interior. But on the morning of the 2nd
August, before I could finish my letters for England, or get my luggage
together, came my camel-driver Mohammed, who, at the sight of my papers
all spread out, began whining and blubbering, protesting, "The
_ghafalah_[11] is gone; we can't overtake it--we shall be murdered, if we
delay behind." Without saying a word in reply, I amassed and bundled up
everything together, and gave him the baggage; then went off to the
_Souk_, or market-place, to buy some fresh bread,--and found myself on
the way to Ghadames, before I was conscious of having left Tripoli. Such
is the excitement and vagaries of human feeling! Not being accustomed to
mount the camel, I determined to hire some donkeys to ride to the first
station; Gameo and one of his brothers accompanied me. When I could
breathe freely, as I rode on my unknown way, with a boundless prospect
before me, I felt my heart rebound with joy, and commended myself humbly
to the care of a good God, not knowing what was to happen to me. I had
consumed three months of most suffering patience in Tripoli before I
could start on this journey, and was otherwise schooled for what was
about to take place. But I must not begin too early the record of my
complaints.

Our first day's ride was mostly through desert lands, for The Desert
reaches to the walls of the city of Tripoli. The little village of
Gargash was seen at our right, near the margin of the sea. Gameo
exclaimed, "There's the little mosque--there's the little cemetery--there
are the little gardens, little palms!"--and little this, and little the
other: indeed, it was a perfect miniature of congregated human existence.
Arrived at Janzour, Gameo and his brother prepared to return. But
previous to his leaving, Gameo, who was a tabeeb of great notoriety,
determined to display his healing art. He took out his lancet, and
forthwith bled everybody in the Kaëd's caravanseria. When his brother
begged of him not to bleed any more people unless they paid him
something--not to be such a _sciocco_ ("ninny,") he turned round upon
him, and indignantly exclaimed "Ancora voglio lasciare il mio nome qui"
(Here I will leave my name also!) It was the delight of Gameo to be the
grand tabeeb of Tripoli, and even to prescribe for the officers and
subordinate bashaws; and yet Gameo and his family many days were without
bread to eat, to my certain knowledge. I relieved them as much as I
could. The Moors and Arabs are very funny about bleeding, and the matters
of the tabeeb; they will ask you to bleed them when in perfect health.
All these persons who were bled at Janzour had no ailments; they will
also swallow physic, whether well or ill. One of them consulted Gameo
privately how he was to obtain children from his wife, who was barren.
Another wished to obtain the affections of a girl by administering to her
a dose of medicine. They consider a doctor in the light, in which our
fathers of the time of Friar Bacon did, of a magician, and a person who
holds some sort of illicit intercourse with the devil, or, at any rate,
with the genii. They never give the doctor credit for his skill, but
attribute his wit and success to the blessing or interposition of God.

After taking leave of Gameo, I waited for Mohammed and Said; we had gone
on quickly with the donkeys. They came up with the camels, but instead of
encamping within the village, the ghafalah had brought up outside. This
annoyed Mohammed, who kept exclaiming, as we went to the rendezvous of
the merchants, "Ah! Gameo, that's him, Gameo, Gameo! What trouble he has
brought upon us, Gameo! Gameo! he a tabeeb? Not fit to give physic to a
dog. Gameo! Gameo! always talking--always talking; the devil take him,
for he's his son." We reached the encampment as the shadows of night
fell fast; we did not take supper, or pitch tent. My spirits gave way,
and I felt fearful and saddened at the prospect of going into the
interior absolutely alone. I had not a single letter of recommendation to
any one, after waiting so long at Tripoli, and so much talk with all
sorts of people about the necessity of having letters for the chiefs of
The Desert. This was, indeed, bad management; yet I could not insist upon
the Pasha giving me a letter, nor could I importune the British Consul:
but it often happens, where there is less help from man, there is more
from God. Many of the Ghadamsee merchants, whose acquaintance I had made
in Tripoli, came now to me and welcomed me as a fellow-traveller. Janzour
is a small village, with gardens of olives and date plantations.

_August 3rd._--Before starting to-day, it is necessary to give some
account of my equipment. I had two camels on hire, for which I paid
twelve dollars. I was to ride one continually. We had panniers on it, in
which I stowed away about two months' provisions. A little fresh
provision we were to purchase _en route_. Upon these panniers a mattress
was placed, forming with them a comfortable platform. As a luxury, I had
a Moorish pillow for leaning on, given me by Mr. Frederick Warrington.
The camel was neither led nor reined, but followed the group. I myself
was dressed in light European clothes, and furnished with an umbrella for
keeping off the sun. This latter was all my arms of offence and defence.
The other camel carried a trunk and some small boxes, cooking utensils,
and matting, and a very light tent for keeping off sun and heat. We had
two gurbahs, or "skin-bags for water," and another we were to buy in the
mountains, so each having a skin of water to himself. Said was to ride
this camel, and now and then give a ride to Mohammed the camel-driver, to
whom the camels belonged. We were roused before daylight. I made coffee
with my spirit apparatus (_spiriterio_). In half an hour after the dawn,
we were all on the move, and soon started. The ghafalah presented an
interminable line of camels, as it wound its slow way through narrow
sandy lanes, hedged on each side with the cactus or prickly-pear. We
progressed very irregularly, and the camels kept throwing off their
burdens. The Moors and Arabs, who manage almost everything badly, even
hardly know how to manage their camels, after ages of experience. It is,
however, very difficult to drive the camels past a prickly-pear hedge,
they being voraciously fond of the huge succulent leaves of this plant,
and crop them with the most savage greediness, regardless of the
continual blows, accompanied with loud shouts, which they receive from
the vociferous drivers to get them forward. I wore my cloak for two hours
after dawn, and felt chilly, and yet at noonday the thermometer was at
least 130° Fah., in the sun. We emerged from the prickly-pear hedges upon
an open desert land. Here was an encampment of Arabs, with tents as
"black" and "comely" in this glare and fire of the full morning sun, as
"the tents of Kedar!" (See Solomon's Songs i. 5.) Nothing indeed is more
refreshing than the sight of these black camel's-hair tents, when
travelling over these arid thirsty plains. The whole households of the
tents were alive, but their various occupations will be seen better in
the following sketch than pictured to the mind by any elaborate
description.

[Illustration]

Encamped at Jedaeem about 10 o'clock, A.M. Remained here only two hours
and proceeded to Zouweeah, a large village, situate in the midst of most
pleasant gardens, or rather cultivated lands, overshadowed with date
groves. These gardens are considered superior to those of the Masheeah
around Tripoli. Passed through the whole district by 3 P.M., and then
entered what is usually called the Sahara, this side the Mountains. This
desert presents sand hills, loose stones scattered about, dwarf shrubs,
long coarse grass, and sometimes small undulations of rocky ground. It
is, however, overrun by a few nomade tribes, who feed their flocks on the
ungrateful and scant herbage which it affords. Tripoli, in general offers
a remarkable contrast to Tunis and other parts of Barbary, in having its
Arab tribes located in stone and mud houses or fixed douwars, whilst
nomade Arabs are found thickly scattered all over the West, as far as the
Atlantic. Zouweeah is the last _belad_, or _paesi_, (_i. e._,
"cultivated country,") before we reach The Mountains, which are two
days' journey distant. I therefore sent Mohammed to buy a small sheep,
but he could not succeed although there were many flocks about, the
people absurdly refusing to sell them, even when the full price was
offered. The Arabs themselves never eat meat as the rule, but the
exception, supporting themselves on the milk of their flocks and
farinaceous matter. Olive-oil and fat and fruit they devour. Of
vegetables they eat, but with little _gusto_. Their flocks are kept as a
sort of reserve wealth, and to pay their contributions. Our course to-day
and yesterday was west and south-west. At sunset we encamped at
Beer-el-Hamra ("red-well"), which is a well-spring of very good water,
ten feet deep, the water issuing from the sides of the rocky soil. Here
we found artificial pits or troughs for the sheep and cattle to drink
from, and trunks of the date-palms hollowed out for the camels. When a
ghafalah passes a well there is the greatest confusion to get all the
camels to drink, and the people quarrel and fight about this, as well as
for their turn to fill their water-skins. This quarrelling at the wells
forcibly reminds the Biblical reader of the contest of Moses in favour of
the daughters of Jethro against the ungallant shepherds. (Exodus i. 17.)
We take in no more water till we get to The Mountains.

Here mention must be made of the strength of our caravan, as all are to
rendezvous at this well for safety, to start together over The Desert to
The Mountains. It was half a day's advance of this where the Ghadamsee
ghafalah had been lately plundered of all its goods and camels. As soon
as the Sebâah banditti appeared, the merchants, who were without escort,
all ran away like frightened gazelles. One man alone had his arm
scratched. Our ghafalah, besides casual travellers going to The
Mountains, consisted of some two hundred camels, laden chiefly with
merchandize for the interior, Soudan, and Timbuctoo. Thirty or forty
merchants, nearly all of Ghadames, to whom the goods belong, accompany
these camels. To ascertain its value would be hopeless, for the
merchants, with the real jealousy of mercantile rivalry, conceal their
affairs from one another. Two of the principal Ghadamsee merchants are
with us, the Sheikh Makouran and Haj Mansour, besides a son of the great
house of Ettence. These merchants belong to the rival factions of the
city, and accordingly have separate encampments. The greater number of
the merchants of our ghafalah are only petty traders, some with only a
camel-load of merchandize. We are escorted by sixty Arab troops on foot,
with a commandant and some subordinate sheikhs on horseback. They are to
protect us to The Mountains, where it is said all danger ends. They are
poor, miserable devils to look at, hungry, lank, lean, and browned to
blackness, armed with matchlocks, which continually miss fire, and
covered with rags, or mostly having only a single blanket to cover their
dirty and emaciated bodies. Some are without shoes, and others have a
piece of camel's skin cut in the shape of a sole of the foot, and tied up
round the ankles: some have a scull-cap, white or red, and others are
bare-headed. I laughed when I surveyed with my inexperienced eye these
grisly, skeleton, phantom troops, and thought of the splendid invincible
guard which the Pasha promised me. And yet amongst these wretched beings
was riding sublime an Arab Falstaff.

_4th._--Morning. Find the greater part of the ghafalah has not yet come
up. We are to wait for them, being the advanced body. Expect them in the
afternoon. It is exceedingly difficult to keep these various groups of
merchants together; each group is its own sovereign master and will have
its own way. The commandant is constantly swearing at each party to get
all to march together; now and then he draws his sword and shakes it over
their heads. "You are dogs," he says to one; "you are worse than this
Christian Kafer amongst us," (myself,) he bawls to another.

Have, thank God, suffered little up to now, although intensely hot in the
day-time, and my eyes so bad that I cannot look at the sun, and scarcely
on daylight without a shade. They were bad on leaving Tripoli, having
caught a severe ophthalmia from the refraction of the hot rocks when
bathing. My left arm is also still very weak, from the accident of
falling into a dry well a little before I started. I can't mount the
camel without assistance, but begin to ride without that sickly
sensation, not unlike sea-sickness, which I felt the first day's riding.
Drink brandy frequently, but in small quantities and greatly diluted, and
find great benefit from it; drink also coffee and tea. Eat but little,
and scarcely any meat. The Arabs of the country brought a few sheep to
sell this morning, but asked double the Tripoli price; so nobody
purchased. Bought myself a fowl for eighty Turkish paras. The people of
the ghafalah civil, but all the lower classes will beg continually if you
are willing to give. Each one offers his advice and consolation on my
tour; but Mohammed keeps all the hungry Arabs at a respectable distance,
lest I should give to them what belongs to his share, like servants who
don't wish their masters to be generous to others if it interferes with
their own prerogatives.

We left in the afternoon and encamped in The Desert at Shouwabeeah. The
Desert here presents nothing but long coarse grass and undulating ground.
I observed a patch which had been cultivated, the stubble of barley
remaining, which the camels devoured most voraciously. Chopped
barley-straw is the favourite food of all animals of burden in North
Africa; horses will feed on it for six months together, and get fat. _En
route_ the chief of the escort had great trouble to keep the caravan
together; he made the advanced parties wait till the others came up, so
as all to be ready in case of attack. One would think the merchants, for
their own sakes, would keep together; but no, it's all _maktoub_ with
them; "If they are to be robbed and murdered they must be robbed and
murdered, and the Bashaw and all his troops can't prevent it." This they
reiterated to me whilst the commandant bullied them; and yet these same
men had each of them a matchlock and pistols besides. The Sheikh Makouran
had no less than four guns on his camel. I asked him what they were for.
He coolly replied, "I don't know. God knows." The camels browse or crop
herbage all the way along, daintily picking and choosing the herbage and
shrubs which they like best. My chief occupation in riding is watching
them browse, and observing the epicurean fancies of these reflective,
sober-thinking brutes of The Desert. I observe also as a happy trait in
the Arab, that nothing delights him more than watching his own faithful
camel graze. The ordinary drivers sometimes allow them to graze, and
wait till they have cropped their favourite herbage and shrubs, and at
other times push them forward according to their caprice. The camel, with
an intuitive perception, knows all the edible and delicate herbs and
shrubs of The Desert, and when he finds one of his choicest it is
difficult to get him on until he has cropped a good mouthful. But I shall
have much to write of this sentient "ship of The Desert." It is hard to
forget the ship which carries one safely over the ocean, whose plank
intervenes between our life and a bottomless grave of waters: so we
tourists of The Desert acquire a peculiar affection for the melancholy
animal, whose slow but faithful step carries us through the hideous
wastes of sand and stone, where all life is extinct, and where, if left a
moment behind the camel's track, certain death follows.

_5th._--Rose at daybreak, and pursued our way through the Desert. Saw the
mountains early, stretching far away east and west in undefined and shadowy
but glorious magnificence,--some of deep black hue, and others reddened
over with the morning sunbeams. It is a gladdening, elevating sight. The
presence of a vast range of mountains always raises the mind and
imagination of man. Encamped during the _Kailah_ ‮قايلة‬, or from
10 o'clock A.M., to 3 P.M. This is the siesta of the Spaniards, and it is
probable the Moors introduced it into Spain. It is also the mezzogiorno
of the Italians and the Frank population of Barbary. But the Italians
usually dine before they take their midday nap. Our object here is to
shelter ourselves from the greatest force of the heat of the day. None of
us dine. In the afternoon the Arab soldiers, being without water, began
to seize that of the merchants, after having demanded it from them in
vain. In one case they robbed a merchant under the pretext of getting
water. They also attempted to take water from my camels, but I resisted,
threatening to report them to the Bashaw. After a scuffle with my negro
servant and camel-driver, in which affair Said drew out manfully from the
scabbard the old rusty sword which I presented to him on leaving
Tripoli--to gird round him as a warrior badge--they desisted and
retreated. The sub-officer of the escort came up to me afterwards, and
begged that I would say nothing about the business. I gave him a suck of
brandy-and-water, and we were mighty good friends all the way. Our course
was south to-day, striking directly at The Mountains. We encamped about
midnight at the Wady Lethel, the name of which is derived from the tree
_Lethel_ ‮لذل‬, frequent in the Sahara.

With regard to the conduct of the poor Arab soldiers, justice requires it
to be said, that they are allowed nothing for the service of the escort,
whilst if they do not serve when they are called upon, they are fined.
The consequence is, they generally have nothing to eat, and no skins to
put their water in. Perhaps a camel with a couple of skins is allowed to
twenty men. As there was water for scarcely two days of our slow
marching, (we only march about twelve hours per day,) these miserable
victims of Turkish rule had no water left. It is hunger and misery in
this, as in most cases amongst the poor, and not the native unwillingness
of the heart to perform good actions, which excite them to deeds of
violence and plunder. This night the heavens presented an appearance of
unexampled serenity and soft splendour; all the constellations glowed
with a steady beauteous light; there were the "sweet influences of
Pleiades," the bright "bands of Orion," "Arcturus with his sons," and the
infinitude of sparkling jewels in "chambers of the South." All the stars
might be seen and counted, so distinctly visible were they to the naked
unassisted eye. In encamping our ghafalah carried on its delightful
system of confusion, and the night fires of the various groups glared
wildly in every direction. I had not yet become familiar with these
nocturnal lights of Saharan travelling, and my senses were confounded. I
felt tormented as with an enchanter's delusive fire-works in some
half-waking dream.

_6th._--Rose at day-break. Our route was now over a vast level plain, and
we were within four hours of The Mountains. They now discovered the true
Atlas features, a part of which chain they were. We marched in the most
glorious disorder. Some were before, some behind, straggling along,
others far to the right, and others as far to the left, a mile or two
apart. We had the appearance of an immense line moving on to invest The
Mountains _en masse_, for there seemed to be no common point to which we
were advancing in such tumultuous array. The Arabs pay little attention
to marching in order, and in a straight line, so that the camels traverse
double the quantity of ground that there would be any occasion for did
they attend to plain common sense. The Desert now showed more signs of
cultivation, and, indeed, a great portion of this so-called Desert is
only land uncultivated, but capable of the highest degree of
cultivation;--all which might be effected by supplying any scarcity of
rain by irrigation.

We passed the kailah, or in Scripture phrase, "the heat of the day," at a
place called Aâeeat, below The Mountains, where we found two wells
without water, or with very little bad, dirty, nay, black water.
Nevertheless, many descended these wells, about thirty feet deep, to
bring up the muddy filthy water, and swallowed it immediately. I myself
was so thirsty, that I drank it greedily. Said had very severe thirst,
and I believe he drank in one of the last two days nearly a bucket and a
half of water. I finished two bottles of brandy, having diluted it with
large quantities of water. I believe this was the only thing which kept
me alive, the heat was so intense and prostrating in the day-time. I am
astonished to see these people descend into the wells with such facility.
I expected, on the contrary, to see them break their necks. They descend
by the sides, only assisted by their hands and feet, clinging to naked
stones, the interstices of which in some places not even allowing space
on which to rest the foot. Here again is hubbub and vociferation of the
wildest form, all sorts of quarrelling over this sewer-like water. I now,
for the first time in my life, experienced the real value of water, and
in these climates more clearly understood the vivid and frequent
allusions in the Holy Scriptures to this essential element of existence.
Mohammed went several miles in The Mountains, and returned with a skin of
fresh water. In his absence the torment of thirst prostrated me, and I
lay senseless on the ground:

    "The water! the water!
      My heart yet burns to think,
    How cool thy fountain sparkled forth,
      For parched lips to drink."

After the Kailah, we ascended that portion of the Tripoline chain of the
Atlas called Yefran. This chain has various names, according to its
different links, or groups, more properly, for the usual phenomena of the
Atlas are groups, pile upon pile. The following are some of the principal
names of this part of the Atlas, beginning east and proceeding west:
Gharian, Kiklah, Yefran or _Jibel_, ("Mountain," par excellence,)
Nouwaheeha, Khalaeefah, Reeaneen, Zantan, Rujban, Douweerat. All these
larger districts are divided into smaller ones, descending to very minute
subdivisions. Every dell, and copse, and glade, and brook, and stream,
and drain, (to use English nomenclature,) of these mountains, is defined,
and owned, and cultivated, as the most cultivated, divided, and
subdivided estate in England. It is quite ridiculous to look upon the
Atlas chains as so many vast uninhabited wastes. The French, whose forte
in colonization is blundering, rushed into the plateaus and groups of the
Atlas as into lands unowned and undefined, and were quite astonished to
hear of claimants for their newly acquired lands and farms. They imagined
that the plains of the Metidjah and the adjacent Atlas chain had lain
desolate since the Creation, or were only wandered over by savage hordes
of barbarians.

We found the ascent of Yefran difficult. The Arabs call all places
difficult of traverse, Wâr--‮وعر‬--whether applied to stony rocky
ground, sandy regions, or mountains. The camels in the ascent are timid,
and besides the evident fatigue which they experience, show great caution,
picking slowly their way with the greatest circumspection. Only a portion
of the ghafalah got up to-day. Some camels were labouring up the mountain
sides, others threw off their burdens and stood still. As our party was
always the advanced, we managed to get up soon. Beneath a huge old black
olive-tree, which seemed to have begun with Creation, but still as
vigorous as ever, we found a comfortable shade in a snug retired place.
It was cooler on the top of The Mountains, and I took a walk in the
evening to the Castle (Kesar) of Yefran, a most formidable thing to look
at from a distance, but a wretched mud-built place in reality. To the
Arabs, however, it is a terrible bulwark of strength, and for them
impregnable. Everything in the shape of a fort or a blockhouse, be it
ever so untenable or miserable, terrifies the Arabs. It is repeatedly
asserted that the Arabs of Algeria never took a blockhouse. An authentic
anecdote was recently related to me of a French civilian keeping a whole
tribe in check for two days, by fortifying his house and firing from
loop-holes which he made in its walls. Not so the Kabyles. Their genius
is defending their little forts, often constructed of loose stones, in
their mountain homes. Behind these and other forts of nature they
maintain for days an obstinate resistance, and pour deadly mitraille. The
Turkish soldiers were here lounging about; they gaped and stared at me. I
am, perhaps, the first European who has been to Yefran in the memory of
the present generation, nay, the first European Christian who has visited
this spot. The sun now set fiery red, and night was fast veiling The
Mountains with her sable curtain. I retired to my olive-tree, and under
its shade slept most profoundly. This was repose--this, sleep! I shall
never sleep in more profound slumbers until I sleep my last.

FOOTNOTES:

[11] Ghafalah, ‮قفله‬, is the ordinary term for a caravan in North
     Africa.




CHAPTER III.

FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO GHADAMES.

     Interview with the Commandant of The Mountains.--Military
     Position occupied by the Turks.--Subjugation of the Arabs.--My
     different Appellations.--Departure for, and arrival at, Rujban,
     native place of my Camel-driver.--Aspect of The
     Mountains.--Miserable condition of the Inhabitants.--Cruelty of
     the Tribute Collectors.--Marabouts exempt.--Curiosity of the
     Women to see The Christian.--Social Habits of the
     People.--Politics in The Mountains.--Visit from The
     Sheikh.--Various Conversations and Visitors.--Heat of the
     Weather.--The Sheikh offers to sell me his Authority.--Want of
     Rain.--Population.--The playing with the Head.--Pervading
     principle of Religion.--The Sheikh in a bad humour, and misery of
     Life in The Mountains.--Departure from The
     Mountains.--Description of the four days' journey from The
     Mountains to the Oasis of Senawan.--Dreadful sufferings from Heat
     and want of Sleep.--Provisions of the Caravan.--Stratagem to
     preserve Water.--Second Christening in The Desert.--Senawan and
     its group of Oases.--Resume our Journey.--Emjessem.--Met by a
     party of Friends from Ghadames.--Quarrel about Said.--First sight
     of Ghadames.


_7th._--WAS awaked by a young man, who said he had brought for "the
Consul of Ghadames" (myself) a brace of partridges, some milk, and
grapes, from the secretary of the Commandant. Drank a large basin of milk
and coffee, and went to pay a visit to the Commandant. Found all the
principal Ghadamsee merchants at the Castle, closeted in a small
apartment with the Commandant, Ahmed Effendi, talking over the affairs of
the ghafalah. At first I imagined this officer had brought them up from
Yefran to make them pay black-mail in various presents. But it was only
his vanity which dragged up the poor camels this fatiguing route, an
ascent of four hours. Our direct route to Ghadames would have been half a
day farther west. He said he had merely sent for the merchants to ask
them how they were, and give them his blessing. When I entered, a stool
was brought me to sit upon. The Rais[12] was seated on a raised bench
covered with an ottoman, and the merchants were squatted on their hams
upon the matting and carpets of the floor. Coffee was brought me, as to
most visitors. The Rais asked me where I was going? and what I was doing?
as if he knew nothing about me. I then had my palaver, and represented to
the Rais the case of taking by force water from the merchants, which took
him quite aback, and astonished all present, the merchants secretly
admiring the boldness of the remonstrance. But it was one of those
unpleasant duties which are absolutely necessary to be performed. In our
case it was necessary for our own health and the order and security of
the caravan. The Rais surprised and displeased, nevertheless gave strict
orders that it should not happen again. The merchants afterwards
expressed their thanks to me; seeing plainly also the advantage of having
one amongst them who was not immediately subject to the Pasha and his
soldiers. Besides, I hinted to the Rais it would be better if the
ghafalah marched more in order, and had a chief. This the Rais discussed
with the merchants, and it was considered advisable to adopt these common
sense measures, they, however, laughing heartily at my European ideas of
order. I then begged the Rais to persuade the people to travel by night,
as this was the hottest season in the year, and being a new traveller in
The Desert, I could scarcely support the heat. He replied it would be
better for all as we were not now likely to be molested with hostile
Arabs. Before separating, a marabout made a short prayer (the _fatah_)
for the safety of the caravan. This prayer, the first chapter of the
Koran, is never omitted on these occasions. Ahmed Effendi is a very smart
Turk, in the vigour of age and health, and has the character of being
very stringent in his administration. People call him "_kus_," or hard
and determined in disposition; but he is not ferocious, like the
Commander-in-Chief. His countenance betrayed a very active intelligence.
He said to me aside: "Now these people you are travelling with are
barbarians; you must humour their whims and respect their religion. If
they were not now present, we would have a bottle of wine together."

The garrison of Yefran contains some two or three hundred Turkish
soldiers, as also that of Gharian, besides Arab troops. The Arabs of
these districts are entirely subdued, their native courage apparently
dried up and extinct. This has been done chiefly by forced emigration or
extermination. The French acquired their _razzia_ system from the Turks
whom they found in possession of the government of Algiers, on the
conquest of that country; but they have improved on it, for a superior
intelligence imitating a bad system, will always increase its cruelty and
wickedness. We passed many villages depopulated, their humble dwellings
razed to the ground--the work of the ferocious Ahmed Bashaw, who came in
person to these mountains. A great deal of fighting had taken place near
the Castle, and there were the ruins of a very large village on one of
the neighbouring peaks. Yefran is a very strong position, and was hotly
contested by both parties. In all these mountain districts very few
inhabitants are seen, and the present cultivation is therefore
insignificant. The people are without money or stock, and have scarcely
anything to eat. The single advantage of Turkish rule here is, a large
military road cut from the plain to the summit, on which the fort stands,
but, of course, as a military road, it was not made specifically for the
improvement of the people. Certainly the Turks must show more civilized
and polite manners to the mountaineers, but the Arabs will not imitate
them, or, if anything they do imitate, as in the case of all subjected
nations in relation to their conquerors, it is the vices of their
masters. It is unfortunately much the same when the Turks imitate us
Christians.

Bought some meat cheap at Yefran, but my camel-driver afterwards stole
the greater part. The secretary of the Rais, Bou Asher, who knew the
Vice-consul of Fezzan, showed me some kindness, and sent me again milk,
which he said was the right of "The Consul." I had also received a nice
delicious little present of a melon from the Sheikh Makouran _en route_.
These were the first proofs of a friendly disposition of the natives
towards me, and were most thankfully appreciated. The people called me
_Taleb_ ("learned man"), or _Tabeeb_ ("doctor"), or Consul, or the
Christian, just as their caprice or information led them[13]. Here all
the merchants determined to stop a week, some going to one part of The
Mountains, and some to the other, to purchase oil, barley and _gurbahs_
("water-skins"). Many travellers, who had availed themselves of our
escort to The Mountains, here left us.

I left in the afternoon for the native country of my camel-driver, and
encamped for the night in The Mountains. Our party consisted only of the
camel-driver, Said, and myself, with three camels. I must say I felt
rather queer knocking about in The Mountains, almost alone.

_8th._--Rose early, and pursued our way. The air of this elevated region
invigorated my mind and body; and so by a mishap I took no coffee before
starting. Passed the kailah under a group of olive trees, called "The
Sisters[14]," where also flocks of sheep and shepherds were dosing and
reposing under the shade. We exchanged biscuits for milk. The shepherds
were giving their dogs to drink, and made me wait until they had drunk
their fill, thinking no doubt that their dogs were as good as "a
Christian dog," (the ordinary epithet of abuse applied by Mussulmans to
Christians). I had my revenge, for when I had drank my milk, I took good
care to give them only a fair and exact return of biscuits, which made
them ask for more, but which I refused. Started again, and did not arrive
at Mohammed's village, in the district of Rujban, till after midnight. It
was a most wearisome ride. I kept asking Mohammed, "how far the village
was off?" He would say, "Now three hours;" in two hours after, it was
still "three hours;" in two hours after that, it was still "two hours and
a half;" it was "near" when it was six hours before we arrived; it was
"close by us," three hours before we arrived, &c. &c. But an Arab will
often tell you a place is just under your nose when it is at a day's
journey distant, pointing to it as if he saw it within a musket-shot. I
was highly exasperated at Mohammed, because we had delayed to eat
anything all day long, upon his representing to me that we should arrive
an hour after sunset. But the milk acted like a purgative, and was
perhaps advantageous. No people were seen in The Mountains, and very
little cultivation. There were a few modern antiquities, chiefly the
stones of Moorish forts and castles. Many villages in ruins, destroyed in
the late wars. And Mohammed, like a thoughtless idiot, ridiculed the rude
desolations of his brethren, exulting and calling out to me to see "the
cooking places." Many parts had the geological features of the Sahel, or
hilly country in the neighbourhood of the city of Algiers. The air was
pure and cool. But though it was calm this day and the evening, a sudden
tempest got up after midnight. I was lying on the bare ground rolled in a
blanket, when the wind tore it from off me, and I was obliged to retreat
to a hovel. I am told these tempests are frequent in The Mountains, no
doubt arising from the intense heat rarefying the air.

_9th._--Slept the greater part of this day to recover from the fatigue of
the preceding days. Do not suffer much, and am surprised I do not suffer
more. Asked Mohammed for the quarter of sheep purchased at Yefran, and
taxed him with stealing it: told him I would give him no backsheesh on
arriving at Ghadames. He had stolen the meat to make a feast for his
friends on his arrival, and afterwards brought me a piece of my own meat
cooked as his own, but which I refused. This is a fine illustration of
being generous at another person's expense. In the evening went to see
Rujban. There are seven villages forming the district of Rujban. These
consist of so many mud and stone buildings, but some of the houses are
excavations out of the solid rock, the principal object being protection
from the fiery summer heat, and the intense winter cold. Many of the
houses have a yard before them, which is walled round, and three or four
are mostly clustered together. Sometimes excavations are made in a pit or
hollow found on high ground, and then a subterraneous passage leading to
them is excavated from the mountain sides: these are reckoned very
secure. From the heights where I write, there is a boundless view of the
plain and undulating ground which lie between the Mediterranean and this
Atlas chain. The Arabs call it their sea, and it certainly looks like a
sea from these heights. A marabout sanctuary and garden at the base of
the mountains, is called their port. There is frequently a freshness
rising from the subjected plain like that of the sea. The camels, they
say, are their ships. There are besides some pretty views in and over the
Atlas valleys, where you overlook the small scattered oasisian spots of
cultivation, with here and there a palm and little groups of inclosed
fig-trees. Then again, there are heights crowned with olive-woods, as if
The Mountains had put on a black scull-cap. Some of the precipices are
so profound, as to deserve the epithet of "horrid." In different parts of
these heights are flights of natural steps, by which they are ascended,
and which seem to have received some finish from Arabian ingenuity.

In spite of the freshness and coolness of mountain air, it has been very
hot these last two days. On the plains, the people say the heat is now
overpowering.

There is scarcely any natural produce about. A few sheep and goats, a
camel or two, and a few asses, are all the animals I have seen. The
fig-trees produce something, but I have seen no prickly-pears, which
support many poor families on The Coast, during several months every
year. The olive plantations are the principal resource of these poor
mountaineers, which are also a sensible relief for the eye on these bare
heights. In the houses there is hardly anything to be got. No pepper, no
onions, no meat killed or sold. No bread can be obtained for love or
money. I laid in a stock of fresh bread in Tripoli for a fortnight, but
my gluttonous camel driver devoured all in three or four days! There were
no less than fifty twopenny loaves. He was accustomed to eat in the
night, when I was asleep, and used to threaten to beat Said if he
blabbed. I mentioned the circumstance after, to the Rais of Ghadames, who
observed: "If you had brought a thousand loaves, all would have been
devoured."

Notwithstanding this abject poverty, a bullying tax-gatherer, with half a
dozen louting soldiers, have been up here prowling about, and wresting
with violence the means of supporting life from these miserable beings.
The scenes which I witness are heart-rending, beyond all I have heard of
Irish misery and rent-distraining bullies. One man had his camel seized,
the only support of his family; another his bullock; another a few
bushels of barley: the houses were entered, searched, and ransacked;
people were dragged by the throat through the villages, and beaten with
sticks; and all because the poor wretches had no money to meet the
demands of these voracious bailiffs. Poverty is, indeed, here a crime.
One poor old woman had a few bad unripe figs seized, and came to me, and
a group of wretched villagers, crying out bitterly. One or two men, who
were imagined to have something, though they had nothing, were held by
the throat until they were nearly suffocated. I cursed over and over
again in my heart the Turks. I was not prepared for such scenes of
cruelty in these remote mountains. We shall find, that amongst the
so-called barbarians of The Desert there was nothing equal in atrocity to
this. What wonder that the Arab prefers, if he can, to pasture his flocks
on savage and remote wastes to being subjected to these regular
Governments--of extortion! And yet we, in our ignorance of what is here
going on, are surprised at their preference. If the people are not ready
with their money, the little barley, their winter's store, is seized, and
they must pay afterwards their usual quotas of money. Several bags of
barley are illegally gotten in this way. The amount of tax or tribute for
the whole district of Rujban is five or six hundred mahboubs, which is
paid in three instalments, three times a year; but, which though nothing
in amount, is more than all the people are worth together, for riches and
poverty are relative possessions, if the latter can be possessed. If they
can't pay in money they pay in kind. The Sheikh of the district, with
the elders, determine how much each man and family shall pay. This, of
course, gives rise to ten thousand disputes, heart-burnings, and eternal
wranglings amongst themselves. The Arabs, on these occasions, however
silent and sulky they may be on others, show that they have the gift of
speech, as well as Frenchmen and Italians. Then, indeed, God's thunder
can't be heard. Marabouts do not pay these taxes. This is a privilege of
religion, which successfully exerts itself against the oppressive arm of
the civil power. Such privilege has been enjoyed in all ages and
countries. My camel-driver is a Marabout, and is consequently exempt. I
rallied him upon his privilege, and he replied: "The villains are afraid
to come here; see my flag-staff and green flag, they dare not come over
my threshold--God would strike them down!" It is impossible to tell how
much of the five hundred mahboubs gets into the treasury of Government,
but, I am told, a good portion gets into the pockets of the officials.
The whole administration of The Mountains, and the Saharan oases of
Tripoli, is conducted on the same principles of finance and extortion.

I am lodged in the house of my camel-driver. The women show the greatest
curiosity to see me, and declare that I am more beautiful (_bahea_) than
they. They wonderingly admire everything I have. The greater part of
these women never left their mountain-homes--never saw a Christian or
European before--and this is the reason of their surprise at my
appearance. The children, of course, are equally astonished, but are too
frightened to reflect steadily on an European. Both the women and men say
it is _maktoub_, ("predestination") which has brought me amongst them,
and they are right. These poor people are very civil to me. In my quality
of tabeeb they consult me. The prevailing disease is sore eyes. Two
children were brought to me, a girl with a dropsy of a year's standing,
and a boy with only one testiculum, for neither of which did I prescribe.
The employment of the men is camel-driving between Tripoli and Ghadames.
Agriculture, there is scarcely any. The women weave barracans or holees
for their husbands, themselves, and children, and for sale. They are
mostly dirty, and ill-clothed. The men have but a single barracan to
cover them, one or two may have a shirt; the children are nearly naked;
and the women wear a woollen frock, charms round their necks, armlets,
and anclets, sometimes throwing a slight barracan or sefsar round their
heads and shoulders. I observed, however, that often women wear great
leather boots, made of red leather or camel's skin. None of them were
pretty, but some were fine-looking, with aquiline noses, and rolling
about their large, black, gazelle-like eyes.

_10th._--Spent the day in writing notes. Expect to remain three more
days. I am, however, comfortably sheltered from the heat, which has been
to-day excessive. Mohammed, my camel-driver, is useful to me as a writer
of Arabic, giving me the names of places in Arabic. But he knows nothing
of Arabic grammar, and writes very poorly, like most of these Marabouts,
although he passes for being a very learned man. He purchased some old
dirty leaves of an Arabic book, and exhibited them to the people as
sacred works. The Sheikhs of Rujban and all the great people of the
villages came to stare at them. They were shocked at my presumption in
wishing to handle these sacred leaves, which were a portion of a
commentary on the Koran. My Marabout is the Katab, or writer of the
village, there being only another who can write here besides himself, and
who writes very badly. Mohammed, though a saint and a writer, is an
enormous hog, and dishonest, when he can be so with safety. He has begun
badly, but may turn out better. Said is not of much use yet; he is very
stupid, but not malicious. I must make the best of both, and of every
body and everything in my present circumstances, conciliating always
wherever I can, and passing by all offences. If I can't do this, I may go
back. I cannot finish these trifling memoranda to-day, without expressing
my thankfulness to a good Providence, that I enjoy good health and
spirits up to this time, and there is every appearance of my arriving
safely in Ghadames. "All is from God!" (_Men ând Allah El-koul_, as the
people say.)

_11th._--Yesterday evening conversed with the Arab villagers, and asked
them if the soldiers of the Government were gone, _i. e._, the collectors
of the tribute. They replied, "Yes, thank God, and may they never return!
The curse of God upon them!" They then asked me, if the people were
treated so by our Government. I observed to them, "Not always. But that
sometimes the British Government sorely oppressed the people, as all the
Governments of Europe; and I was often tempted to think that there were
only two classes of people in the world, the oppressing and the
oppressed, (_i. e._, the eaters and the eaten)." To which latter remark
they all answered with a loud "Amen," and swore it was the truth. They
then asked me, "If the English were coming to Tripoli?" I told them,
"No," for the English had now more countries than they knew what to do
with. Surprised at this remark, they continued, "What are the French
vessels doing at Tripoli?" (There were then a French steamer and a brig
at this time.) I told them to keep away the Turks from attacking Tunis.
They were anxious to know if the French would come to Tripoli. I
answered, I thought not, as they had enough of Algeria. "We hope (_en
shallah_,)" said they, "the English are our friends." I replied they
were, but, being friends of the Sultan of Constantinople, they would not
take possession of Tripoli. The fact was, these poor people were just
smarting under the oppressive acts of the Turkish tax-gatherers, and they
would then have sold their country to the first comer for an old song,
were the buyer Christian, Jew, or Pagan. But I have always found the
Arabs fond of talking of politics; it seems instinctive in their
character; and it is astonishing how much policy is always going on
amongst their tribes, and how intricate are the various negotiations of
the Sheikhs. I asked them "If they had any arms?" To which they replied,
"No, none whatever; the Turks have taken them all away." And so these
once formidable mountaineers have not only lost all spirit and courage,
but have not even arms to defend themselves against the most petty
annoyances. Robberies of the small kind are frequent about the
neighbourhood, and the people are often obliged to gather their figs
before they are ripe, lest they should be stolen. At other times they
display great impatience of the seasons, and gather the fruit before
ripe. Those who steal provisions are poor famished devils, having
nothing to eat. There is no poor-law here. It is simply a question of
theft or starvation to death. This is the alternative of Arab life in
many parts of these mountains.

This morning received a visit from the Sheikh of Rujban, Bel Kasem by
name[15], and his head-servant, or factotum. I made them the best coffee
I could, putting into it plenty of sugar. The Arabs are curious people;
they like things either very bitter or very sweet. Their eyes sparkled
with satisfaction; they had never tasted coffee before like it, and were
rejoiced--"Tripoli always belongs to the English!" Speaking of the
Marabouts, and alluding to my Mohammed, the Sheikh said, "These fellows
pray God and rob men." "Mohammed," he added, "is a rogue, he pays
nothing, and I am obliged to eat up all the people to make up the amount
for the Bashaw." It is curious to observe everywhere this eternal contest
between the civil and spiritual power. To pacify him, I told him
Christian priests were many of them as bad as Marabouts (and which is
quite within the mark). The Sheikh and his men had very white teeth. I
observe nearly all the Arab men and women, as well as the negroes, to
have extremely white teeth. This has never been medically accounted for;
I believe it arises from the simplicity of the food they eat. Some
Tunisian Arabs have reported that large bodies of troops are being
concentrated at the Isle of Jerbah, in expectation of the Turks. The
trading Arabs are the gazettes of North Africa.

Said's feet are very sore, arising from Mohammed refusing to allow him to
ride. I was obliged to tell him, at last, that, unless he permitted him
to ride, Said should not help him to load the camels. This had some
effect, and he allowed Said to ride an hour or two before reaching here.
This Marabout is, indeed, a cruel, selfish fellow. He also pretends to be
very jealous, and will not allow any person, much less a Christian, to
see his wife. He won't allow me to present her a cup of coffee. But I
found out the reason; the rascal wished to carry it himself, and drink
half of it on the way. Afterwards his wife told me herself the reason. An
indiscreet conjugal disclosure this: but such is the character of the
man.

An old blind man is calling on me. He tells me his country is my country,
and his people my brothers and sisters. He prays God to bless me and
preserve me. How soft and gentle--how full of good-will and patience--are
the manners of the blind in all countries! Full fed flesh and the
prosperous are proud and cruel, those stricken with infirmity and misery
show the milk of human kindness. This poor old gentleman prays all the
day long. Prayer is his daily bread. The Arabs ask me if Said is my
slave. I tell them the English have no slaves, and that it is against
their religion, but that some other Christian nations have slaves. They
are greatly astonished that slavery is not permitted amongst us. The
women of the village continue to visit me as an object of curiosity. They
never saw a Christian before. They are always declaring me "bahea,"
handsome, of which compliment I am, indeed, very sensible.

This evening, however, the women of our two or three huts, and their
neighbours, played me an indecent trick, with, of course, a mercenary
object. Although the Barbary dance is rare amongst the Arab women, they
can have recourse to it at times to suit their objects. The men were gone
to bring the camels, and the women sent Said after them on some frivolous
message. Four of the women now came into my apartment, and taking hold of
hands, formed a circle round me. They then began dancing, or rather
making certain indecent motions of the body, known to travellers in North
Africa. At once nearly smothered and overpowered, I could scarcely get
out of the circle, and pushed them back with great difficulty. At this
they were astonished, and wondered all men, Christians and Mussulmans,
did not like such delicate condescension on their part. "Don't you like
it, infidel?" they cried, and retreated from my room. I now saw their
object. They began begging for money vehemently, saying, "Pay, pay, every
body pays for this." Nothing they got from me; and the wife of the
Marabout came afterwards, imploring me to say nothing to her husband. It
is thus these rude women will act for money, as many who are better
taught, in the streets of London. But acts of indelicacy are nevertheless
very rare amongst the mountain tribes. I have seen Arab women at other
occasions, on a cold day, standing athwart a smoking fire, with all the
smoke ascending under their clothes. This may be expected, and is
characteristic of the filthy habits of these wretched mountaineers. But
cases of adultery are unknown amongst these simple people.

_12th._--A beautiful Arab girl, a perfect mountain gazelle, came with her
mother to consult me about her eyes, being near-sighted. Recommended her
to apply to Dr. Dickson, if she ever went to Tripoli; and wrote her a
note to him. Many other people came for medicines. Went to see an old man
whose eyes were bad with ophthalmia. I gave him some solution to wash his
eyes, and he gave me in turn a jar of new milk. Something was said about
olive-oil, and I asked where we could get some. They said there was none
in Rujban. The lady of my host thinking me incredulous, pulled her gray
grisly hair, and exhibited its crispness and dryness, observing, "See,
where's the oil?" Of course such an argument was conclusive that they had
no oil in the house.

The villagers, in this season, do absolutely nothing, unless it be sleep
all day long. The fact is, it is awfully hot, from early morn to evening
late, and they have little to do. All that they have to do, many of them
do with apparent dispatch. At the dawn of day the wind is so strong, one
cannot enjoy an hour of the morning's freshness; and, in the evening, the
sultry ghiblee is equally disagreeable. I scarcely go out of my room the
whole day. Begin to recover my Arabic. Many times I have begun and
re-begun this difficult language. But there is no remedy. I must work,
and work brings some pleasure, at least destroys ennui and kills time.
However little time we have, we wish it less.

The Arabs ask me, "Why the Christian priests have no wives?" The
Mohammedans and Catholics go to extremes in their ideas of separating or
connecting women with religion and sanctity. The Mohammedans think a
saint or marabout cannot have too many women or wives, which, they say,
assist their devotion--a sentiment which they pretend to have received
from Mahomet himself by tradition. The fact is, the prophet was very fond
of women. The Catholics would seem to think a priest better with
absolutely no wife. This is a mere struggle between sensuality and
asceticism. There is no love or affection in it. I showed Mohammed an
empty bottle. He took a piece of paper and wrote: "The bottle is empty of
wine, God fill it again." Such is Arab marabout literature.

_13th._--Elhamdullah! The wind has changed, the furnace breath of the
ghiblee is gone out! We have now a pleasant breeze from N.W., the bahree,
as the Arabs call it. We can now go out any time; before we were
prisoners the live-long day. Mohammed, who pretends to all sciences,
says: "There are three modes of cure--"1st, Blood-letting; "2nd, Fire and
burning; "3rd, The word of God."

He made this observation in applying verses of the Koran to the eyes of
his wife's sister, which he said were more efficacious than all my
physic. Some of these bits of paper, with the name of God written on
them, were steeped in water and swallowed by the patient. This
superstition of swallowing bits of paper, with the name of God and verses
of the Koran written on them, as well as the water in which the paper is
steeped, is prevalent as an infallible remedy in all Mahometan Africa.
Marabouts are all powerful in The Mountains; and a woman, pointing to her
child, said to me:--"That boy is the child of a Marabout. I never allow
another man to sleep with me." Nevertheless, the women still display
intense curiosity in seeing "The Christian," and will declare, "By G--d,
you are beautiful, more handsome than our men." They admire the most
trifling thing I have, and add, "God alone brought you amongst us." Their
language, though indelicate to us, is not so to them. It is the
undisguised speech of a rude people.

Went this morning to see El-Beer, or "the well," the real fountain of
life in these countries. Was much pleased with the visit; and found it at
the bottom of a deep ravine, bubbling out from beneath the shade of palms
and olives, amidst wild scenery of rugged steeps and hanging rocks. There
are indeed, four springs, but all apparently from the same source. They
are not deep, and have near them troughs for watering sheep, goats,
cattle, and camels. These wells furnish water for two mountain districts.
The water is of the purest quality, clear as crystal, aye, clear as--

          "Siloa's brook that flow'd
    Fast by the oracle of God."

The road to them is very difficult, over rattling, rumbling stones, and
rocks, and precipices, and it is hard work for the poor women who fetch
the water, for the wells are distant nearly three miles from our village.

The Sheikh came to my Mohammed, asking him to write to Tripoli, to
collect the money due to the Bashaw from certain people of this country,
who are now working in that city. They look sharp after these poor
wretches. Amuse myself with washing my handkerchiefs and towels, and
mending my clothes. I also always cook and do as much for myself as I
possibly can. Besides doing things as I like, it amuses me. Bought
another skin-bag for water, and shall now distribute the three amongst
us, and each shall drink his own water during the four days of our route,
where no water is to be found. This will prevent wrangling on the way,
and make each person more careful of this grand element of life in The
Desert. Mohammed put a little oil in the skin before filling it, to
prevent it from cracking. This gives the water an oily taste for weeks
afterwards, but we get used to it, and are glad of water with any taste.

His Excellency the Sheikh got very facetious to-day. He offered to sell
me his authority, his Sheikhdom, and retire from affairs. I bid one
thousand dollars for the concern. "No, no," said he, "I'll take ten
thousand dollars, nothing less." Then, getting very familiar, he added,
"Now, you and I are equal, you're Consul and I'm Sheikh--you're the son
of your Sultan, and I'm a commander under the Sultan of Stamboul." The
report of my being a Consul of a remote oasis of The Sahara was just as
good to me on the present occasion as if I had Her Majesty's commission
for the Consular Affairs of all North Africa. Who will say, then, there
is nothing in a name? A tourist in Africa should always take advantage of
these little rumours, provided they are innocent. But the traveller more
frequently has to encounter rumours to his disadvantage. Many visitors,
men, women, and children--some brought milk, others figs and soap. Soap
is considered a luxury in all the interior cities, and people will beg
soap though never use it, but keep it as a sort of treasure. Fig and
olive trees abound in the mountains, but for want of rain have produced
nothing this year. So of most other vegetables products. Goats only are
in abundance, of animals. The ordinary food of the people is bazeen, a
sort of boiled flour pudding, with a little high-seasoned herbal sauce,
and sometimes a little oil or mutton fat poured on. It is generally made
of barley-meal, but sometimes flour. This is the supper and principal
meal of the day. As a breakfast, a little milk is drank, or a few dates
with a bit of bread is eaten. The rule of these mountaineers is, indeed,
not to eat meat, though some of them have flocks of sheep.

_14th._--His Excellency the Sheikh roused me from my bed this morning. He
said he could not sleep, and therefore I ought not to sleep. According to
his Excellency, Rujban contains 500 souls, all in misery and starvation.
"The country is _batel_ (good for nothing)," he says. It is certain the
greater part of the people have not enough to eat, or half the quantity
of what is considered ordinarily sufficient. In the neighbouring
districts, S.W., there are 1,500 souls. Ahmed Bashaw destroyed the
greater part of the inhabitants of these mountains, and disarmed the
rest, leaving not a single matchlock amongst them. Such are the Turkish
ideas of mountain rule--absolute submission or extermination!

This morning is cool and temperate. Every day continue to administer
solution for ophthalmia, and even those whose eyes are quite well, will
have a drop of it put on their eyes. They say it will prevent them, after
I am gone, from having the malady. Everybody begs a bit of sugar, a
little bread, a scrap of paper, a something from the Christian. Content
all as well as I can.

This evening saw, for the first time "the playing with the head," which
is performed by females. This was done by a young girl. After baring her
head and unbinding her hair, throwing her long dark tresses in
dishevelled confusion, she knelt down and began moving her chest and head
in various attitudes, her whole soul being apparently in the motion. Part
of her hair she held fast in her teeth, as if modestly to cover her face,
the rest flew wildly about with the agitation of her head and chest, and
all to the tune or time of two pieces of stick, one beating on the other,
by the woman upon whose knees she leaned with her hands. The motion was
really graceful, though wild and dervish-like, but there was nothing
lascivious in it, like the dancing of the Moors, nor could it well be,
the upper part of the body only was in agitation, being literally "the
playing with the head." I never saw this before or again in North Africa.
I gave the young lady twenty paras, the first time she had so large a sum
in her life. Received a present of leghma from the Sheikh, very acrid and
intoxicating. The women admire much my straw hat, made of fine Leghorn
plat, and wonder how it is done. None of the inhabitants but our Marabout
read and write. Portions of the Koran, however, are committed to memory;
and one day an old blind man repeated several chapters of the Koran for
my especial edification. He did it as a protest of zeal against my
infidelity before the people, but I took care not to show that I was
aware of the object. The men pray now and then, the women never, that I
could see, and never think of religion beyond ascribing all things, good
and bad, to God. Indeed, all classes in these mountains think the sum of
religion consists simply in ascribing all matters, how great or how
small, how evil how good soever, to the Divine Being. When they have done
this, they think they have performed an act of piety and mercy. At my
request, Mohammed made Said a pair of camel-driver's shoes, or sandals,
to save his best. The plan is primitive enough. They get a piece of dried
camel's hide, and cut it into the shape of the sole of the foot. Then
they cut two thongs from the same hide. Holes are now bored through the
soles, a knot is made at the end of the thongs, and they are pulled
through the holes. The whole is then rubbed over with oil; the hairy side
of the hide is fitted next to the foot, and the thongs are bound round
the ancles. These sandals serve admirably well their purpose; some are
made of double soles. But for the especial benefit of our cordwainers, I
may mention, the African shoe has no heel to the sole.

_15th._--His Excellency the Sheikh, and his factotum, or shadow, took
coffee again with me this morning. A cup of coffee is a rare treat in
Rujban. The Shadow of his Excellency brought me a few bad Fezzan dates,
from which oases The Mountains are mostly supplied. Dates are not
cultivated in The Mountains. The palm requires a low and flat sandy soil.
The climate is not of so much consequence as the soil. Jerbah, and the
Karkenahs, islands in the Mediterranean, produce as fine dates as the
most favoured oasis of The Sahara. The Sheikh tells me there are thirty
negro slaves in his district. One would wonder how the people could keep
slaves when they can scarcely keep themselves. His Excellency is very
sulky. He threatens to resign his Sheikhdom. The poor Sheikh is the
dirtiest, unhappiest mortal of all his people. He is without wife, family
or friend; he is without a rag to cover himself, except a filthy
blanket. He houses in a little dirty cabin. In looks he is a hard
strong-featured man, and large of limb. I asked his Excellency what he
got by his Sheikhdom, to plague him. He growled, "_Shayen_ (nothing)."
"Why don't you resign?" I continued. "I can't; all my ancestors, from the
time of Sidi Ibraim, and our lord Mahomet, were Sheikhs. We're one blood.
I shall dishonour them:" he returned. The principle of aristocracy is
irradicably bound up in the Arabian social economy. The levelling and
co-operative system has no place here. The Sheikh's factotum is a noisy,
roguish-looking Arab, with several bullet-marks about him received in the
late wars. As he does all his master's dirty work, he is universally
detested. Master and man swear the country is ruined. There certainly is
nothing in these villages to render life tolerable. No rustic plays; no
moon-lit dance to the sound of the rude calabash drum and squeaking pipe;
no cheerful family circle--all is poverty and loneliness! Such a life is
really not worth living. To make wretchedness still more wretched, for
three years there has been no rain in these mountains. God's power and
man's cruelty press sorely upon these miserable people.

The curiosity of the villagers begins to abate, or my Mohammed refuses
them admission into his house to see me. He pretends to be honest in his
opinion of his countrymen. He says: "The Arabs are all dogs (_kelab_)."
They certainly have most begging propensities. And Mohammed adds, that
when they have sufficient they will still beg, being born beggars. But,
alas! these poor people, I am sure, never know now what it is to have
enough. Yesterday some audacious thief stole the Sheikh's leghma. His
factotum is foaming with rage, but the Sheikh laughed heartily at the
impudence of the thief. His Excellency is accustomed to send me some
every morning. I shall here relate a case or trait of selfishness amongst
Arab women. I gave to the wife of the Marabout half a bottle of solution
for washing her eyes should she be attacked with ophthalmia. Her
sister-in-law, living next door, was laid up in a dark room with a
dreadful ophthalmia. She sent her husband to beg a little of the
solution. The Marabout's wife first denied that she had any, and then
that she could find it. When I came from my walk, I scolded her soundly
and gave the poor sufferer some solution.

The Marabout seeing my little stock of oil, burst forth with a violent
panegyric on olive oil, as he dipped his fingers into it and licked them,
not much to my satisfaction:--"Oil is my life! Without oil I droop, and
am out of life; with oil, I raise my head and am a man, and my family
(wife) feels I am a man. Oil is my rum--oil is better than meat." So
continued Mohammed, tossing up his head and smacking his lips. I have no
doubt there is great strength in olive oil. An Arab will live three
months on barley-meal paste dipped in olive oil. Arabs will drink oil as
we drink wine.

_16th._--This morning we leave for Ghadames. What is remarkable, nearly
all the Mountaineers offered me their services, and were willing to leave
their native homes, and go with me any where or everywhere. I hardly
observed a spark of fanaticism in them, so far as accompanying me was
concerned. They were all actuated with the common and universal feeling,
to obtain something to live withal in this poor world.

I have endeavoured to give some minutiæ of Arab mountain life. It will be
seen to be not very stirring or agreeable, and there is certainly no
romance in it, but, such as it is, I offer it to the reader, and he must
make the best of the information. Life is life under any and all forms.

From Tripoli to The Mountains our route was southwest, so that we were
not so far from the coast as at first might be imagined, from the number
of days' journey, and we were still within the influence of some cool sea
breezes, for any point almost between west and northeast, brought
reviving life to The Mountains, in this terrible season of heat.

My journey seemed now to begin again, I felt a sickening regret, even in
leaving my new Arab acquaintances. But the oppression which ground down
to the dust these poor people filled my mind with the horror of despotic
government. I was glad to get away from its victims, and from under the
sphere of its influence, and plunge into the wild wastes of The Sahara,
where I could breathe more freely. I must relate one other anecdote
illustrating this oppression. A poor man sold me a peck of barley. The
myrmidons of power, hearing of the sale, immediately went to him, and he
refusing to give them the money, they got hold of his throat and nearly
strangled him. To make them desist, I paid them also the value of the
barley. Several of the poor people ran out after me when I mounted the
camel, and amongst them many women and children, all crying out
"_Bes-slamah, bes-slamah_," (Good-bye, good-bye). We now entered upon the
most difficult, and the most critical part of our route in this season,
and I commended myself and the people again to Eternal Providence.

_20th._--Seenawan. I find it impossible to write daily in this part of
the route.

I have seen lately in the newspapers and geographical journals, that a
Frenchman is going to traverse Africa from west to east, and that he is
to make hourly observations with scientific instruments. I think the
parties who write such paragraphs must be either madmen, or grossly and
unpardonably ignorant of the nature of African travelling. If a traveller
is in his sober senses, half the time he is _en route_, he is a happy
man. But to proceed.

Our first object was to find the rendezvous of the ghafalah. I said to
Mohammed: "Are you sure the ghafalah is on the march to-day?" "The
ghafalah is like the sun," he replied, "every body knows it will move
to-day." About four hours after looking over the undulating ground, I
thought I saw at about six miles distant some black spots moving, and
turning to Mohammed, I said, "What's that?" He exclaimed, "The camels!
the camels! I told you I was right, and don't you see I have struck into
the right path?" I was glad to hear this, for I was not yet sufficiently
broken in to desert travelling to be wandering about as we were in search
of moving parties of the ghafalah. An hour after I took off the shade
from my eyes, for I had still a slight ophthalmia, and looking round, I
found we were in the midst of detached parties of the ghafalah, widely
apart, but all hurrying in one direction. We were not near enough (indeed
some miles off) to have any conversation with them. By noon we had all
rendezvoused upon a pleasant plateau of The Mountains. The merchants
welcomed my return, and asked me what I had been doing. I said, "We have
delayed too long." They smiled:--"Oh, you don't understand; you see we
have one day for buying oil, another day for barley, another for skins,
another for doing nothing," &c. It appeared to me a bungling way of doing
business. But some of them had been obliged to go a day's journey to
purchase a few things. The ghafalah had, in fact, been scattered all over
The Mountains. A few never left Yefran. This was my first taste of delay
in Saharan travel.

We began our four days' journey in the evening, and continued all night
up to two hours before sunrise. The camels then rested but were not
unpacked. All the people now got a few winks of sleep. At dawn we started
again, and halted for the day after two hours and a half of marching. In
the afternoon, about half-past four, we then resumed our march, and in
this manner we continued for the four days. Our pace was upon an average
three miles per hour, sometimes two and a half, and sometimes three and a
half. On looking at the camel you think it goes slow, but when you look
at the driver, you observe that he is often kept up to a very good
walking pace. Our camels were five days without drinking, for they drank
the morning before we left.

I was once going to write, "the Arabs pack their camels as badly as
possible; make their journeys as long as possible; travel as much in the
sun as possible[16];" but these last four days have convinced me that,
under the guidance of a good Arab chief, they know what they are about,
and can do things with order and dispatch.

I don't know how it was, but it came into my head that, on leaving The
Mountains, and proceeding south, we should soon descend again, as if we
were to cross some mighty ridge or series of ridges of the Atlas. Every
moment I expected to descend into valleys or plains, corresponding to the
country which lies between Tripoli and The Mountains. Getting impatient,
after nearly a day's march, I asked for the plains. The people turned
upon me with surprise, and said:--"_Lel Ghadames, koul hathe souwa,
souwa_, All like this to Gadmes." I found, indeed, that, after getting
fairly into The Mountains, and proceeding south, you first entered upon a
deep undulating country, with here and there a profound ravine, then a
pretty verdant inclosed plateau, and then a bare towering height, all
which _accidented_ country dissolved at last into an immeasurable plain.
Proceeding south, however, we found a new species of mountains began to
raise their long, lone, dull, dreary naked forms; and, asking Mohammed
what they were, he replied correctly enough:--"These are _Gibel Sahara_,
(Saharan Mountains)." The plateaus and undulating ground were in places
covered with loose stones, with sand and sand-hills scattered or heaped
about. Then these stones and sand were partly covered at this season with
sun-dried and sun-burnt herbage, mostly very coarse, with here and there
a few bushes and shrubs. Many also were the dried beds of rivers, and
there were still wider and profounder depressions of land than these
waterless wadys. But all is now burnt, scorched, dried up, and the
nakedness of the Saharan ridges is responded to with a hideous barrenness
from the intervening plains and valleys. Not a single living creature was
visible or moving; not a wild or tame animal, not a bird nor an insect,
if we except a tiny lizard, which seems to live as a salamander in heat
and flames, now and then crossing our path at the camel's foot, and a few
flies, which follow the ghafalah, but have no home or habitation in The
Dried-up Waste. Nor was there a sound, nor a voice, or a cry, or the
faintest murmur in The Desert, save the heavy dull tramp of our caravan:
all else was the silence of death! However, my Marabout tells me, in the
winter the whole scene is changed. "There is then," he says, "herbage,
rain, birds, gazelles, and all things." It is certain that within nine
hours' ride from Rujban we passed the stubble of two or three patches of
barley, which had been rescued from the dominion of The Desert.

As to myself, personally, in this part of the route, I have suffered most
from want of sleep. In the day-time it was too hot to sleep, and in the
night I was on the back of the camel, where, of course, for the present,
I could not be expected to sleep, though many of the Arabs, nay,
merchants slept. I should say all slept on the camel as soundly as in a
bed. So that what I saved of suffering from the heat of day-travelling, I
lost in want of sleep by night-travelling. Poor human brute! I thought of
the fable of the ass and his winter and summer advantages and
disadvantages. The hottest day was yesterday, last of the four, when we
encamped in a dry bed of a river. I shall never forget that day, forget
what I may else! I was first on the point of being suffocated, and seemed
at my last gasp. I began to think that the predictions of my _friends_ in
Tripoli were about to be verified. I was to succumb to make them
prophets! In addition to this my deep distress, I felt the wound of
pride. I got some tea made, I can't tell how, and poured some brandy
into it. This I drank, and from a fever of delirium found myself
conscious again, and swimming in a bath of perspiration. The crisis was
now passed, and I was to see Ghadames and Ghat, and return to my
fatherland. So fate--rather Providence--would have it. Every day, until I
reached Ghadames, there was a sort of point of halting between life and
suffocation or death in my poor frame, when the European nature struggled
boldly and successfully with the African sun, and all his accumulated
force darting down fires and flames upon my devoted head. After this
point or crisis was past, I always found myself much better. It is
strange that my head never ached, nor was in any way affected during the
whole route, except in the one day mentioned. Some and all have vainly
invoked sleep upon a bed, in the time of darkness and cold, but those who
call for the god in the African Desert, in midday of the hottest season
of the year--and to the last moment of starting with a long, long night
of travel before them--as they lay rolling on the burning sand, and he
disdains to shed his dull influence over the eyelid, know, indeed,
something of this kind of human suffering, and how dreadfully long and
dreary were those nights! What signified the sight of the ten thousand
orbs moving in silent mystic dance, and dressed out in soft bright fires,
over the poor traveller's head! Alas! it was a mockery of his woes. . . .
Four days and four nights were thus passed, without four hours of sleep.
I often wonder if I could go through this again. I had an additional
suffering of the eyes. I never took the veil from my face from sunrise to
sunset, for had I done so, I should have had the hot sand immediately
into them. We had ghiblee or simoon every day. But, thanks to Heaven, now
ends the greatest of my sufferings from heat.

We were escorted by sixty Arab troops on foot, like those who
escorted us from Tripoli to The Mountains. The Pasha mostly chooses
them from districts through which we pass, and in this way secures a
guard well acquainted with the route. But how odd, before the Turks,
in the good old days of The Bashaws, these very Arabs were the
banditti of the route. A Ghadames merchant said to me one day,
"Yâkob[17], see these fellows; formerly all were villanous
_Sbandout_ (banditti)." The captain of this escort, Sheikh Omer, who
will conduct us to Ghadames, was charged by the Commandant of The
Mountains, that his men should not be allowed to take water, or
anything else by force, "bel kouwee," as the merchants said. The
Sheikh was a civil fellow, and found it his interest to cultivate my
acquaintance. Every morning I invited him to take coffee and tea in
my tent, and he never forgot to come. In acknowledgment, he sent me
some liquid butter, which was not excessively bad. The food of the
Arabs, and the poorer sort of the merchants, for this journey was,
as written by my Mohammed, ‮‮سُوِيقَ زُمِيته‬‬
("Souweekah-Zameetah," that is, two names); but commonly called
Zameetah, which is nothing more than barley or wheat burnt or
malted, then ground, and afterwards made into paste. On this is
sometimes poured a little oil or fat; but many cannot afford this
luxury, and must content themselves with a little water to make up
the meal into paste. I may safely affirm, there was not a bit of
meat eaten, or a drop of tea or coffee drunk, in the whole caravan
of merchants, with 200 camels, including, with the Arabs, some 150
persons, during the last four days, except what was eaten and drunk
in my tent. I myself had only a little bit of fowl. The Sheikh
_Shabanee_ (Makouran) as the Arabs call him, was the most civil to
me. His portion of the camels is about forty, and he seems a most
respectable old gentleman. He has two sons with him. He gave me last
night a guzzle of cool water, a large brass pan full, of the size of
a warming-pan, which I drank off in an instant, and found it more
like nectar, than our earthy animalculæ water; it was so deliciously
cool and sweet. Valuable, indeed, becomes a thing of commonest use,
from its scarcity. The old Sheikh has a donkey with him to carry his
drinking-water. The skins keep the water cool even in the hottest
part of the day, whilst some which I had in bottles became quite
hot. I shall here relate an ingenious stratagem, which I recommend
to all African travellers. On leaving The Mountains we had three
skins of water, one for each. But first, one of the skins cracked,
and we lost a good deal of water, before it could be mended. Then
Mohammed, the chief thief, was accustomed to drink large draughts
when neither myself nor Said was present. This we learnt from the
rest of the caravan. Said, himself, poor fellow, as soon as Mohammed
had turned his back, was either to beg me to give him extra water,
or help himself. Sometimes I chided him, at others I gave him water,
or was too much exhausted to see what he was about. Then Said would
help his friends amongst the Arabs now and then, and sometimes the
Arabs helped themselves, by going behind me, and sucking from the
neck of the skin whilst I was riding. To avoid this, Mr. Gagliuffi
told me he always put the neck of the skin-bag before and not
behind, so that it was impossible for a person to drink, and at the
same time to walk backwards with the camel going forwards, or at any
rate to do so without being seen. Then, finally, there was the
terrible action of the sun on the water, often reducing it by a
fifth, and sometimes a third, of our supply. But the consequence of
all this was, our three bags were empty before we arrived at
Seenawan, and the little water which had remained, the third day,
was so shaken in the skins, all being oiled, that for me it was not
drinkable. Now for the stratagem. Apprehending this waste of water,
I got twelve pint bottles filled with water at Tripoli, which were
packed away as wine and spirits, neither Mohammed or Said suspecting
the contrary. Accordingly I quietly despatched my couple of bottles
of _acqua pura_ per day, as the London lady drinkers are said to
take their sly drops from the far corner of the cupboard, without
the least suspicion of my fellow travellers. I overheard once,
Mohammed speaking of me to Said: "By G--d! these Christians, what
lots of rum they drink: that's the reason, Said, the sun does not
kill him--he'll never die. These Christians, Said, are the same as
the dæmons; they know everything, but God will punish them at
last--if not, there's no God, or Prophet of God." I took no notice,
but when we got to Ghadames, I took the remaining bottle, and asked
him to drink. He jumped up with alarm. I then called him a fool, and
proved to him I had been drinking water at the time he thought I
had been drinking rum. He laughed, and said, "Ajeeb, ente Yâkob
âkel: (Wonderful, you James are wise.)" I then took upon myself to
lecture Mohammed, abusing him for his carelessness in not preserving
the water, and asking him if he thought that I, on the first time of
traversing The Desert, could put up with dirty water like them, and
go without for days, or with a very small quantity?

The Sheikh Makouran continues very civil: to-day he gave me a supply of
onions for making soup, and promises to give me a house to live in, when
I get to Ghadames. I have, in turn, to give him some medicine, on my
arrival, for one of his two wives. I rode a little the Sheikh's donkey
last night, at his request. It is nothing like the camel, it stumbled a
great deal over the loose stones, and I am told the horses stumble as
much. I felt the immense superiority of the camel, with its slow regular
pace and sure foot, in these stony wastes. The Sheikh's ass is the only
animal of the beast-of-burden sort in the whole caravan, besides the
camels. I noticed, however, a few extra unladen camels, which take turn
with others for carrying, as also several foals following lightly and
friskily their dams. _En route_, during the nights, the Arab soldiers
amused themselves by firing off their matchlocks, the most advanced party
answering the farthest behind, and _vice versâ_. The noise of the gun
broke through the painful silence of The Desert, and came finely back
reverberating from the Saharan hills with double and treble discharges of
sound. When their powder began to be exhausted, and they have never more
than half-a-dozen charges, they sang their plaintive love ditties, or
chatted to the merchants. On the whole, they showed great good temper,
and, pennyless and naked, were happier than well-clothed and wealthy
merchants.

In the afternoon of yesterday a letter was brought to me, written by
Gameo, which had been in the ghafalah nearly all the length of the route,
but had been forgotten. This stated that Mr. Macauley, the American
Consul, had kindly prepared a small package of American rum for my
journey, and had forgotten to send it till too late--in fact, like
several persons in Tripoli, he really thought, what from the intrigues of
the Pasha, and the obstacles of the season, I should never get off. I may
observe, the nearer a person is to an object, it often happens he sees it
less:--

    "'Tis distance lends enchantment to the view."

There is infinitely less enthusiasm for African discovery,--nay, more
horror of African travelling in Tripoli than in London: in truth, the
greater part of the Europeans of Tripoli, and in all Barbary towns, are a
degraded unenthusiastic race, wholly occupied with their petty quarrels
and intrigues. Of course, a man of my stamp was considered by them either
"_un sciocco_" or "_un matto_."

It is the misfortune of Africa to be surrounded by a cordon of vitiated
races, half-caste and mongrel breeds, propagated from adventurers and
convicts from the other continents of the world. So that Africa learns
nothing but the vices of civilization from its contact with the rest of
the world. It is also certain, that the native tribes of Africa itself
are more immoral and barbarous on the coasts than in the interior.

We have had the full moon during our last four days. Our route is always
more or less south-west.

As I expected, Said is knocked up and lamed. The Marabout has cheated
Said all along out of his rides, under pretence of his having made him a
pair of shoes. This Marabout is the cunningest, cruellest rogue I ever
met with. But I must here relate a service which he rendered me of
considerable importance. Nobody could pronounce, at any rate _recollect_,
my name. Mohammed said to me one day, "_Ingleez_, we have many names,
have you no more than one? The ghafalah can't learn your name, it's too
difficult. Make a name like ours, if you haven't one." I then told him I
had another, _James_, and that it was in Arabic, _Yâkob_. Hereupon, his
eyes moved round wildly with joy, and he cried out,--"That's it! that's
it!" He immediately started off amongst all the people, calling out my
name was "_Yâkob_." This _second_ christening in The Sahara was an
immense advantage to me. There is now not an oasis in the wildest and
farthest region of the Great Desert but what has heard of _Yâkob_. When I
arrived at Ghat I was astonished to find even the Touaricks calling me
_Yâkob, as if I had been brought up with them_. Clapperton and the rest
of his party adopted Mahometan names, and were wise in doing so. When I
was in Fezzan, Clapperton's Arabic name of _Abdallah_ was mentioned more
than twenty years after his death in Soudan. Denham was called The
_Rais_, being an officer.

The road from The Mountains to Seenawan is very good. The greater part,
indeed, is beautiful broad carriage-road. It is generally well marked
with camel-paths, about a foot wide. These well-beaten, well-trodden
paths, are very sinuous, running one into another, and often are in great
numbers, running parallel in serpentine style, and containing a united
breadth of a hundred yards. There are a few places where no road-traces
are apparent to the European eye, but the well-practised eye of the
Bedouin camel-driver, like the eye of the Indian in the American
Wilderness, can see things, and shapes, and signs in The Desert which
entirely escape us. Along the line of route small heaps of stone are
placed, said by my Marabout "to point out the way." We did not meet a
single traveller all the four days, no small parties--no couriers--no
one. I shall not soon forget our reaching Seenawan. It was a few hours
after midnight. I looked forward to it as the haven of rest from all my
sufferings. A fellow-traveller came up to me, (for I had been asking all
night long to see it,) and said, "See, Yâkob, there is the _Nukhlah_
(palms) of Seenawan." Looking through the shadowy moon-light, I thought I
saw something very small and black, and made a start at it from my camel
as if I was going to leap into a downy bed of rest under the eternal
shade of grateful palms. When the object is grasped, how its value
vanishes! We threw down the mattress under the shade of a little ruined
round tower, and I fell asleep. But such a tempest got up that the people
waked me, covered with sand, and made me crawl into a hole, called the
door of the _burge_. Here, amongst heaps of stones and dirt, I fell
asleep again, and did not wake till called next day near noon.

Seenawan is but a handful of date-trees, thrown upon the wide waste of
The Sahara, with one or two pools of sluggish running water, sheltering
beneath its palms thirty or forty inhabitants. There are four or five
spots of vegetation, gems of emerald on the rugged brow of The Desert.
The houses, if such they are, consist of half a dozen or more of mud
hovels huddled together, here and there a little stone stuck in the
walls, and some dark passages running beneath them. One or two had a
couple of stories and a stone wall round them. Yet, within, they are
cool, and have dark rooms to protect the inhabitants from both heat and
cold. There are also two or three mud and stone _burges_, or round
towers, to protect the few dates and spots of green. Nevertheless, in
this pretence of existence, surrounded by the frightful sterility of The
Desert, glowed the warmth of true hospitality. The Arab merchant, Zaleeâ,
who lives here, and had been one of our caravan, made me come to dine
with him in his house, and introduced me to his family. He gave me for
dinner boiled mutton and sopped bread. When I started next day, he
presented me a supply of eggs and two fowls, a sumptuous feast in The
Desert! I found his wife and daughter suffering with ophthalmia, and made
them up a pint-bottle of solution for washing the eye. I had had to wash
the eyes of many poor Arabs during the last few days. I gave Zaleeâ's
aged father half a dozen ship's biscuits, a part of one of which he
sopped and ate. The old gentleman offered up a prayer for my safety, and
said he would save one to eat on my safe return.

The morning of the 20th was horribly hot, but I was housed and sheltered
in the old _burge_. I received a present of some fresh dates. This was
the small black date of Ghadames, which is peculiar to two or three
oases about here. They were delicious as fruits of the garden of the
Houris, and certainly now more esteemed by me. The Commandant, seeing me
write to-day, wished to have the honour of his name being written in my
journal. It is Omer Ben Aly Ben Kareem Bez-Zeen Laseeâ. The people showed
no jealousy at my writing notes. Indeed, they were quite aware this was
part of my business, and often assisted in telling me the names of
persons and places. Never went an European into the interior with less
suspicions flying about him amongst his fellow-travellers. I attribute
this, in a great measure, to the frankness with which I spoke about
Government and the Turkish authorities, as well as the Consular people of
Tripoli. Besides, I never affected to conceal my objects. Here a man
wrote in my journal the names of abuse applied to the lazy, lagging
camels, for his own especial amusement; viz., "_Ya kafer, Ya kelb, Ya
Yehoud_, 'Oh thou infidel!' 'Oh thou dog!' 'Oh thou Jew!'" In a quarrel,
the Arabs transfer them complacently to one another, with sundry
additions and oaths, too broad for ears polite. _Kafer_, ("infidel,") and
_Deen El-kelb_, ("religion of a dog,") are the most odious terms of abuse
which they can throw at one another.

_21st._--We left early this first sprinkle of Seenawan vegetation, and
passed the 22nd at the larger spot of the oases. This second spot is
called Shâour; but both oases are included in the first name, as Ghat and
Berkat are included in _Ghat_. It is necessary to make these distinctions
in order to guard against error in laying down the routes. Shâour
consists of a few stunted date-trees, a little _gusub_, a grain esteemed
almost as much as wheat, and one or two fig or other fruit-trees. The
united oasis, though but containing a population of sixty souls, and all
very poor people, pay 600 mahboubs per annum to the Pasha of Tripoli. The
oldest man of the place told me, that, from the first hour of his
observation and recollection, to the present time, the water had always
been the same in quantity. There is always a little more in the winter.
It is running water, and as it runs and bubbles up to the surface it is
distributed over the little garden plots and patches. I asked him why he
did not make the gardens larger? "God bless you," he replied, "we would
if we had more water." It is surprising to notice the regularity of even
this scanty supply of water through the years of an old man's life,
upwards of eighty, in the heart of The Desert, for such is the site of
the oasis of Seenawan. I looked about for birds, but saw none. My aged
informant said, "In the winter there are some doves." No wild beast haunt
the environs; they cannot get at the water. The people keep a few sheep,
goats, and fowls. There are also a dozen or so of camels. It is
remarkable that the soil of this speck of vegetable existence is entirely
sandy, and all the water comes out of the sand. But in places, indeed, on
the coast of Barbary, the finest and most vigorous vegetation often
bursts forth out of a purely sandy soil. By the time all the ghafalah had
taken their supply of water, and the camels had drunk, the pools were
dried up or exhausted, and the people of the village had to wait for the
running of the water. I put a last question to my aged Saharan
_Cicerone_,--"How do you live here, do you work?" "I am always sleeping,"
(or _kāéd_, "reposing.") "But, how do you get anything to eat?" "Oh, I
eat every other day, when I can get it, and sleep the rest of the time:
what can I do?" Such is vegetable and animal existence here!
Nevertheless, this show and sham of life looks fair, fresh, nay,
enchanting, after the five days' desert; and all, as well as myself,
welcomed Seenawan as a little Hesperides.

We were a tolerably harmonious caravan, but had now and then a good
quarrel. To-day a serious misunderstanding broke out between the
Commandant Omer and one of the merchants. I could not learn what it was
about, but Omer drew his sword twice to strike the merchant, and was only
prevented doing so by the bystanders rushing on him. The Sheikh Makouran
came to me apart and said: "Now, if they ask you who's to blame, say
both." We then advanced to the parties, and the Sheikh turned to me, and
said: "_Yâkob_, who's to blame?" I immediately said, though I knew
nothing of the business: "Everybody, all of you." This was the signal for
a burst of laughter, and the group separated. The quarrel, however, did
not finish, it was carried to Ghadames and settled there. The Arabs enjoy
a good quarrel, and, like good ale, they prefer it, not being too new,
but caulked up a bit. The greater part of their occupation and amusement
is supplied by quarrels.

Before leaving Seenawan the merchants dispatched a courier to Ghadames,
and Mohammed wrote a letter to the Governor, telling him very pompously:
"The English Consul of Ghadames was approaching the city under his
protection." Mohammed said he had submitted the letter to the Sheikh
Makouran, and it was approved. I approved of anything that had not my
name attached to it.

_22nd, 23rd._--Left in the afternoon, and continued all night, till two
hours before day-break. Rose at sun-rise and continued till nearly noon.
Halted for the Kailah, and afterwards resumed our journey, continuing all
night. The people of the ghafalah amused themselves in the night, by
"playing at powder." As they fired the matchlocks, they shouted the name
of the person whom they intended to honour, mostly firing off the gun
just under his nose. Mohammed was very active in the business, and kept
firing off my praises, and those of the Sheikh Makouran. This mode of
compliment is universal in North Sahara. The Marabout is a good
politician, and knows what he is about. He knew that Makouran and myself
could serve him. The style of firing off these praises was this: "Who's
this for?" cries the person that has the musket ready loaded. A number of
persons, the flatterers of the great man, answer, "The Sheikh Makouran!"
The majority has it if other names are mentioned. The man with his gun
then runs before the Sheikh, and fires it off in his face, or a very
short distance from him.

The camel-drivers showed a perverse disposition for continuing all night
the 22nd and 23rd, and would not halt, without difficulty, for the two or
three hours' rest before day-break. The Commandant called for more than an
hour: "_Ya oulād oŭăl kāéd_, (You first fellows stop!)" I never felt
so angry with any people, as I did with these oulad in advance, I myself
was calling out, "You first fellows stop!" But they were full a mile in
advance. The Arabs are very fond of this sort of disorder and annoyance
to others. Another party took it into their heads to halt at noon, the
23rd, several miles from the rest. The Commandant went after them, broke
up their encampment with violence, using his sword to hide them, and
brought them up to the main body. Very windy these two days, and got the
sand in everything, cooking utensils, cups, glasses, bowls. We found the
sand, however, occasionally useful, and used it instead of water for
cleaning our platters and cooking pots. Some of the people say, it is
better than water for cleaning pots and platters.

I have already said how my camel was harnessed, if harnessing it can be
called. First, two panniers were placed (nicely balanced), which formed a
sort of platform upon a level with the camel's back-ridge and hump; a
mattress and skins next were placed on this, which were tied down with
Arab herb-cords, and carried under the belly of the camel, securing the
panniers as well as the coverlets. A small ottoman was then put at the
top, on which I sat as on a chair-cushion, with my legs hanging down on
each side of the camel's neck. Sometimes I lay at my full length across
the mattress. But this the people disapproved of for fear I should fall
off. They, however, frequently slept this way whilst riding. I was
dressed as slightly as possible, and had on a gingham frock coat, with a
leghorn hat. During the time the sun was above the horizon, I held up an
umbrella and tied a dark-green silk handkerchief over my eyes and face. I
could have borne more clothing, but I think the Moors and Arabs had too
much. They don't change the quantity with the season, and wear as much in
summer as in winter. The consequence is, they are very cold in winter,
and very much oppressed in summer; but it is mostly the want of means
which does not allow them to change their clothing with the season. I
carried a little bottle of spirits and water to drink. In the night I was
to eat a little biscuit. None of the camels had bridles, unless used
solely to ride upon. The camel which I rode was a very good one, and very
knowing, and, like many knowing animals, very vicious. He was in the
habit of biting all the other camels which did not please him on their
hind quarters, but took care not to get bitten himself. He seldom
stumbled, and I was rarely in fear of falling. A camel will never plunge
down a deep descent, but always turn round when it comes to the edge of a
precipice. I often rode for several hours with comparative comfort. The
camel-drivers never ride when their camels are laden, sometimes suffering
as much as the camels themselves. I somewhat offended the self-love of
the people of Ghadames. I asked them whether Ghadames was bigger than
Seenawan. They said pettishly, "Ghadames _blad medina_, (Ghadames is a
city)."

_24th._--Emjessen. Arrived at these wells about 10 A.M. Earlier we had
passed a place where they were trying to get water. Emjessen is a vast
salt plain, which is covered over in different parts with a coating of
salt, hard enough and thick enough to furnish materials for building. And
here they were building a _burge_, "tower," or _kasbah_, "castle," or
_fonduk_, "caravanserai," (all which names people called it,) with a
large wall round the principal wells, the materials of which were red
earth and lumps of salt, some of which appeared as hard as the soft Malta
stone. The water is, of course, brackish, but nevertheless the camels
drank it with eagerness. I was staring at the eagerness with which the
camels were drinking, when the Commandant said, "_Enhār săkoun, Yâkob_,"
(a hot day, James,) "do the camels in your country drink water in that
way?" Hereat a merchant interposed, and instructed the Rais that the
English had no camels, but lived on boats in the water. This is a very
commonly spread opinion respecting the English in The Desert. But Caillié
says of the Foulahs near Kankan, and other tribes: "The prevailing idea
of the people in the interior of Soudan is, that we inhabit little
islands in the middle of the ocean, and that the Europeans wish to get
possession of their country, which is the most beautiful in the world."
Mohammed would not allow his camels to drink here, and said the water was
bad. Emjessen is situate about ten hours from Ghadames, say, a short
day's journey.

The Sahara all around now showed still more marked features of sterility,
of unconquerable barrenness. Here too, for the first time, I saw
boundless ridges and groups of sand stretching far away to the
south-west, but they were low squatting heaps. Some sand-hills we had
crossed for an hour or two. Mohammed called them _wâr_, and asked me to
descend to save his camel's legs, I thought my legs less practised in The
Desert than the camel's, and kept my place. Here were spread about,
between the sand-hills and low black stony ridges, plains of salt and
chalk. My first impression was, that the sea had once covered these
regions.

Our route was still south-west, and south, and the prevailing wind
_ghiblee_, or from about the same quarter.

On leaving _Emjessem_, we were met in the afternoon by several friends
and relatives of the merchants, who had come from Ghadames in answer or
invitation to our letters written at _Seenawan_. These strangers (to me)
were finely mounted upon camels of the Maharee species, both themselves
and their camels dressed out superbly, the camels being tightly reined
up like coursers. They had a novel and noble appearance, and I thought I
saw in them something of the genuine features of The Desert. They had
come eight or ten miles an hour, a long _galloping_ trot, for such is the
motion of the camel. As soon as the two parties met, there was a
simultaneous scamper off of our camels, and some of theirs got very
unmanageable. I was nearly thrown off, and it required Mohammed and Said
to hold my camel until the alarm had subsided. The Sheikh Makouran was
obliged to dismount and ride his donkey. I asked Mohammed what was the
matter, for I could not understand this strange confusion all at once
amongst the camels. He cried very angrily, "The camels are drunk, are
mad--God made them so." When things got more settled, the merchants
explained to me that it was the antipathies of the two races, the
_coast_-camel, and the Maharee or _desert_-camel. That each was alarmed,
but the most fierce and dominant was the Maharee, which always assumed
the mastery over the coast-camel, "like," added one, "the Touarick
assumes to be lord over the Arab."

To-night I was obliged to quarrel seriously with Mohammed. Said was now
quite lame and could not walk more. I told Mohammed plainly he should
have no present as first promised, since he had broken his agreement
about Said's riding. He then put Said on a camel. The merchants were much
amused at the quarrel, and thought me an ass to quarrel about _a slave_,
(for such they esteemed Said) having a ride[18]. Some few observed I was
right, and bullied Mohammed, who now made another lying excuse, that his
two camels were knocked up, which was the reason Said didn't ride. The
early part of the night he had been riding one of them himself, and
taxing him with this, he said, "Yes, but was I not ill, didn't you give
me some water and acid, and sugar?" I replied, "Yes, I recollect it too
well, I'm sorry I had so good an opinion of you." The Commandant now came
up, and some bawled, "Here's a _shamatah_[19] with Said," and explained
the business. The Commandant, without any more to do, takes the back of
his sword and belabours Mohammed till he cries for mercy. Then the people
beg the Rais to desist, and say, "Mohammed is a _marabout_ and must not
be beaten." Mohammed was very cunning, and always took care to repeat
aloud a prayer when we started afresh from any station, and so gained the
esteem of the more pious. Said rode the rest of the way to Ghadames.

During the greater part of the night of the 24th we reposed. At dawn of
day, on the 25th, we started fresh on the last march. Just when day had
broken over half the heavens, _I saw Ghadames_! which appeared like _a
thick streak of black_ on the pale circle of the horizon. This was its
date-woods. I now fancied I had discovered a new world, or had seen
Timbuctoo, or followed the whole course of the Niger, or had done
something very extraordinary. But the illusion soon vanished, as vanish
all the vain hopes and foolish aspirations of man. I found afterwards
that I had only made one step, or laid one stone, in raising for myself a
monument of fame in the annals of African discovery!

FOOTNOTES:

[12] The term Rais is applied by these people both to a naval and
    military commander, the literal meaning being "head."

[13] When an European arrives first in a remote Barbary town,
    although there may be many Europeans in the place, he is mostly
    called and mentioned in Moorish society as "The Christian," which
    happened to myself in Mogador.

[14] How strangely the genius of nations of such different habits
    have given the name of "sisters" to separate groups of trees. I
    have also passed twin peaks of mountains in Africa, called
    "brothers" by the Arabs. But _Bou_ or _Abou_, "father," is the
    ordinary appellation of things in North Africa. _Omm_, "mother,"
    is also very common. The two last are found in combination.

[15] Long names are not confined to European rank and royalty. The
    Sheikh's name in full is, "The Sheikh Bel Kasem Ben Ali
    Abd-el-Hafeeth, the Rujbanee." And this is only the quarter of the
    length of some of these names.

[16] So I found it written in the first portions of the journal.

[17] _Yâkob_, Arabic for James.

[18] There were certainly several slaves walking; but they were
    all long accustomed to it, whilst Said had only just come out of a
    weaver's establishment, where he had been many years.

[19] Turkish, "a row;" but mostly "war," "battles."




CHAPTER IV.

RESIDENCE IN GHADAMES TO BEGINNING OF THE RAMADAN.

     Arrival at Ghadames.--Welcome of the People.--Interview with the
     Governor, Rais Mustapha.--Distances of the route from Tripoli to
     Ghadames.--Geographical position of the Oasis.--First sight of
     the Touaricks.--Commence practising as Quack-Doctor.--Devotion of
     the Arabs.--Prejudices of the People, and overcome by the
     Rais.--Many Patients.--My House full of Touaricks.--The Sheikh of
     the Slaves.--Character of my Camel-Driver.--I make the tour of
     the Oasis.--Visit to the Souk.--Prejudices against me
     diminish.--First sight of Birds.--A young Taleb's specimen of
     Writing.--My Turjeman's House.--The Negro Dervish.--Touarick
     Camel Races.--A few Drops of Rain.--Various Visits,
     Conversations, &c., about Timbuctoo.--Prevalent Diseases, and my
     Medicine Chest.--Evening previous to the Ramadan.--Houses, Public
     Buildings, and Streets.


GRADUALLY we neared the city as the day got up. It was dusty and hot, and
disagreeable. My feelings were down at zero; and I certainly did not
proceed to enter the city in style of conqueror, one who had vanquished
the galling hardships of The Desert, in the most unfavourable season of
the year. We were now met with a great number of the people of the city,
come to welcome the safe arrival of their friends, for travelling in The
Desert is always considered insecure even by its very inhabitants.
Amongst the rest was the merchant Essnousee, whose acquaintance I had
made in Tripoli, who welcomed me much to my satisfaction when thus
entering into a strange place. Another person came up to me, who, to my
surprise, spoke a few words in Italian, which I could not expect to hear
in The Desert. He followed me into the town, and the Governor afterwards
ordered him to be my turjeman, ("interpreter"). Now, the curiosity of the
people became much excited, all ran to see _The Christian_! Every body in
the city knew I was coming two months before my arrival. As soon as I
arrived in Tripoli, the first caravan took the wonderful intelligence of
the appointment of an English Consul at Ghadames. A couple of score of
boys followed hard at the heels of my camel, and some running before, to
look at my face; the men gaped with wide open mouths; and the women
started up eagerly to the tops of the houses of the Arab suburb, clapping
their hands and _loolooing_. It is perhaps characteristic of the more
gentle and unsophisticated nature of womankind, that women of The Desert
give you a more lively reception than men. The men are gloomy and silent,
or merely curious without any demonstrations. I entered the city by the
southern gate. The entrance was by no means imposing. There was a
rough-hewn, worn, dilapidated gate-way, lined with stone-benches, on
which The Ancients were once accustomed to sit and dispense justice as in
old Israelitish times. Having passed this ancient gate, which wore the
age of a thousand years, we wound round and round in the suburbs within
the walls, through narrow and intricate lanes, with mud walls on each
side, which inclosed the gardens. The palms shot their branches over from
above, and relieved this otherwise repulsive sight to the stranger. But I
was too much fatigued and exhausted to notice any thing, and almost ready
to drop from off my camel. In fact, the distance which I had come since I
first saw the dark palms of the city at the dawn, seemed to exceed
(mostly the case when exhausted in completing the last mile of the
journey,) all the rest of the route. I now proceeded forthwith to the
Governor, the Rais Mustapha, being led by the people _en masse_, who, on
seeing me, said, "_Es-slamah! Es-slamah! Es-slamah!_" ordered me coffee,
and gave me a cordial welcome. It was about 10 A.M. His Excellency was
sitting out in the street on a stone-bench, under the shade. Some
visitors were sitting at a distance, and servants were lounging about.
The Governor's house is without the city, in the gardens. It was cleanly
white-washed, but small, only two stories high. Before the door it was
well watered, and there was a freshness springing up from the water just
sprinkled about. Several palms cast gracefully their dark shadows on the
street. The Governor was very sick, his face was tied up, and his eyes
covered. But he smoked incessantly. He said only a few words through his
interpreter. I was equally out of order, and begged him to allow me to go
to the house which was being prepared for me. He consented; and two hours
after his Excellency sent me a dinner of mutton, fowls, and rice.

If I were asked my opinion as to this journey, and its being undertaken
by an European, I would answer for myself, that I would risk it again,
because I know my constitution, and how to treat myself. But I could not
conscientiously recommend it to others in this season of the year. Were I
to perform it again, I would manage much better. I would be better
mounted, have a better tent, and a better assortment of provisions. Most
assuredly I have great reason to thank Providence that I am arrived in
perfect health.

The whole time from Tripoli to Ghadames had occupied twenty-three days,
but seven or eight had been consumed by delay in The Mountains. The
absolute distances of travelling given me by Mohammed, are:--

From  Tripoli to Janzour           3 hours.
 "    Janzour to Zouweeah          9   "
 "    Zouweeah to Beer-el-Hamra    2   "
 "    Beer-el-Hamra to Shouwabeeah 5   "
 "    Shouwabeeah to Wady Lethel  14   "
 "    Wady Lethel to Aâyat         3   "
 "    Aâyat to Yefran              3   "
 "    Yefran to Rujban            18   "
 "    Rujban to Seenawan           4 days.
                        (sometimes 5.) "
 "    Seenawan to Emjessen         2   "
 "    Emjessen to Ghadames         1   "

The quickest time, in more general terms, in which the journey can be
performed, excluding of course all stoppages, is:--

From  Tripoli to The Mountains     3 days.
 "    The Mountains to Seenawan    3  "
 "    Seenawan to Ghadames         3  "

The French geographers, for some reason, have made Ghadames situate upon
a salt plain, confounding its site with the salt plain of _Emjessen_.
There is no salt plain in the suburbs of Ghadames, or the country near.
According to the _official_ letter of the Porte, written by Ali Effendi,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, the oasis is situate in the _Caimakat de
Jibel Garbigi_. As I did not receive the Porte's memorandum of my recall
from Ghadames until my return, I made no inquiries of this mountain
_Garbigi_, but I imagine it exists, though I never heard its name.
Ghadames is situate in 30° 9′ north latitude, and in 9° 18′ east
longitude.

_25th._--I find my house, which had been prepared for me by the kindness
of the Sheikh Haj Mohammed Makouran, very commodious and tolerably clean,
and I make myself at home. It is situate in the suburbs, close by the
Governor's house. I now tried to get a nap, but could not. Then I went to
bathe in the Mysterious Spring, whence springs up this city as an emerald
amidst a waste of stone and sand! Intend bathing every day if I can. Saw
Essnousee again, and many of the merchants whom I had seen at Tripoli.
Found them all civil. But the people who most excited my attention were
the Touaricks, whom I now saw for the first time. Many of them were here
at this time for trading purposes. They expressed as much astonishment at
seeing me as I them, some exclaiming, "God! God! how could the Infidel
come here?" Late in the afternoon, after napping, went again into the
city: was much pleased with its appearance. Thought it better than
Tripoli, considering the position of the respective places, Tripoli on
the edge of the sea, and open to all the world, and Ghadames in the midst
of The Desert, far from the shores of the Mediterranean. No poor are seen
begging about the streets, and all the people look well dressed today.
They had put on their holiday clothes, which is usual on the arrival of a
large caravan. What a contrast was this to the squalor and filth of
Tripoli, with its miserable beggars choking up all the thoroughfares! No
women were seen about but the half-castes, mostly slaves, but plenty of
children playing here and there. I heard amongst them the whisper of
"The Kafer, the Kafer!" as I passed by.

Began to practise my quackery very early, and administered solution for
the eye in various parts of the streets _pro bono publico_. The Rais sent
for me likewise, and I poured a few drops of caustic into his eyes. In
fact, I was full of business, although but a few hours in the town, and
hardly had time to look about me. This business after such a journey! My
turjeman, Bel-Kasem, also took me into his garden, and gave me a supply
of onions, peppers, and dates. The gardens appeared quite equal to those
of Tripoli. The turjeman was soon useful, though he only spoke a few
words of Italian, but chiefly because he had less prejudices against the
Christians than his fellow-townsmen. He had worked in the house of a
French merchant in Tunis many years, and always retained a sort of
sneaking kindness for Frenchmen, which indeed was much to his credit. In
walking about the town, I was followed by groups of children and black
women, all running one over another to see me. My turjeman was obliged to
beat them to keep them off. I am the _second_ Christian who has visited
Ghadames; the first being the unfortunate Major Laing, who never returned
to record what he saw in this city! But his residence of a few days here
is forgotten by nearly all the present generation. The Rais is the only
Turk. All the troops are Arabs. The Ghadamsee people are never soldiers.
This evening the Rais sent me supper, much the same as the dinner.

The people of the ghafalah (the Arab strangers), went to pray this
evening in the mosque set apart for strangers. I must not omit the
mention of the strict and scrupulous exactitude with which all the
ghafalah prayed _en route_. Five times a day is prescribed by the Koran.
Most of them prayed the five times, but not altogether, some choosing
their own time, a liberty allowed to travellers. It was a refreshing,
though at the same time a saddening sight, to see the poor Arab
camel-drivers pray so devoutly, laying their naked foreheads upon the
sharp stones and sand of The Desert--people who had literally so few of
the bounties of Providence, many of them scarcely any thing to eat--and
yet these travel-worn, famished men supplicated the Eternal God with
great and earnest devotion! What a lesson for the fat, overfed Christian!
And shall we say, that because these men are Mohammedans, _therefore_ the
portals of heaven are hermetically sealed against the rising incense of
their Desert prayers? . . . It is hard to think so . . . though some
think so.

_26th._--Employed as yesterday in administering the medicines. My
turjeman did not come to-day, and I suspected, intuitively almost, the
people of Ghadames had persuaded him not to come. It turned out
afterwards that my suspicions were well-founded; nevertheless, I received
several small presents from the people. The merchants are civil, but some
little jealousy discovers itself on religious grounds. All Mohammedans
have got an idea that the Christians will one day take their countries
from them, but that, in the end, with the aid of God, they will revenge
themselves, and repossess all their cities and countries: "This," said my
Marabout, "is a prophecy contained in our sacred books." My presence is
therefore by some considered the preliminary for the overthrow of the
Mussulman power of Ghadames, I am the scout, the spy into "the nakedness
of the land;" others think I pollute the sacred city of Ghadames with my
infidel carcass. Yesterday I got also entangled in the labyrinth of dark
streets, some of which are often turned into mosques at certain hours of
the day. Of this the people complained to the Rais, who sent me word to
be careful. I replied, I was an utter stranger, and did not know what I
was about; in fact, the Rais excused me to the people saying, "A little
by little, The Christian will know to do all which is right. We must
teach him." Indeed, I found the conduct of Mustapha from the first very
kind, and he was determined no improper prejudices should get into the
heads of the people against me. The Rais continued to send me breakfast,
dinner, and supper. "This," said the servant, "would continue _three_
days, according to custom;" in fact, I found the same custom adopted by
the Governor of Ghat. Caillié mentions the custom as prevailing amongst
the Braknas. But it will soon be seen that the Rais did not stint his
hospitality to this conventional usage. His Excellency found his eyes
better to-day, and I gave him a dose of pills.

My camel-driver came up to me in his usual soft sneaking way, and began
his pious jargon:--"God be praised for Yâkob, because he has arrived safe
in Ghadames--now God is one, and above all things powerful. Besslamah."
This he was wont to repeat _en route_. He then said gravely, "Now, Yâkob,
you are my friend--you wish to go to Soudan, I will go with you, if you
like, but I will sell you my camel, on which you rode here. You know it's
good and very wise. It doesn't stumble. Buy it, I'll sell it because you
are my friend, you shall have it cheap, for twenty-five dollars." The
fact is, the camel had got a small hole in its back, and being afraid he
should not cure the camel, he wanted me to buy it. Twenty-five dollars is
the average price of a camel.

_27th._--Paid a visit this morning to the Rais; told him the turjeman was
afraid to come with me to show me the city and interpret, because the
people said to him, "Bel-Kasem, thou must not show The Christian the
sacred things of our holy city: never were they polluted by an infidel."
The Rais smiled and ridiculed the thing, and said he would send for the
man. I observed I would pay him so much per day. "No," he replied, "I am
his master, you are a stranger, I must pay." Whilst we were talking, a
letter came informing the Rais that some robbers had carried off six
camels from the village of Seenawan. The Rais was displeased and said to
me, "All this country is _batel_ (good-for-nothing)." I asked the Rais if
there were a prison in Ghadames.

_H. E._ "Yes."

_I._ "Is there any body in it?"

_H. E._ "No."

_I._ "How?"

_H. E._ "This is a city of dervishes and marabouts--people don't
steal--if they've nothing to eat they beg."

People are calling at my house all day long for medicines. Every morning
I send tea (made, of course,) to the Rais and the Sheikh Makouran.
Presented the Rais with my Moorish portfolio, all worked over with
various devices in leather and silk. He was quite delighted with it,
observing, "The Christians are good people, but the people here don't
know them. Yâkob, take courage, little by little," (a favourite
expression of the Rais). Next to my house is a garden whose date-trees
bear no fruit, and its beds are covered with dry dust, a sad picture of
neglect. On asking how this was, I was told the owner was in Soudan, and
in consequence no one looked after and watered his garden. The merchants
of this city often remain in Soudan five, ten, even fifteen and twenty
years, leaving their families here whilst they accumulate a fortune in
commercial speculations. Sometimes they marry other wives in Soudan, and
form another establishment.

Bathed again in the Spring, but found it surrounded with women, fetching
water. Contented myself with washing in one of the private washing
apartments attached to the Spring. The water was warm, but I felt
afterwards cool and refreshed. There are no public baths here as on the
coast towns. I observed the place formed of a high raised stone-bench,
just as you enter the city, (on our side) where all strangers pray. It
seems built on, the principle of some Romanist churches, which are
dedicated, like those of the ancient classic temples, to particular uses
and services. My Marabout prayed in it with devout fervour as we passed,
I being obliged to wait for him.

This evening dined with the Rais at his house for the first time. His
Excellency was extremely kind and spoke freely of the Ghadamsee people.
"These," said he, "are a people given up to prayer, and many of them
spend their time in nothing else."

I said, "Are there ten thousand people in Ghadames? So I have heard."

Astonished, he replied, "There are not five hundred men."

"Are there not several of the people travelling?"

"Only a few."

Then, talking of thieves and banditti, the Rais told me to bring my money
to his house in order that he might take care of it. On depositing it
with him he asked how much it was. There were only two hundred piastres
of Tunis, all the money I had. The Rais seemed surprised it was so little
(about _seven pounds sterling_!) I made the best of it by telling him if
I remained I must send for some more. He also recommended me not to sleep
on the top of the house, but in my room, and shut the door. However, it
is so hot that I should be suffocated if I were not to leave the door
open. In explanation, he said, "The Touaricks and other strangers are
thieves." The Rais is very sick, with bad eyes. Sent him some more
physic.

Whilst writing my journal, the house is filled with Touaricks, and I
cannot get rid of them. I am obliged therefore to enter into conversation
to amuse them.

"How large is Ghat? as large as Ghadames?"

"Bigger than Tripoli."

"Have you plenty of meat in Ghat?"

"Plenty of everything."

"I am afraid of you--you killed one of my countrymen near Timbuctoo?"

"No, no, (crying out lustily,) not the Touaricks of our country."

"Will you take me safe to Ghat?"

"Upon our lives!" (_Drawing their swords across their foreheads._)

"Have you a written language?"

"Yes."

"What's your name?" (The Touaricks to me.)

"Here, I will write it."

"Have you any medicine for the eye?"

"Yes."

I then applied some solution to the eyes of one of them. Another said:

"My son is always coughing. What shall I do for him?"

"Bring him here," I said, "in the morning, and I will give him
something."

_The Touarick._--"You won't poison him?"

_I._--"No, no."

They then entered upon a religious conversation.

"What do you think of _religion_? Do you pray?"

"Well, there is one God."

"And, Mohammed?"

"He is the prophet of the _Arabs_."

"Who is your prophet?"

"Jesus; he is Prophet of all the Christians, as Moses is the prophet of
the Jews."

(With impatience.) "But Mohammed?"

"We Christians have but one Prophet, who is Jesus."

Here an interruption took place, of which I was very glad. Afterwards
they resumed:

"Have you any powder?"

"No; I am an English Marabout, and carry no arms, and have nothing to
give away but medicines."

"Aye, an English Marabout, and not a merchant?"

"No; only a Marabout."

One of them. "We shall take your name as you have written it on this
paper, and show it to our people. It will be esteemed precious by them;
and if you ever wander that way through The Desert, they will ask you
your name, and, if you reply to it, they will not kill you, but give you
plenty of camel's milk. If they have not your name they may kill you, and
not their fault."

Had a visit from the Sheikh of the slaves. In most countries of North
Africa there is a chief appointed by Government for any particular race,
not the same as the ruling dynasty, domestic as well as foreign, which
may be resident in the towns and cities. So the Jews of Barbary have
their chiefs, and the slaves theirs. In Tunis a number of free coloured
people, called _Waraghleeah_, emigrants from the Algerian oasis of
Warklah, have also their chief or headsman. This chief has rather large
and even discretionary powers, and can order his subjects to be
imprisoned by the officers of the sovereign Government of the country.
But, of course, this imperium in imperio is subject to the supervision of
the supreme Government. The object is apparently to relieve the
Government, but whilst it relieves the higher authorities, it inflicts
irreparable injuries upon poor people, and is full of the most gigantic
abuses. It is often complained of by the Levant correspondents of
newspapers, under the character of the various spiritual tribunals of
Eastern Christians inflicting fines, torture, and imprisonment on
refractory or heretic members of those churches. The Jewish synods of
Africa and the East exercise the same arbitrary powers, under the
sanction of the supreme Mahometan authorities. Lately, however, the
European ambassadors have done something to check these abuses in the
dominions of the Porte.

After some conversation, I asked the Sheikh of the Ghadames slaves what
were his duties. Drawing himself up into a posture of authority, he
replied:--"Be it known, Oh Christian! I am the Sheikh of the slaves, my
name is Ahmed. I am from Timbuctoo. The people of Bambara are the finest
in the world. They are brave--they fear none. Now, hear me: I know all
the names of the slaves in Ghadames: I watch over all their conduct, to
punish them when they behave badly, to praise them when they do well.
They all fear me. For my trouble I receive nothing. I am a slave myself.
I rarely punish the slaves. We have always here more than two hundred. If
you wait, plenty of slaves will soon come from Soudan!"

Late to-night, Mohammed the Marabout of Rujban, left for his country and
Tripoli. I gave him some Ghadames dates to take to Tripoli as presents,
the small black dates, as a rarity, and to let the people know I had not
so much forgotten them as they had forgotten me. This clever, cunning,
selfish fellow, I completely overreached. He never believed that I had
the courage to punish his bad conduct. I had promised him, besides the
ten mahboubs (about forty shillings), the hire of the two camels from
Tripoli to Ghadames, a present, or backsheesh of two mahboubs, on his
behaving well. On paying him his ten mahboubs I told him there was no
backsheesh. At first he was astonished and looked pale, shaking in every
limb, for he expected to reap a great harvest by my affair--even a double
present to what was promised. But on reflecting that he had lamed Said,
who was still laid up, had pilfered our provisions all the way, and lived
on us by force, although the agreement was that he should keep himself,
he confessed I was right, or thought it better to make the confession.
However, he beat about the merchants, and got two or three of them to
come down to speak to me, who said, "If he has done bad, treat him bad,
that is, give him a little backsheesh." I then gave him half a dollar.
His ingenuity was never exhausted. He pretended I ought to feed the
camels two or three days after their arrival, which he said was the rule.
There is no herbage for miles in the neighbourhood of Ghadames. The
people are sometimes obliged to drive their camels to Seenawan, or Derge,
two or three days' distance, to feed. I gave way, and added a trifle. He
then begged something for his wife; he had bought her a pair of Ghadames
shoes, worked with silk, which shows an Arab can have an affectionate
remembrance for his wife, but which has been denied by some. I again
added something. He now had his supper. I gave him a feed of mutton, and
broth and bread. This was his feast before parting, for I did not like to
send him away as a blackguard, notwithstanding he had extremely annoyed
me. I never saw a person eat with such voracity. After his allowance, or
the supper I had cooked him, a large supper was sent in by the Rais for
three. He set to and ate his own and Said's share in the bargain. I have
often seen Arabs gorge in this way, but, what is most singular, when
obliged to be abstemious they scarcely eat the amount of two penny loaves
per day. Mohammed was a good type of this Arab abstemiousness and
voracity. When he kept himself, he only took a small and most frugal meal
once a day. Of his gluttony I may add, that I was obliged to separate his
mess from that of Said when he dined with me. If not, he would eat Said's
mess and his own before I could see what they were about. At last
Mohammed began to soften and to confess adroitly, for he was one of the
acutest Arabs I ever met with. He observed to me, in a whining tone, "Now
I am going, I wish to tell you something. You think me very bad, and a
great rogue, and so I am; but, I tell you, if you had had any other Arab
you would have found him a thousand times a bigger rogue than myself,
_for all the Arabs are dogs_. This is the truth: (_El-khok_.)" After this
confession, I gave him a certificate of my having arrived safe in
Ghadames under his guidance. This I could not object to do, in order that
he might show it to the Pasha and the English Consul. Some of his remarks
were full of _sel_, but mostly touched with selfishness. One evening,
looking at his camels feeding, he said, "Ah, Yâkob, see those camels eat.
It does my heart good to see them, for what am I without my camels, what
are the Arabs without the camels--are not the camels the pillars which
support the Arab's house?" At other times he would abuse his fellow
camel-drivers for coming into my tent, upbraiding them,--"What, do you
want to rob The Christian? Am not I encharged with his affairs?" Mohammed
was rather tall, and of lean habit of body, like all Arabs. His hearing
and sight were very quick, and he always seemed to sleep like a
watch-dog. His bravery I never tested. He was mostly lively and
facetious. He was good-looking, and about thirty years of age.

I saw him after my return to Tripoli. He wanted to go with me again. He
said to me, "Now you have seen all, The Mountains, The Sahara, and the
Touaricks. You know all our affairs, and everything we do." As a
literary curiosity, I shall here translate my camel-driver's account of
the route from Tripoli to Ghadames, written at my request, in which will
be seen the camel-driver's minute acquaintance with the route, and how
every wady, and well, and mountain, is particularized. This is the style
of the Saharan travellers and chroniclers.

"First Tripoli, and not far from it are palms of El-Hamabaj, and a mosque
El-Kajeej. You then proceed to Gargash, in which are palms, and along the
road the Kesar Jahaly. And you go on to Janzour, in which are palms and
two castles, one of them is called Kesar Areek, and the Kesar of the
Turkish soldiers (God curse them!) Upon the sea-shore is the mosque of
Sidi Abd-el-Jeleel. And you proceed to Seid, where are palms and the
Indian fig. And you go on to Ghafeeah, and here is cool refreshing water,
(oh! how delicious in the great heat!) and you pass the water to
El-Toubeem, where are palms, and mosques, and houses. You go on to
Zaweeah, where are palms, houses, and a Kesar for troops, and a Zaweeah
for the reading of The Sublime Koran, and mosques. You proceed thence to
Houshel, in which are palms and houses. You move on to Aabareeah, where
are palms. You now reach The Sahara, where there is a little sand; you
find in it the well of El-Hamra. Pursuing your way upon The Sahara, you
find the well of Esh-Shaibeeah. And travelling on The Sahara you find
another well called Lakhreej. You travel further on The Sahara, and find
Afoub Aaly, where there is sand, called El-Hal. And after it, you find
Wady Lethel, in which are lote-trees and the lethel, a large tree like an
olive-tree. And you travel to El-Jibel, where are houses and a Kesar for
troops. In the country called Yefran, are olive-trees and fig-trees; and
below the country (or in the plains), you find palms. And near El-Gibel,
in all the countries you find olive-trees and fig-trees, as far as the
other mountains westward. Now Rujban (my happy country, the blessing of
God on it!) has seven countries, viz.:--El-Barahem, and Tarkat, and
Sharn, and Zâferan, and Ghalat, and Zantan, and Tarbeeah.

"We mounted from Rujban and from El-Gibel, and went to Eth-Tha, where is
Koteet, between Ez-Zantan and Rujban. Thence we travelled to Wady
Souk-ej-Jeen. Thence to Haram and Et-Teen. And we travelled to
Wady-Azgheer, and afterwards Wady Walas. Thence we arrived again on The
Sahara, called El-Hamrad, which is _fertile_[20] land, and on it are
lote-trees, bearing berries (_nebek_). Now, oh Yâkob! this is not the
lote-tree in the seventh heaven, near the presence of Rubbee (God), and
which Gabriel, nor our lord Mahomet, dare not pass beyond. Alas! O Yâkob,
if you believe not in Mahomet, you cannot be near this lote-tree. It says
in the Koran, 'It covers the concealed[21].' And we ascended a hill,--a
high hill, that is to say, a little mountain. And we ascended
(descended?) to a wady, called Ahween, in which is a well on the west of
the route. And after this is Eshâab, small wadys, called Eshâab
Eth-Thoueeb, and after them is Wady Seelas, where there is a well of
water. You pass by it on the road, and come to Seenawan, in which is a
spring of water, called Spring Aly. In Seenawan are palms, and its
_ghotbah_ is like a tower (burge), built with small stones, and so of
the country (village) near it. And after this is the country Esh-Shâour,
where there is water from springs which run upon the face of the earth,
and palms and houses built with small stones. From The Mountains to
Seenawan are four days with heavily laden camels.

"Afterwards you travel and find Wady Babous Eth-Theeb. Thence there is
land, on which is sand, and in this the well of water El-Wateeah. After
there is Wady Ej-Jeefah. Then Saheer El-Maharee, and then a long stream,
in which are reeds. Afterwards you find Hinsheer El-Basasah. And after
El-Bab-Rumel ("gate of sand"), a difficult place. Thence you come to
Emjessem. All this route is Sahara; and the road from Seenawan to
Emjessen is two days' journey. After this you find the small mountains
Baârbeeah Aghour. Then you find Ghadames. There is a day's journey from
Emjessen to Ghadames."

_28th._--Early this morning made the tour of the city's walls and
gardens. Went with Said, and myself, alone. I am fond of being alone, and
would sometimes walk miles over The Desert--the caravans being not even
in sight. This _was_ solitude!

                  "I love all waste
    And solitary places; where we taste
    The pleasure of believing what we see
    Is boundless, as we wish our souls to be."

It occupied us, at a moderate rate of walking, about an hour and a half,
so that the oasis may be about five miles in circumference. What a scene
of hideous desolation did the environs present--nor tree, nor herb, nor
living creature! Talk of the Poles, there is less life here! On the
west, the groups of sand-hills, which stretch ten days' journey, were all
bright as the light, and sometimes not visible from brilliancy. Some
Touaricks saw us going, and called after us; we took no notice of them.
The Rais, on my return, asked many questions, about what I thought of the
city, and observed, "These poor fools think there's no city like theirs,
but what would they think if they saw Stamboul? Those who have not seen
Stamboul have not seen the world!" The walls of the city of Ghadames,
like the houses, are built mostly of sun-dried bricks, but parts of small
stones and earth. They are in a ruinous condition, and in many places
open to The Desert. But within these outer walls are garden-walls and
winding paths, so that the approaches to the city are difficult, except
by the southern gate. Formerly, four or five gates were open, but the
Rais has shut them all but this one for security, as well as facility in
collecting the octroi, or gate-dues.

The greater part of the camels of our ghafalah left today, but unladen,
there being no Soudan goods now in Ghadames. These camels belong to The
Mountains, and are hired by the merchants to convey their goods between
this and Tripoli. The ordinary price paid is two dollars per camel. The
weight the camel carries is from two to three cantars.

This afternoon had a visit from the Touarick women, and was astonished to
find some of them _almost fair_. They were pretty and plump, coquettish
and saucy, asking a thousand questions. It is evident the men are dark
simply from exposure to the sun. I regaled them with _medicine_ and tea.
This party belongs nearly all to Touat. They want to prevail upon me to
go with them. I am almost inclined. Two men, who came with the women,
assured me I should go safe and sound. I believe I could, provided I go
as poor as a beggar, distributing only medicines. This evening dined
again with the Rais. He is now a little better, and puts his charms over
his eyes, as if the charms cured them, and not the caustic of nitrate of
silver. His Excellency talked of the affairs of the city; he pretends the
antiquity of Ghadames goes back four thousand years, to the times of
Nimrod and Abraham. The people of the town, I suppose, have told him so;
but where is their authority? He says of _present_ matters,--"The people
pay 6,000 mahboubs per annum; it is too small a sum for a city of
merchants; there is little money in the country, it being mostly
deposited in the hands of merchants in Tripoli; he wishes Christians
established here, and a regular souk, or market, opened; the number of
Arab troops which he has here is 120; he is building barracks and a
fondouk at Emjessen, in order to station troops there to guard the wells,
for the banditti come there and drink water, and then lie in ambush to
plunder caravans." This building of forts at wells is a wise and
efficient measure; the same thing has been done at the oasis of Derge.
The Rais receives his pay _direct_ from the Sultan of Constantinople; his
appointment is quite uncertain; he is a native of Erzeroum; he took part
in the Turco-English campaign in Syria, served under General Jochmus, and
was acquainted with many English officers. He has been at Constantinople,
Smyrna, Malta, and many other parts of the Upper Mediterranean.

People complain that the gardens languish for want of money to cultivate
them; not more than half of the date-trees bear fruit this year, owing
entirely to the want of labour and irrigation. People have to purchase
water. I have seen no birds in the oasis up to this time.

The greater part of yesterday and to-day occupied in distributing
medicines. Afraid I shall soon finish my stock. The medicines were
furnished by the British Consul-General of Tripoli, at the expense of
Government; there were only five pounds-sterling worth. Ramadan begins in
a few days; then I shall not have so many customers. Then the Moors cast
physic to the dogs.

_29th._--Went this morning to see the Souk. At the time of my visit there
were only a few tomatas, peppers, a little olive-oil, and some grain,
wheat and barley, exposed for sale. Passed a butcher's, where a whole
camel was killed and cut up. Told in this way it fetches about thirty
shillings. Paid a visit to my runaway Turjeman, who said he would call
upon me this evening.

Observe the Rais employs, in his administration, all strangers, either
Arabs or Tripolines, or people from Derge and Seenawan. How true are the
principles of despotism! This is upon the same principle as the
employment of the Swiss at Naples; in both cases the despotic government
cannot trust the people. The Rais is very busy in collecting the
half-yearly tax: he works with surprising zeal from morning to night--a
zeal worthy of a better cause.

I am told the nearest route from here to Tunis is _viâ_ Douwarat (or
Duerat), a portion of the Atlas where is situate Shninnee. This village,
scattered over all the hills, is three days from Ghabs and seven from
Ghadames. The Souf Arabs tell me there is no water for seven days in
summer and twelve in winter, on the road they came from their country to
Ghadames, the difference being the length of days. The well is called
Beer-es-Saf, and sometimes Beer-ej-Jadeed. The route lies entirely
through sand, N.W. This region of sand is the celebrated hunting-place of
the Souf Arabs.

Dined again with the Rais this evening. His Excellency complained that
the Ghadamsee people show him scarcely any attention. He never receives
the smallest present, neither a few dates, nor a melon, nor a vegetable;
he buys and is obliged to buy everything[22]. I thought myself more
fortunate than the Rais, for I have received several little presents from
various individuals. His Excellency says he never punishes the people
except for _abusive language_ to one another, and than he only gives them
twenty or fifty strokes of the bastinado. In this respect he says,
"Ghadames may be compared to Paradise, there being no crime in it." His
Excellency repeated that the greater number of the resident inhabitants,
who do not travel abroad, spend their time in reading, writing, and
prayer--that, emphatically, this is _a Marabout city_.

_30th._--Occupied two or three hours this morning in administering
medicine and visiting the sick. My turjeman came back and apologized; he
said the people were fanatic. Received a visit from Haj-el-Beshir, eldest
son of the Sheikh Makouran. He said his father had been twice to
Timbuctoo, and resident there many years, and would give me some
information. The Rais says there's no Sheikh of the slaves, and adds,
"I'm the Sheikh of the slaves." This again is not correct, as the people
all told me, there must be a headman or Sheikh of the slaves in all
countries. Had a visit from two young men who were quite free from the
prejudices of their countrymen. They told me to take courage, "that God
was the Maker of Christians as well as Mohammedans, that in this city no
one could do me harm, but I was not to expose myself to the ignorant." I
seem, indeed, to get on better with the people, their prejudices
apparently are beginning to give way; I shall be able to open the way for
some other person. The father of one of my young friends has been now
twelve years in Kanou; when he returns he brings a fortune.

Speaking to the Rais of the Ghadamsee people, I asked him what they did
for soldiers before the Turks came? He replied, "These people are not
soldiers and never had soldiers; they are like women and children; if any
body came from The Desert to plunder, he stole what he pleased and was
allowed to go away unmolested. They depended upon God and prayer for
their protection. You see I told you these people were dervishes." Still
there is reason to believe that if they did not fight themselves, as, at
the present time, they got their quondam but powerful friends, the
Touaricks, to fight for them.

This afternoon saw some doves in the gardens; and also a small flight of
birds hovering over the city, perhaps there were twenty. These birds were
called _arnout_, and have very long bills and necks. When the men leave
off working at the wells, they dart down to drink. The palm-groves are
the favourite resort of the doves, as poetical as natural. Animals, and
especially birds, are so rare in those regions that every sight of them
is worthy of mention; indeed, these are the first birds I have seen since
I left Tripoli. No meat to be had to-day in Souk. People usually club
together and buy a whole sheep: they then kill it, and divide it into so
many portions according to the number of purchasers; so that meat is
rarely exposed publicly for sale, and it is necessary to join these
private purchasers. Purchase-money is always paid down at once and not on
delivery. The meat is never weighed but divided at guess. When any
disagreement takes place lots are drawn for the division.

During the four or five days of my residence here, the weather has been
comparatively temperate; at least, I have not felt the heat excessive.
To-day has been close and cloudy: no sun in the afternoon: wind hot,
_ghiblee_. I continue to be an object of curiosity amongst the people,
and am followed by troops of boys. A black from Timbuctoo was astonished
at the whiteness of my skin, and swore I was bewitched. The Ghadamsee
Moors eat sugar like children, and are as much pleased with a suck of it.
The young men carry it about in little bags to suck. The Rais is
sometimes called _Bey_ by the people and sometimes _Sultan_, but by the
low people, not the better classes. Here, as elsewhere, the lower classes
are the more servile.

_31st._--Went this morning to buy meat, but got some with great
difficulty. Passed some Touaricks, who showed an excessive arrogance in
their manners. They look upon the Ghadamsee people with great disdain,
considering them as so many sheep which they are to protect from the
wolves of The Sahara. Met several of the merchants I knew at Tripoli.
They asked me how I liked their city, and if better than Tripoli. I
always replied, _Haier_ (better). It is singular that though these
merchants are so enterprising themselves in the interior of Africa, they
cannot conceive of the possibility of a Christian coming so far from home
into The Desert, and when I tell them I wish to go to Soudan, or Bornou,
or Timbuctoo, they look at me with incredulity and say, "No, no, you
cannot go so far, you will die, or the people will kill you." They have
not the least idea of the courage and enterprise of European tourists,
nor can they understand their objects. But these their objections may be
founded in jealousy of us Christians.

The following is a nice neat facsimile specimen of the writing of a young
taleb and Ghadamsee Marabout, one of the best I have seen in The Desert.
It is a bill of sale, consisting of gold--slaves, male and
female--bullocks' skins--pillow-cases--elephant's teeth--senna--bekhour
(perfume)--camels--sacks--and (I think) household slaves.

[Illustration]

The young taleb showed great consequence and presented me with the
original. He observed that a metegal of gold is of the value of 33½
Tunisian piastres. I said, "Will you come to my house and I will show you
an Arabic book (the Bible) containing the religion of the Jews and
Christians?"

_The Taleb_: "I, I enter the house of an infidel! God preserve me!"

"Oh!" I observed, "you are afraid of me and my books--my books _will bite
you_." Hereupon all the people present burst into a loud laugh, and the
taleb looked quite crest-fallen.

Many people blind with one eye, and some with two eyes, come to me to be
cured, but I can do nothing for them. One poor old man comes every
morning. I wash his eyes with a solution of the Goulard powders. He,
though nearly seventy years of age, still lives in the hopes of
recovering his sight. How faithful a companion of the unfortunate is
hope! The Touaricks use mustard for bad fingers and hands. They also cut
and carve their backs for blood-letting, and the marks remain for years
upon years. I saw one of them whose back was scarred and scarified all
over.

This morning visited my turjeman at his house. The house is a
_mezzonina_, having no ground-floor apartments; the parlour, or grand
room, or hall, was surrounded, to my surprise, with small apartments, in
which three or four sheep were fattening, as people fatten pigs. The
sheep is with the Ghadamsee people what the pig is with the Irish, their
_dii penates_. There was also another story above this, the
sleeping-room; and then on the terrace, or flat roof, are other little
rooms. All the apartments were exceedingly small, but their situation
high. Stone stairs lead from one room to another. The turjeman told me
all the houses were built in the same manner, but some larger. Indeed
some houses are four stories high, besides the terrace. The lower rooms
are mostly used as magazines. As soon as I ascended the staircase, the
wife of the turjeman pretended to take fright, and hid herself in a
private apartment. At another time when I called, and her husband was
absent, she came out to see me, and collected all the women in two or
three neighbours' houses to see The Christian. It is the husband the
woman of Africa is frightened at, and not the stranger. The tyranny of
men over the sex of feebler bodily frame is co-extensive with the
population of the world. It is the same in Paris, in London, Calcutta,
and The Desert. But the principle of women-seeing in Ghadames and all
North Africa is simply this: "If the woman is poor, or the husband poor,
she may be seen; if rich, she cannot be seen." A pretty woman will,
however, always try to let you see her face if she can.

There is a very good-natured black dervish always about the streets, but
clean and well-dressed. Ordinarily amongst these saints filth and piety
go hand in hand. They abhor the proverb of cleanliness being next to
godliness. The poor fellow is very fond of me, is running in and out of
my house all day long. I always shake hands with him when I meet him. The
Moors approve my conduct and say: "Ah, Yâkob, he's a saint." Once the
cunning fellow, when he noticed a lot of half-caste women anxious to see
me, took hold of my head and turned me completely round to show my face
to them. He has some sense, good simpleton, and is without malice;
consequently a great favourite with the people. A pity all madmen were
not like this poor dervish. Yet how many would be as harmless and beloved
as he if they were not confined, and caged, and chained, in civilized and
Christian madhouses! The dog knows I'm a _kafer_, and said to my
camel-driver, the day of my arrival, "Why did you bring the Christian to
our holy city?" chiding him.

This afternoon we went to see the Touaricks "play with
camels"--‮يلعبوا مع الجمل‬--that is,
perform a sort of camel-race. Strange coincidence of civilized and
barbarian life! This was the Epsom and Ascot of The Desert. But I
was never more disappointed. All that the Touaricks did with their
camels was, they dressed them out most fantastically with various
coloured leather harness, that is to say, the withers, neck, and
head; they reined them up tightly like blood-horses; and then rode
them a full trot in couples. This was the whole of the grand play
with camels. Some, however, would not fall into this trot of
couples, and grumbled terrifically. The Touaricks who rode these
restive camels were saluted by the spectators with loud laughter,
the effect of which was painted sullenly in their faces. I never saw
men look so _couldn't help it_ like. One of them was a young
Touarick who had been saucy to me. I was not displeased to see him
in this _triste_ position. The camels were the genuine Maharee, of
course; the Touaricks have no other camels. The men were dressed out
also in their gayest barbaric finery. A tent was dressed up, around
which squatted a group of Desert jockies, with their fierce spears
bristling above in the sun before them, like the lords of creation.
Even a banner floated gaily in the bright sun from the tent top. A
great concourse of Ghadamsee spectators were present, one of whom
swore to me that a Maharee once passed from Ghadames to Tripoli IN
ONE DAY, but that the rider died instantly from exhaustion, on his
arrival. Another Maharee outstripped the wind, but as it was a
strong cold wind, the animal died when it got into hot atmosphere,
to which the tempest was driving.

Had a long conversation with a Touarick about a journey to Timbuctoo. I
offered him five hundred dollars to escort me; but, to deposit the money
in the hands of the Governor of Ghadames, or a respectable merchant, till
my and his safe return. Said I would take nothing with me but medicines,
and a little provision, and go in _formâ pauperis_, as a dervish or
doctor. All the Ghadamsee people present approved this way of going, and
admired its wisdom, as removing all temptation to attack me, or to steal
anything from me when I had nothing to steal. But the Touarick could not
come up to the scratch, and was frightened to take upon himself the
responsibility, observing, "You are a Christian; the people of Timbuctoo
will kill you unless you confess Mahomet to be the prophet of God."

Dined this evening with the Rais. His Excellency said: "Formerly, when
Ghadames was governed by the Moorish Bashaws, the people paid little or
nothing. There are but three or four rich persons now here, the rest are
poor, or have only a few mahboubs to carry on a petty trade." At night,
the streets are enveloped in pitch darkness, whether the moon be up or
not. I endeavoured to persuade the Rais to make the people light up the
town with a few lamps, having oil enough in them to last till midnight.
"Good," he observed, "but the people say it was always so, and it must be
so still. What can I do?" There are no coffee-houses in Ghadames; people
drink coffee inside their houses. I threatened the merchants to set up
Said as a _kahwagee_, (coffee-house keeper). They laughed, and said,
"None will buy." For conversation people collect in groups round shops,
in the _Souk_, or in little squares near the mosques, where there are
many stone benches for reclining on, or in some quiet dark nook and
corner, where, when you expect to find no one, you fall foul of a retired
circle of gossips, squatting down in utter darkness. These Saharan
streets are veritable catacombs.

_1st September._--This morning, wonderful! It broke with a few drops of
rain; to me most pleasant, and welcomed as falling pearls of nectar. At
noon the sky became as dry and inflamed as ever. Went to the Spring early
to bathe. Found it surrounded with women, nearly all half-castes and
female slaves. They pretended to be in a great fright, as all were
washing and dabbling in the water. I came away. A man said, "The
Christian must not go to the well in the morning, but only in the
evening." There seems to be a tacit understanding, that from day-break to
a couple of hours afterwards, the women shall have possession of the
well, for purification purposes, according to the rites of religion.

This morning took coffee with the Rais; as no one was present, he began
talking politics. "By a little and a little," he said, "we shall take
possession of Ghat. We can't do it by force, it would require some
thousand men to take it by arms. The Touaricks are all robbers and
devils." I asked him if he would not like to occupy Touat. He replied,
"No, there's another Sultan there, and another people. There are two
Sultans in the world, one in the East and one in the West
(_Muley-Abd-Errahman_). Ghat we might take. At Touat we are too near the
French, and might quarrel with them. All the freebooters come from Tunis.
The Bey has no power or authority over the Arabs there. His government is
bad; he's a madman. Our Pasha has often written to him about these
freebooters, but it's no use. The English and the Sultan are one, and
always friends, whatever may be the condition of the rest of the world."
Speaking of me:--"You are mad to think of going to Timbuctoo; you are
sure to have your throat cut."

I allow all persons, rich and poor, young and old, men and women, to come
and see me. At the same time I make a distinction between those who are
likely to be useful to me and mere idle intruders. All the Arab soldiers
come, and, in general, though poor and thievish, they have less of
prejudices, and like the English better than the Ghadamsee people. This
city has not yet felt the benefit of English influence, and interference
in Tripoli, and therefore the merchants have not the same reasons for
being friendly to the English as the Arabs of The Mountains and the
townspeople of Tripoli. All the Ghadamseeah agree with me, that the
camel-playing of the Touaricks was a failure. Five slaves are leaving for
Tripoli. The poor things complained of having nothing to eat; I sent Said
with some victuals for them. The people continue to be friendly, and the
merchants, whose acquaintance I made in Tripoli, very much so. The
steward of the Rais has arrived from Tripoli in fourteen days. His whole
party consisted of six camels and five persons. So much for the pretended
insecurity of the route! He is dressed in the Turco-European costume,
like indeed the Rais himself. To-day the mother of Essnousee, my friend,
was bitten by a scorpion. I administered Goulard solution to the part,
and gave her fever-powder, as she was very hot and her belly swollen. She
died the next day.

Dined again with the Rais. He says, scorpions are in great numbers in
this city, because it is ancient, and particularly they abound in the old
mosques where the people do not live or perform domestic matters. "No
person," he added, "is secure from them, and it is all destined whether
we are bitten, and die or not." The Touarick again assured me that he
spoke the truth, he did not flatter me, by telling me he could take me to
Timbuctoo, when he could not; but yet, if I could make friends with some
respectable merchant of Touat, they might succeed. A son of the Sheikh
Makouran is now in Timbuctoo. The Sheikh himself gave me a detailed
account of the city; he has been there twice. The old gentleman, when he
had finished his narrative, thought the time was come for me to assist
him. He begged me to intercede with the British Consul at Tripoli for
him, that he might not be taxed by the Bashaw so much. He now pays two
hundred dollars per annum, assessed taxes. He assured me that all the
money is leaving the country, and Ghadames will soon be without a para,
like the rest of Tripoli. He told me frankly that he had the idea of
making me a partner in his firm, to get my protection, but on hearing I
was opposed to slave-dealing, it could not be done, as he and all the
merchants were obliged to deal in slaves. Indeed, the obstacle of
English merchants joining the Tripoline is at present insuperable, on
account of the slave traffic; if they could unite in one firm, it would
be equally advantageous for both parties.

_2nd._--Not so many patients this morning. A respectable Ghadamsee came
to me to beg medicine to assist in conjugal pleasures. I told him to eat,
drink, and take a journey from home for two months.

Although, according to the Italian almanack, the new moon is on the 1st,
yet as the people have not seen it, there is no Ramadan, (properly
_Ramtham_.) The Rais says, after the first ten days' keeping the fast it
is not difficult, but, during this period, the adult Mussulmans suffer
exceedingly. Afraid I shall find them all ill-natured during the fast.
Besides, they can't stomach seeing Infidels eat, whilst they the Faithful
fast.

Supped with the Rais. His fowl flew away, and left him without meat for
supper. "_Maktoub_," he said, laughing. The Mussulmans are extravagantly
fond of rice, but they never prepare it in that nice delicious way in
which we do, with milk, or in rice pudding. It is always covered with
fat, and soon surfeits one. His Excellency and his servants played
practical jokes on the black dervish. First, they bastinadoed the
dervish, and then he bastinadoed the Rais's servants. But the dervish did
it in reality, and so effectually, that after two or three strokes, they
jumped up, for he laid it on under all the force of his witless revenge.
When in a passion, or excited, he speaks his native lingo of Soudan, but
when cool he speaks Arabic and Ghadamsee. He became mad, _en route_, by
grief in being ravished from his country. These practical jokes were
played off under the sanction of his Excellency, before all the people in
the streets.

The prevalent diseases at this season, are diarrhœa and ophthalmia, with
occasional cases of fever. The diarrhœa arises from the people's eating
unripe or bad fruit, particularly melons, the ophthalmia from frequent
exposure to the sun during the past hot months. The camel-drivers also
bring it into the city, and it is so propagated by infection. One of my
patients is dead, a little boy, afflicted with diarrhœa for three months.
His father, in relating his death to me, spoke with a resignation which
might be imitated, but could not be surpassed by a Christian. It is
amazing how the thought of all-powerful and resistless destiny calms the
mind, and tones it down to a speechless patience! My stock of drugs is
fast going. It consisted originally of worm-powders, emetics (of which
the Arabs and Moors are very fond), fever powders, purgative pills, Epsom
salts, compound opium pills, Goulard powders, eye powders, sulphate of
quinine pills, and solution of nitrate of silver. They were made up by
Dr. Dickson, of Tripoli. I was surprised to find nothing for pectoral
complaints. Many persons here are troubled with chronic diseases of this
sort. Although administering medicines these eight days to some fifty
persons or more, not one of them has offered me anything in turn. There
are no guinea or five-guinea fees here. On the contrary, some have asked
me for sugar and money before they could be persuaded to take the
medicine. Such is the consolation of doing good. Verily the philosopher
had it when he said, "Virtue must be loved for its own sake." Here I may
mention that the Commandant Omer of our caravan got into a great passion
because I would not buy him a pair of shoes, and left for The Mountains,
without coming to bid me good bye. He had had coffee and tea, and
provisions always with me, _en route_, and I thought this enough. Unless
the last favour or request is granted, all former favours are counted
nothing.

_3rd._--The morning opens cool and pleasant, and the heat begins
gradually to leave us. People expect rain in ten days.

Another Touarick has come forward to offer to conduct me to Timbuctoo. He
says now is the time to go, when it is hot the banditti do not infest the
routes, for they find no water to drink. He offers to take me for five
hundred dollars, which is to be deposited in the hands of the Sheikh
Makouran, and is not to be paid until our safe return. He will allow me
to stop a month or six weeks in the city of Timbuctoo. The distances of
routes which he gives me, are the same as those on M. Carette's map,
attached to his brochure on the commerce of The Desert. Of all the French
writers who have recently written on Africa, M. Carette is most correct.
Wrote down a vocabulary of Ghadamsee words from my turjeman's dictation.
Whilst I was lamenting the little gratitude, or rather none, which the
people showed for my medicines, an old man, to whose mother-in-law (he
having married a woman forty years younger than himself, frequently the
case here,) I gave some pills, brought me a melon, and said he should
bring also some dates. I was conversing with a group at the time, and I
took the opportunity of observing that doctors were paid amongst us. An
upstart man angrily replied:--"Yes, but we are the chosen people of God!
you Infidels are bound to serve us in every way, and ought to be thankful
that you are so honoured as to be the servants and slaves of The
Moumeneen. You think you are clever, but your talents are not your own;
your knowledge comes from God." These affronting words contain a common
fanatic sentiment of Barbary. I made no reply.

Went at noon to visit the Arab suburb, and was a great curiosity amongst
the women and children. Some of the little girls were frightened out of
their wits, but the boys took up stones to pelt me. The suburb contains
about five hundred souls; the houses are all miserable, and the people
poor. A genuine Ghadamsee would not live here without being degraded: it
is the St. Giles of the city. Went into a house, the walls of which were
completely concealed beneath the covers for dishes and meats, bowls and
calabashes, the greater part brought from Soudan. The people were dealers
in them. Talking with the Rais about Soudan, he displayed the usual
ignorance of Mussulmans, even in The Desert, of this country. It would
take a person five years to travel through that vast country, many parts
of which were populated by cannibals. We read of the Lemlems, Lamlams,
and the Yemyems, as cannibals, somewhere in the neighbourhood of Zegzeg
and Yakobah; but after conversing with several of the merchants who have
scoured Soudan and Bornou, I have not found one who has seen these
terrible cannibals. They have all _heard_ of them. It appears to me to be
an ancient tale of wonder to adorn the narratives of travellers.

This evening being that previous to the Ramadan, a great outcry was made
to see the moon. According to my Italian almanack it should be three
days' old, the geographical position of the two countries may make a
difference as to a sight of it. There is a little display of firing off
pistols, chiefly by boys. A vast number of persons question me, as to
whether I shall fast (_soum_) to-morrow; and a Touarick goes bolt up to
the Governor, and says, to his Excellency, pointing to where I am
sitting,--"Does this (man) fast?" His Excellency shakes his head and
laughs gravely. To questions put direct to me, I answer, "a little." A
boy says to me, "Why, how now, every body fasts, and you don't fast!" It
is, however, prudent to avoid all these questions. I told some more
liberal:--"The English eat and drink at all seasons that which is good;
but some Christian nations occasionally fast." According to the Moslemite
rite here observed, all under _thirteen_ may eat during the Ramadan; but,
other authorities tell me, all under _eight_. Those who travel are
excused for the time being. The fast endures thirty days. Another patient
brought me a few dates. In time I may alter my opinion of Ghadamsee
gratitude. Some new patients, nearly all ophthalmia and diarrhœa.

Visited to-day the two wells, which serve a portion of the population, in
addition to the great spring. It is surprising what an interest I take in
water. It is to me like precious gold, and the most fine gold. One of
these wells has better water than the central running spring. They are
large wells, but do not run like the great spring: they are also only a
little warm. In the winter they rise higher, showing some connexion with
the rainy season in the _rainy_ region. Two men were employed in drawing
water in a curious manner. The other buckets were not being worked. One
end of the shaft is made very heavy, so as to assist in bringing up the
water by over-balancing on a swivel; the other end, to which the cord and
bucket is attached, is correspondingly light.

[Illustration]

The houses of Ghadamsee are one, two, three, four, and even five stories
high; the greater part three or four stories. The architecture is
ordinarily Moorish, with some Saharan fantastic peculiarities. The public
buildings offer nothing remarkable; even the mosques, in a place so
devoted to religion, have no pretty minarets. There are four large
mosques, viz.: Jemâ Kebir,--Tinghaseen,--Yerasen,--Eloweenah; and many
smaller mosques and sanctuaries. The streets are all covered in and dark,
(a peculiarity prevailing in many Saharan cities,) with here and there
open spaces or little squares, of which there are several to let in the
light of heaven. They are small and narrow, and winding, not more than a
couple of camels can pass abreast, the ceiling however being high enough
to admit the entrance of the tall Maharee camel. A camel of this species
entered to-day: it amazed me by its stupendous height; a person of
average size might have walked under its belly. The principal streets and
squares are lined with stone-benches, on which the people loungingly
recline or stretch themselves. Both houses and streets are admirably
adapted for the climate, protecting the inhabitants alike from the fiery
glare of the summer's sun, and the keen blasts of the winter's cold.
Before the Rais Mustapha's appointment, the city had, besides smaller and
inner gates, four principal ones, viz., Bab-el-Manderah, Bab-esh-Shydah,
Bab-el-Mishrah, and Bab-el-Bur ("gate of the country"), all of which,
except the last on the south-west, are now closed, with respect to the
entrance of goods and camels. The city is situate on the south-east side
of the plantations of palms and gardens, not in the central part of the
oasis. I asked the talebs the meaning of some of the names of the gates,
but they could not tell. Many proper names of places and persons, amongst
them as with us, have now no assignable meaning or derivation.

FOOTNOTES:

[20] Here we find The Sahara called _fertile_ land; and, in fact,
    many parts of The Desert could be cultivated.

[21] See Surat Liii., entitled "The Star."

[22] This complaint is not well founded, for afterwards I saw the
    Rais often receive presents of fruit, tobacco, sugar, and even
    wearing apparel.




CHAPTER V.

THE FAST OF THE RAMADAN.

     Deathly stillness of the City on first morning of the
     Ramadan.--Rais weighing Gold.--The Gold Country.--Use of
     different Arabic terms in different Countries.--Insecurity of
     Merchants in The Desert.--Jews on the borders of The Sahara.--Sin
     not to Marry.--Wood in The Sahara.--Rais, a Marabout.--Sheikh of
     Slaves.--Complaints of the People to me.--Mr. Frederick
     Warrington.--M. Carette's _brochure_ on Saharan Commerce.--Trait
     of Tolerance.--Growing reputation of Said.--Preach anti-Slavery
     Doctrines in the Street of Slaves.--Ignorance of the People on
     Geography.--Talismans in Africa.--The Queen of England's
     Physic.--Rais's Desert Politics.--Increase of Patients.--Gradual
     method of obtaining Information.--Visit from a
     Touarick.--Tripoline Merchants have the Money of those in
     Ghadames.--Indifference of Mussulmans in reading The Bible.


_4th._--WALKED out this morning and found no one in the streets; every
body was still in bed, or shut up in their houses, being the first day of
the Ramadan. A paralysis of death seemed to have stricken the city. Had
no morning patients for the same reason. Afterwards, the servants of the
Rais came to visit me and found me taking coffee; they gaped with full
(empty?) open mouths, as if wondering I was not choked. I asked them if
the Rais would take his tea. "It's unlawful," they screamed, and ran away
as if Old Nick were after them. Usually make tea for the Governor every
morning, which I send him in a glass, and sometimes also for the Sheikh
Makouran. I could not help thanking God that I was born a Protestant, and
professed a religion not in violence to the physical requirements of
human nature, nor in contradiction to the plain sense of mankind. Man
has evils enough to contend with, and to war against, without inflicting
new and additional evils upon himself, like this most health-trying and
health-destroying Ramadan. My turjeman confessed every body was mad in
Ramadan. Whatever becomes of me in the deserts of Africa, I hope I shall
have force of mind enough to maintain my religion intact.

I amused myself with thinking how the Desert-travelling might be
considerably shortened. This could be effected by joining camels with
horses through the routes. Horses could come easily from Tripoli to The
Mountains in two days. The camels could undertake the journey from The
Mountains to Seenawan in three or four days. Horses then could again
accomplish the rest in two days. In all, _seven_ days. Were Europeans in
possession of this country, horses and mules would soon take the place of
camels, for all quick travelling. Putting aside horses, by the use of the
_maharee_, or fleet-camel, the journey for post could be reduced nearly
half. All the Moors and Arabs dissuade me against going to Timbuctoo,
assuring me that the Touaricks will cut my throat; but I begin to feel my
opinion changing as to the Touaricks. I am sure, if a friend can be made
of a brave man of this nation, there is no danger. Am glad, however,
people manifest some sympathy with my travelling projects; what I want to
do is, to effect some real discovery, or do something great in Africa.
Ghadames is not enough, nor even Bornou; it is, must be, Timbuctoo. Yet a
man must not put his head into the fire and then call upon God to quench
the flames. Met Sheikh Makouran in the street, and brought him home to my
house in order that he might give me a more detailed account of the
finances of Ghadames. Notwithstanding that the Turks overturn and ruin
commerce by restrictions, they poorly protect the merchants. The Sheikh
complained to me of several losses. During the last two years four
ghafalahs had been plundered on different routes, by which he lost
considerable sums. Other merchants lost property in proportion. He
considered Ghadames, from various causes, fast approaching its ruin. Our
conversation then turned to the New World, America. He was quite
astonished at my description of it, and asked if any Mohammedans were
there. We then came to the traffic in slaves. He did not see why men
should not be sold like camels and asses, if such was the law of God.
"All," he observed, "depended upon the will of the Creator of all
beings."

The Rais is a very religious man, and I'm cautious what I say. At noon,
paid him a visit, and said, "Why, all the people are dead to day." He
replied, "It's only for one day." I never saw a poor devil look so
comfortless. He is an inveterate, eternal smoker, like all who boast to
be of the same nation as the Imperial Osmanlis, the pipe is never out of
his mouth; he therefore suffers more than any person in Ghadames. He was
still busy, or affected to be, to kill time, weighing gold with his
servants. I said, "Is there much gold in the country?" "Less and less
every year," was the reply. Many caravans go by way of Mourzuk, not
coming this way. The servant held up the little bags, showing that the
gold, not more than two or three ounces, belonged to _four_ persons. When
gold is brought over The Desert, it is tied up in little dirty filthy
bits of rags, first twisted round where it opens, and then tied. These
are carried on the person, in the bosom or the turban.

When a caravan is attacked and the people rifled, all these little bags
of rags, whether containing gold, or salt, pepper, essences, or what not,
are scrupulously cut open by the brigands. The gold brought to Ghadames
consists chiefly of women's ear-rings, hoop and drop ear-rings. Some of
the drops are hollow and contain little matters which rattle, and
perfumed with small quantities of atar, or of zebed, (civet). The
workmanship is rude and clumsy, but the gold is of the finest quality,
though small and unpolished, something as the Malta gold is worked. The
Rais collects the gold from those who cannot pay in the current coin. The
gold country of the merchants is not very distinctly understood by them.
Some say it is _fouk_, "above," Timbuctoo, others beyond Jinnee and
Bambara, about three months from Timbuctoo, in a south-west direction.
The country is called Mellee, which includes many large districts and
provinces, but the particular district is _Furra_. This is a flat and
sandy place, "not a stone," say the merchants, "is to be seen." The mines
of Furra, if such they may be called, are sold by auction, and the lot of
land is a lot of fortune, some plots producing nothing, others gold in
abundance. When the gold arrives at Timbuctoo, it is converted into
women's ornaments, mostly ear-rings. I have seen very few bags of
gold-dust or bars. There are no camel-caravans from Timbuctoo to Mellee
and Furra; people go in small parties on horses and asses; some go alone
on foot. Foot-travelling is very common in Central Africa; and these
pedestrian merchants or pedlars will make journeys of three and four
months. A merchant is obliged to remain some time before he can buy up
any quantity of gold; it is brought in such small quantities, and the
trade in gold is declining, and has been so for twenty years past. It is
probable the merchants take more of it now to the western coast and its
European factories. Certainly that route is safer than bringing it north,
over several months' journey of Desert.

The Rais is a most diligent servant of Government. One cannot help
observing, however, that the whole scope and end of governing with the
Osmanlis is--_money_. Of the people, their protection and improvement,
they rarely ever think. As the Rais is now busy in making every body book
up, some people asked me if there was much money in Tripoli? I told them
I did not think there was any money left. "The Pasha has plenty," cried
one. I took the trouble of explaining the new system, that each
functionary had a salary, granted by the Sultan, from the highest to the
lowest, and the Deftadar, after paying each his salary, sent the rest of
the money to Constantinople, where (as the Rais himself said) it was
"poured away as water." Perhaps this was speaking too freely, but the
Moslemites at times speak uncommonly free and bold for despotic
governments. The Bey of Tunis has often been menaced with hell-fire by
the Arabs, when they pleaded before him in the hall of judgment,
swearing, that if he did not deal to them justice, God would deal to him
vengeance.

The use of different terms is very curious in travelling through
North Africa, and each country has its peculiar Arabic word, the
words being all more or less classical. Perhaps no word is
so much used in Ghadames and The Mountains as the epithet
_batel_--‮باطل‬--"vain, useless," &c., and really answers in its
use to something like our tremendous "Humbug." It especially denotes
everything bad, false, and wrong, in any matter and in any body. On
the contrary, for the opposite epithet, various terms are used,
"_maleah_," "tayeb," and "_zain_," which latter term always means
pretty, as well as good. The polite Ghadamseeah are very fond of _zain_;
but it should properly apply to pretty women. The people use the term
‮شهر‬ "month," for moon, instead of ‮قمر‬. The ‮ق‬ is
not distinguished in pronunciation from ‮غ‬, and I have not attempted
it in writing. Indeed, I shall avoid as much as possible distinctions
which the generality of readers cannot understand.

Only one of my patients came to-day, the little blind boy. The Rais sent
me in the evening a fine dish and soup, on occasion of the night of the
first day's fasting. The people kept to-night as an _âyed_ or feast. A
Touarick took Said, my servant, aside, and whispered mysteriously in his
ear,--"Has the Christian fasted to-day?" Speaking to a liberal Moor, I
told him the fast was _bătāl_, inasmuch as the Mussulmans ate all night
and slept the greater portion of the day, making things equal; that to
fast really, as some Christians did, was to eat nothing, night or day. At
the time I added, "I am not such a fool as to increase the miseries of
this life by fasting when I can get anything to eat." The fellow,
laughing, observed, "You English are right." I see the fast is nearly
universal, old and young, rich and poor, high and low, all fast. They mix
with it strong religious feelings, and I dare say fanaticism, a quality
rarely apart from the purest religious sentiment. Still continue our
conversations on Timbuctoo. Most of the old respectable merchants have
been to Timbuctoo. One of them, Haj Mansour, resided there fourteen
years, carrying on a prosperous trade. But so perverse and unstable are
human affairs, that, on returning home after so long an exile, with
thirty camels laden with the riches of the interior, and with much fine
gold, and whilst within a few days of Touat, the banditti of The Desert
fell upon him and carried off everything, not leaving a water-skin to
quench his thirst! Had he not been near Touat, he would have perished in
The Desert. The Haj is quite black, though his features are not Negro. He
is now an old gentleman of upwards of seventy, and yet very active. His
family is immense; what with women, and girls, and sons, and grandsons,
it musters some thirty souls. He told me with bitterness, as if it had
been the case with himself, the merchants were often their own enemies,
they were so parsimonious that they would not hire a sufficient escort of
Touaricks, and so left defenceless in The Desert many were plundered and
ruined irretrievably. The greatest misfortune in travelling through the
country of the Touaricks is, their chiefs have not sufficient power to
control the people, and for whose actions they will not always be
responsible. One day you may meet with the best of men amongst the
Touaricks, the next day with a band of robbers; such is the uncertainty
and insecurity of The Desert.

_5th._--It would be a good project at least, and might be attended with
incalculable benefit, in promoting Christianity and civilization in
Africa, were portions of The Scriptures translated into Touarick, with
the native Touarick characters. Their vanity would be so exceedingly
excited that it would be almost impossible for them to refuse reading a
book written in their own dear characters. All can read their own
characters, but very few the Arabic. It is not a little surprising, if I
am to believe what I hear, that the Touaricks, with all their savage
boldness--whose home is The Desert--will not venture on a journey to
Tripoli. Many, many times have they been persuaded and pressed by the
coast merchants, but they have always set their faces against the
journey. Perhaps they think (as some, indeed, hinted to me) the Pasha
would keep them prisoners, and not let them return until they had
delivered up some of their districts to his authority. Whatever the
motive, it is strange that men, who wander through all parts of Central
Africa, cannot be prevailed upon to visit Tripoli. I have heard but of
one exception.

It is pleasant to witness the least sign of improvement in a people who
are commonly condemned by their own habits, their religion, and the
opinions of Europeans, to a retrograde or eternally stationary existence.
I was much pleased to observe in one of the small squares of the city a
tree recently planted, (the _tout_[23], a species of small white
mulberry,) which promises to afford not only a grateful shade to repose
under in summer's burning heat, but is in itself a pretty ornament. The
great fault of the Africans is want of forethought, or impatience of the
future. Their maxim is, to enjoy the present, to take no thought for the
morrow, but let the morrow provide for itself. Like all rude and
unlettered people, the precepts of religion are interpreted in their
strictest literality. To-day, I find more people in the streets, and the
Ramadan is not so visible in their faces as I expected it would be. The
fact is, the generality of the Saharan inhabitants, and especially the
poor Arabs eat but once, or make but one meal a day, and this in the
evening; so, in reality, as far as eating is concerned, the Ramadan is no
Ramadan with them. Saw the Rais, he is better than yesterday. His
Excellency called me a simpleton for talking with the Touaricks about
going to Timbuctoo; nevertheless, I feel as if I should like to go the
whole-hog--Timbuctoo, or nothing. The future will tell! His Excellency,
however, observed, that the Touaricks of Touat had nearly destroyed all
the banditti on the route of Timbuctoo. It is the interest of the
Touaricks to keep the routes free that they may have the advantage of the
visits and escorting of caravans.

One of the peculiarities of Ghadames is that there is no Jew resident in
the city. It is strange that a people of such a commercial genius as the
Israelites should never have had courage to undertake an enterprize over
The Great Desert, whilst they have crept all around it. In Tunis they are
scattered throughout the Jereed; in Algeria they are established at the
oases of Souf and Mezab; in Morocco we find them at Sous and Wadnoun; and
in Tripoli they are located in nearly every town of the coast, whilst a
few visit The Mountains. But, to the credit of the Jews and their
mercantile genius, it is not their fault. The fanaticism of the Ghadamsee
people would be strongly opposed to their residence here, more so than
against Christians; it is enough to support the overbearing Christian
_kafer_, without the pollution of the weak miserable Jew in their holy
city, for the _force_ principle makes the Mohammedans respect the
Christians. The weak are despised, the strong respected. I might,
however, have made the experiment of bringing a Jewish servant here: one
sadly wanted to come with me. Still a traveller should not unnecessarily
increase his difficulties, and excite the prejudices of the people
amongst whom he resides, mostly by sufferance. It is probable also the
mercantile jealousy of the people would be excited against the Jews.
Afterwards I learnt that two _Barbary_ Jews went either to Bornou or
Soudan, in the year 1844, and returned safe. Unfortunately this species
of Jew can add nothing to our stock of geographical knowledge beyond what
we may get from the Arabs and Moors themselves; his ideas of nature and
science are all the same, with the exception of a few religious dogmas,
and a strong national bias. The visit of these two Jews to Bornou excited
no attention in Tripoli. Along the line of The Desert the Jews help
commerce. They are great ostrich-feather merchants in Southern Morocco.
Some have said they go to Timbuctoo, but this report is not
authenticated. In Souf they greatly assist the Arabs in the exchange of
their products. About twenty families are established amongst the
Souāfah, in the greatest security of life and property. The Jews here
dress like the Arabs, and are not easily distinguishable from them. In
most of the interior districts they have the privilege of dressing like
the rest of the people.

The Rais is an old bachelor, like myself. He seems to live very
wretchedly without a wife. The good Mussulmans, who think it a sin to
live unmarried, excuse him because his residence in different parts of
the regency is uncertain, and he tells them he cannot lead about a wife.
The only object of affection of this bachelor is a parrot, which speaks
pure Housa lingo, and is very angry at the gruff tones of the Touraghee
language, always scolding the Touaricks when they speak.

My Marabout camel-driver once had an interesting conversation with me
about a plurality of wives:--

"It is not right to have more wives than one, because men and women are
nearly equally in numbers, and if one man has two wives another man must
go without even one."

_The Marabout._--"Oh, if a man has money, he may have two, or three, or
four?"

"That is not a good religion which gives four wives to one man because he
has money, and leaves another man without any because he has no money, or
not so much money as his neighbour."

_The Marabout._--"So it is," (as if convinced of the reasonableness of
the thing).

"Why has such an old man as Sheikh Makouran two young wives? This is
against nature."

_The Marabout._--"He plays; his time of work is past."

I believe this unequal distribution of the women is a great check on
population. It prevails to a greater extent amongst the Negro tribes. I
am not of opinion that Central Africa is populous. I saw nowhere any
populous districts myself.

The wood used in the construction of buildings is that of the date-tree,
which, apparently, grows stronger and tougher with age. Of this all the
doors of the houses and the lighter works are made. Wood for fireing is
brought in from The Sahara, but from a great distance. It is sold for
three Tunisian piastres the camel-load. It is the common brush-wood,
underwood, or scrub of The Desert, and is excessively dry, for withered
and dead trees or shrubs are gathered. In seasons of rain The Sahara
creates this wood quickly, it then perishes for want of rain. Sometimes
wood for building is brought from Tripoli, _i. e._, deal-boards. Our
caravan brought some doors for a mosque, made of deal.

This evening was a grand celebration of divine worship in the house of
the Rais, and a Marabout chanted verses from the Koran. His Excellency
certainly gains the respect, if not the affections, of the pious. He is
often said by the people to be a man who "fears God." I sat near the door
listening. A fellow said to me, "You must sit farther off whilst the
people are praying, it is unlawful to sit where you are." I took no
notice of his impertinence. The Rais sent me yesterday, as the evening
before, a very good supper. Being Ramadan, I stopped up till midnight
talking politics with him. He is a native of a province, near Circassia,
fallen under the iron rule of Muskou (the Russians). Having been in the
Syrian campaign he was enabled to see the _feeding_ of the English
soldiers and sailors, which quite astonished him. He observed, "The
Emperor of Russia will never have good troops, he scarcely gives them
anything to eat. It is not surprising they desert to the Circassians."
The Rais has a great dread of the Russians absorbing the Ottoman empire:
it is not an unreasonable dread.

_6th._--My turjeman complains that neither he nor the people can pay
their excessive taxes; they must all be soon ruined. Yet a couple of
thousand pounds per annum is nothing for a commercial city like this. He
says, "If we were to cultivate our gardens, we should have more; but then
the Turks would demand more, so our spirits are broken, and we are eaten
up. We have no heart to work for our oppressors." Continue to read the
Arabic New Testament, which aids me in colloquial disquisitions with the
people. The Ghadamsee people persist in not taking medicines during the
fast. One told me, "Even if a man dies, and medicine could save him, he
must not take it." I have therefore fewer patients during the inexorable
Ramadan. But I _save_ my tea and coffee--"An ill wind blows, &c." The
Rais, however, gets his tea in the evening. It is remarkable with what
willingness, and without any sort of prejudice, several of the people
offer me information. Even when refused, I always find it arises from
indolence to narrate it. They are not afraid that I am collecting
information to supply the English Government with the means of invading
their country, like some Moors in Barbary. They look upon the thing just
as it is,--that I am writing a book about their country to amuse
Christians.

The Sheikh of the slaves came in, with several Ghadamsee youths:--

"The Governor says, you are not the Sheikh; _he_ is the Sheikh."

"So, does he say?"

(_The Youths._--"But the Sheikh _is_ the Sheikh.")

"I am," says the Sheikh, "from Timbuctoo; all the people are Mohammedans,
and fast. Do you fast?"

_I._--"I eat and drink what is good at all times, even wild-boar."

_The Sheikh and Youths._--"Oh, wonderful!"

_They._--"You write Arabic?"

I wrote that God was _one_.

_They._--"And write Mahomet was the Prophet of God?"

I wrote Mahomet was the Prophet of the Arabs and the Touaricks?

_The Sheikh._--"Ah, ah, I see, I see, you're very cunning."

_The Youths._--"Who is your Prophet?"

_I._--"Aysa (Jesus)."

_The Youths._--"Have you any books of your Prophet?"

_I._--"Yes, here is one:" (Giving them the New Testament.)

_They._--"Oh, see, let us read it, let us take it home."

_I._--"No; if you were men, yes. But if I allow you to read it, or read
it to you, your Bey and the people will be offended with me, and send me
out of the city. When you go to Tripoli, you can see and read the
Christian books."

I was surprised that a well-informed man like the Sheikh Makouran should
ask me whether the Emperor of Morocco was also Emperor of Fez, and
whether Morocco was a large country. "Ghat," says the Rais, "like all the
Touarick countries, is a republic. All the people govern." Walked out
this evening for the first time to-day. The people are vehement in their
complaints against the oppressions of the Turks: "All the wealth of the
country is dried up, and the merchants are all running away. We are
ruined unless the English save us."

It has been very hot and sultry to-day. Not a breath of air. The sky
overcast--a profound, deathlike tranquillity sleeping over the environs!
The Rais sent supper as usual. After visiting him, he had a fit of
writing, and wrote for the courier all night. Thank God, there are no
gnats in Ghadames. I have not seen nor felt any. It is probably owing to
the absence of no water, stagnating here, all being absorbed in the dry
earth of the gardens.

_7th._--Read eight chapters of the Arabic Testament. Some of the phrases
very strangely rendered into Arabic. The Moors cannot understand them. My
Testament wants some verses: it is the ordinary Arabic Bible circulated
by The Bible Society. There is no good translation of The Scriptures into
Arabic, from what I have been able to learn. Continue to think all day
long and dream of Timbuctoo. Had a conversation with the Touaricks about
a journey there. The difficulty is, the strongest Touarick escort
practicable cannot always pass through the Touarick districts, there
being such a great variety of tribes. It is the quarrels of the Touaricks
themselves, and not our not being able to trust them individually, which
renders the route so dangerous.

Slave-dealing is so completely engendered in the minds of the Ghadamsee
merchants, that they cannot conceive how it can be wrong. A young man
wrote me down the objects (very few) of exportation from Soudan, and in
the following order, viz., "Cottons, elephants' teeth, _bekhour_
(perfume), wax, slaves, bullocks' skins, red skins, feathers, (of the
ostrich)." Human beings are just summed up with the rest as an article of
commerce, as a matter of course, in the most mercantile style.

It will be next to impossible to propagate anti-slavery notions in
Central Africa, supported as slavery is by commerce and religion. We can
only say, "With God nothing is impossible."

All the people bring their griefs and malcontentments to me. It's not so
pleasant to be bored by them, let alone the policy of my listening to all
they have to say. But the ill humour of these poor fleeced people must
have a vent, or _sfogo_, as the Italians term it, and what can I do? An
intelligent merchant came to me. "Yâkob, _bisslamah_, (how do you fare?)
The Rais is always collecting money, don't you see? That's the business
of the Turks. This city is 4000 years of age. It flourished before
Pharaoh, in the time of Nimrod. Now the Turks come to destroy it; their
business is to destroy; such is the will of God." I might elaborate the
idea. The genius of the Turks is to destroy. The hand of the Turk blasts
as mildew everything it touches; it has destroyed the fairest portions of
the earth. Happily, however, it so destroys itself, for it is not
desirable for truth and civilization that the sway of the Osmanlis should
be restored to its pristine strength.

Among the most friendly people to me in Ghadames are the Arab soldiers.
Now, whilst I write, not less than twenty of these poor fellows are lying
around my door, and in the _skeefah_ (entrance-passage or room) of my
house. They tell me always, my house is their house, and their mountains
my mountains. They all speak in the highest terms of Mr. Frederick
Warrington, son of Colonel Warrington, whom they call _Fredreek_. They
consider him as one of themselves, and so he is as to habits, manners,
and language, and frequently dress. When they quarrel in Tripoli, the
ultima ratio, or dernier ressort, is not to go to the Pasha, but _Nimshee
lel Fredreek_, "Let us go to Frederick!" This is "the settler." It has
often been said amongst the Consular corps of Tripoli, that, in case
Great Britain thought it expedient to assume the Protectorate of Tripoli,
Frederick Warrington would be their man, the instrument of revolution.
There is not a single Arab in the Regency but what would flock to his
standard. He has been all his lifetime in Tripoli.

M. Carette, in his brochure of the _Commerce of Central Africa_, says,
"Timbaktou, Kânou, et Noufi sont les trois marchés principaux du pays des
Noirs. Les voyageurs du Nord ne parlent pas du Niger; c'est une limite
qu'ils ne franchissent pas; ils paraissent n'avoir aucunes relations avec
les populations Mandingues de la rive droite:" (p. 26). This is inexact.
The merchants do speak of the Niger frequently to me, calling it the
_Wady Neel_, thinking, and which is a very ancient opinion, that it is a
continuation of the Nile of Egypt. They also visit the opposite shores or
banks of the Mandingoes. Some of them go to Noufi, as M. Carette admits;
on my leaving for Ghat, a merchant going to Noufi was my fellow
traveller, and promised to accompany me there. Here Mr. Becroft has
recently, from the south-east, ascending the Niger, shaken hands with the
merchants of the north. An old slave, a native of _Sansandee_ (or
_Sinsindee_ ‮سنسندي‬) says of the Niger, "The river is like
the sea of Tripoli and all sweet" (water.)

The Sheikh Makouran does not approve of my Timbuctoo ideas. Says the city
is always in an uproar with the Touaricks, who are robbers and not like
the Touaricks of Touat. Walked through the town at noon, and met
Essnousee, had not seen him for some time, and wondered what had become
of him. He was very friendly, and wanted to bring me lemonade in the
street. But as there was a large concourse of people present, all
fasting, poor devils, at this time of the day; I thought common decency
required me to go with him to his house. I waited in a dark corner close
by his door, and here I quaffed the forbidden draught in the high-noon of
the Fast. He smiled at me when I finished, and said, "Well done, Yâkob."
He gave me also a fine melon to bring home with me. I considered this
feat of drinking lemonade, under the circumstance related, a remarkable
trait of tolerance. People usually put into their lemonade pieces of rag
steeped in lemon-juice and dried; in this way the juice is preserved from
evaporation. Essnousee had just lost his wife. "Have you any other
wives?" I said. "Oh yes," he replied, "one here and one in Ghat." Many of
the merchants, like the roving tar who has a sweetheart at every port,
have a wife at every city of The Desert and Soudan where they trade.
Several of the children now in Ghadames were born either in Timbuctoo or
Soudan.

_8th._--Few patients on account of the Ramadan. Weather extremely sultry.
People bear the fast remarkably well, and with good humour enough. The
Rais persists in sending me supper though I would rather he did not.
After mass and chanting prayers in the evening, his Excellency holds a
court. He abused the Sultan of Constantinople and called him an ass for
spending his money like a fool, and this license before all the people!
Smoking, drinking coffee, talking, and writing for the courier, all
together, so his Excellency passes his Ramadan evenings. Said, my negro
servant, is becoming as great a man as his master in Ghadames. He
receives visits from all the slaves of the city, as well as the free
negroes. Being slaves, I am very indulgent, and sometimes they stop all
day with him. The slaves of the Touaricks also come. Said manages to talk
with them all in all languages. I see there is a sort of free-masonry
amongst negroes, and they all (which is greatly to their credit) stick
close to one another, and take one another's part. Said is impatient
about his _âtka_, or freedom ticket. He said to me to-day--

"Oh, Sidi, where's my âtka? The people will steal me and sell me again."

"No, Said," I replied, "have patience, if they steal you, they must steal
me also."

Visited with Said to-day "the Street of Slaves." This is a little dark
street appropriated for the rendezvous of the slaves in my part of the
city, where they enjoy the cool of the evening and chat together. I
squatted down to chat amongst them, which awakened their curiosity.

"Who's that naked boy there?"

_They._--"The Touaricks brought him from Bornou."

"What are they going to do with him?"

_They._--"The Touaricks will send him to Tripoli, and sell him; will you
buy him?"

"No, no; if I buy him, my sultan will put me in prison."

(_They_, one to the other.--"Do you believe him?")

"The English had many slaves, but gave them all the _âtka_; and soon,
please God, they will destroy slavery in all the world."

_They._--"Ah, ah," (laughing), "that's right; we wish to have the
_âtka_."

I found some were from Soudan, others from Timbuctoo, the greater part
from Bornou. About a score of them were present; their greatest delight
was in exchanging their various lingos. When they heard I was going to
Kanou, one jumped up like a fury, saying, "Oh, I must send something to
my mother." This was a poor grey-headed wrinkled-faced old man! His poor
mother, alas! may have been long ago whipped to death upon the cotton
plantations of South Carolina, where the blood of the slave is poured out
to fertilize the fields of pampered republicans, and give tongue to the
braggadocio of the free sons of the Model-Republic!

To-day, saw three swallows in a garden for the first time at Ghadames.
They darted over the heads and through the foliage of the graceful palms,
performing sweet eccentric circles. To me, they were winged messengers
from the fair bowers and silvery brooks of Paradise.

To give an idea of the general ignorance of the Ghadamsee people on
European geography, I have only to record a part of a conversation with
them.

_They._--"Where's your country; is it near Rome?"

"No; further to the west and north."

_They._--"Did not the English spring from the Arabs?"

"No; the English are from the north, a colder country; the Arabs are from
a hot country."

_They._--"Are the Greeks like the English? and is their country near
yours?"

"No; they are farther from us than Rome itself."

_They._--"Do the English fast?"

"Sometimes; but when they fast they don't eat in the night time, like
you; they fast day and night."

_They._--"That's not good; that's not right. Do you fast?"

"Never, thank God."

The people bother my life out about fasting. Two young Touarick women
came to me--

"Thou Christian! dost thou fast?" (they having never seen a person before
who did not fast).

"No; the Christians don't fast."

_The girls._--"Don't the Christians know God?"

"Yes, they know God."

_The girls._--"No, they don't, for they don't say Mahomet is the prophet
of God."

The sum of religion amongst many of the wild tribes, is the formula of
Mahomet being the prophet of God--fasting and circumcision. Many of the
Touaricks, however, will not fast, or fast with difficulty, it involving
the cessation of smoking, of which they are passionately fond. A
Touarick, who was accustomed to visit Mr. Gagliuffi at Mourzuk, ridiculed
the Ramadan, and called those who fasted, fools. He would squat down in
Mr. Gagliuffi's house, and take out his pipe at midday, and say, "Come,
Consul, let's have a _drink_ of the pipe. These people who fast all day
are asses." Other Touaricks, more scrupulous, always set out on a journey
during Ramadan, in order to have the relaxation permitted by the law.

The Rais is deeply engaged in petty finance, some quite mites, to make up
the accounts for Tripoli. Whilst seated near his Excellency, a big lout
of a fellow was brought up, charged with beating a little urchin, who
was present to substantiate the charge. The Rais, after gravely hearing
the case, had the big clown turned round with his hands tied behind him,
and then told the little rogue aggrieved to lay it into him as hard as he
could with his fists clenched. The little imp, who looked as wicked as
imp could be, instantly gave the broad back of the great fellow half a
dozen strokes. Hereupon all the bystanders, and the officers of his
Excellency, burst into a fit of tremendous laughter, and the big coward
was allowed to escape, sneaking off like a dog with his tail between his
legs. The Rais came up to me smiling with great self-complacency, and
said--"Well, isn't that the way to administer justice?" I then astonished
the hangers-on of his Excellency's Court, by relating to them some
account of the expeditions to the North Pole. They asked me whether any
Mussulmans were there, and how they could fast when the sun did not set?
Several said I merely invented the account to amuse them. In this case,
and also in that of the precepts of the Mosaic Institute, we see the
inconvenience of making the precepts of religion depend on local and
physical circumstances.

I have seen little urchins in Italy, before the flaming wax-light altars,
drink in with their mother's milk the virus of Popery, but I never
witnessed a stronger case of infantile prejudice than to-day. A child of
less than three years old came running out of a by-street (apparently no
person being near it), and called after me, _Kafer, kafer_, "Infidel,
infidel"! and spat at me in the bargain like a little toad.

Noon.--I met with a fellow, a sort of swaggering cheap-jack
penny-a-liner, who swore that there was no man so learned as himself in
all Ghadames, and that he would teach me the history of Ghadames, and all
the world, _for money_. He then followed me home, asked me for my
journal, and wrote in it five lines of Arabic poetry. Meanwhile I poured
him out a cup of tea, putting a large lump of sugar in it. When he had
finished his five lines, which he did without being asked, he impudently
demanded a dollar for his trouble. I told some Arabs who were present to
turn him out of the house. He decamped, but not before giving us his
blessing--"The curse of God be upon you Arab dogs, and the Christian
dog."

Awfully hot to-day. The hottest day since my residence in Ghadames. Yet,
strange to say, when shut up in my room, I feel very little of it. My
house is only one story high; there is only a single roof between me and
this sun of fire--a strong proof of how little is necessary to protect
you from the heats of The Sahara. Late at night, when sitting with the
Rais, he amused me with pulling off his greegrees or talismans. As he
pulled off each he kissed it devoutly, and laid it by gently on his
papers. He wears one round his arm in the shape of an armlet, and three
round his neck, two suspended with separate ribbons, and one with a
silver chain. As he kissed each, he put it to his eyes, rubbing it over
the eyelid. I am sadly afraid his charms obtain all the credit of my
solution of nitrate of silver. Be it so; it is hard to cure men of this
sort of folly, at best a most unwished, unrequited labour[24]. I always
tell the Ghadamsee people the medicine I distribute neither belongs to
me, nor to the English Consul at Tripoli, but to the Queen of England,
and which, I have observed, heightens its value in their eyes. _Douwa
min, ând Sultana Ingleeza_, ("physic from the English Sultana",) is a
sort of royal talisman which helps the medicine down as a bit of sugar
taken with a child's draught.

_10th._--The women brought several little children, all ailing, but could
do very little for them. Occupied writing most of the day. Spent the
evening with the Rais. His Excellency is very fond of politics: "The
Touaricks number more than two hundred thousand souls. They are dispersed
over all The Desert. The Sahara is not so difficult to occupy as some
think; it can be more easily conquered than the mountainous districts.
The country is more open. The only difficulty is the wells. But in
winter, the time when military expeditions are undertaken, there is water
on the line of most of the grand routes, and camels can supply a large
body of compact troops, where there are no wells. At the different wells
small forts could be built, like that I am building at _Emjezzem_, which
forts the Touaricks would never dare approach. The wells once in
possession of the invading force, it would be impossible for any
considerable body of Arabs or Touaricks to follow up or after their
steps. Twenty thousand men could occupy, in detachments, the greater part
of The Sahara. The French will go to Touat one day, not yet!" But the
Rais never spoke much against the French. He often said, "I wish the
French would exterminate the _Shânbah_ banditti, the Sultan would applaud
them for it. I pray God the French will destroy these robbers."

Continue to agitate the question of a tour farther into the interior.
Have almost determined to pursue the route of Ghat, and accompany the
ghafalah of the Ghadamsee merchants. This route has two advantages for
me--I shall be safe with my old friends the merchants, and the route has
never before been trodden by an European traveller. The routes of Bornou
and Timbuctoo have been travelled by Europeans, though some of the
parties have never returned. One thing is certain--unless I go to the
first-hand traffickers in human flesh--to the heart of Africa itself, I
can never get the information which I require. Am told I can defray the
expense of the whole journey from here to Kanou and back, (exclusive of
presents), for about fifty pounds sterling, but it must be with economy.
Afterwards saw several merchants again on the question, felt discouraged,
and my faith shook in the Ghat route. They think the best route for me
Bornou, thence I may proceed to Kanou, and perhaps even to Timbuctoo. It
is astonishing how everybody's opinion varies; the majority,
nevertheless, are in favour of the Bornou route for me. Probably they are
afraid of the responsibility of escorting me through the Touarick
districts. Determined a day or two after to go to Kanou _viâ_ Ghat and
Aheer. Cannot see any danger if I stick close to the Ghadamsee merchants.
A young merchant said to me, "Yâcob, we are not jealous of you, for you
are not a merchant. You can draw your money, and get it ready. The
ghafalah will be cheap for you, for no escort will be required. You can
go without your Consul, or the Pasha, or the Rais."

The wind continues hot to-day; the _ghiblee_ is getting more suffocating
and intense. Everything is drooping and the poor emaciated fasters are
dying with thirst. The air is as the small still breath of the furnace
when its heat is at the greatest intensity, without flame or smoke.

_11th._--Every day, in spite of the Ramadan, brings an increase of
patients. In time there will not be a single inhabitant of Ghadames who
has not been physicked by my quackery. I notice my negro servant Said is
gradually expanding into a full-blown reputation, of which he is very
proud. The Mussulmans pay him almost more deference than myself, and I
ought to be jealous. It is the plan in these countries to influence the
masters through the servants; so whenever anything is to be obtained, the
masters are not spoken to, but the servants, which latter are feed and
bribed until the object is obtained. Preached anti-slavery and
anti-Ramadan doctrines to Berka, the liberated slave of Sheikh Makouran.
The poor fellow confessed it was better to eat and drink in the Ramadan,
and not steal men and sell them as slaves, than to fast in the Ramadan,
and steal men and sell them. The old lad has great influence amongst the
slaves of Ghadames, being their senior, and the liberated slave of one of
the most respectable men of the country. He went and preached in turn to
the slaves my anti-slavery and anti-fast principles.

It may be observed here, that information can only be obtained bit by
bit, here a little and there a little; and it is absolutely necessary to
note everything down immediately if you would not forget it, at least if
you would be correct. The Moors and Arabs have no patience, beyond a few
minutes, in giving information, unless it be something where their own
interests are deeply concerned. My scattered notes must then be compared
one with another to arrive at a proper idea of the objects respecting
which they treat. Some notes will necessarily correct others.

A Touarick came in whilst I was eating my dinner this evening, about half
an hour before sun-set. I was sitting in the patio, or open court of my
house. The Touarick, standing erect before me, with a long spear in his
right hand, and extending his left towards the sky, looked up, and then,
with an air of imposing solemnity, uttered these words in a measured,
solemn tone: "And--thou--Christian--thou fastest--thus! Thy
father--knoweth--not--God! Thou art a _Kafer_--he is a Kafer--and the
fire[25] at last will eat you both up!" Turning round, and looking up to
this prophet-like denunciator, I said, smiling: "Why, how now? you
Mussulmans fast, and think you are righteous; but whether is it better to
eat and drink on the Ramadan, for which God cares nothing, or fast in the
Ramadan, and go afterwards and steal or buy men and women and little
children, like your little son there, and take them to Tripoli, and sell
them like donkeys and camels? This is forbidden to us English--this is
our religion, not to steal and sell men, but to eat and drink in the
Ramadan is not forbidden to us." After this answer, which I had some
difficulty in making him comprehend, the fellow stood speechless,
completely staggered. I continued to eat my dinner with a good appetite,
notwithstanding his threatening position and silence. God knows what was
passing through his mind. After a long pause he receded back a few steps,
and then quietly squatted down. He then got up again, and said, "Have you
any medicines for my mother in Ghat?" I told him to come to-morrow, and I
would give him some.

Rais occupied as usual this morning with collecting money. He avows with
exasperation that the people have deposited all their money in the hands
of a few merchants of Tripoli, who are under the protection of the
Consuls. He was writing teskeras to obtain money from those Tripoli
merchants. "The Pasha," he added, "gets no benefit from these deposits,
nor the people. The Tripoli merchants are lying, bloodsucking Jews." Did
not go out again till the evening; occupied in copying a long letter for
_The Times_. My sugar and tea go very fast. Do not know what I should
have done unless the Ramadan had interposed to save these luxuries of The
Desert. It is surprising how rigid the fast is kept. Not a soul in the
city of the proper age who does not fast.

_12th._--Weather continues very sultry. The wind has scarcely changed for
a month, always south. To-day I ate camel's flesh for the first time, but
did not like it much; it depends, however, upon the part you eat, as also
upon the camel itself, whether young or old, or in a good condition. The
camel is usually killed when past work, and very lean and poor. The
people call camels' flesh their beef; it does serve as a substitute for
bullocks' flesh, no bullocks being killed here. The whole carcase was
immediately sold as soon as exposed in the Souk.

_13th._--Wrote this evening to the Governor of Ghat, to tell him I wished
to come to Ghat, and begged for his protection; and that I should be
obliged if he could send some trusty person to fetch me, whose expenses I
would pay. Wrote also letters to go by courier to Tripoli.

_14th._--Weather continues hot. My taleb calls the season _khareef_,
"autumn;" and says the fruits of heaven which are always ripe have
nevertheless a peculiar ripeness at this period. Staring at him, he
continued, "Yes, there is a greater correspondence between earth and
heaven than people think." I was recommended this taleb by the Rais. He
writes my Arabic letters for The Desert; he calls himself Mohammed Ben
Mousa Bel Kasem. The reader will hear now a great deal about him, and his
learning and character. He takes up my Arabic Bible now and then, and
reads a verse or two; but it is astonishing how little effect, even in
the way of curiosity, it produces on the mind of these Mussulmans. One
would think at least they would like to know something of its contents.
Notwithstanding, The Book, which contains the religion of the civilized
world, hardly excites curiosity enough in them to take it up and read a
single verse! I have often offered it to them to read, but they have
refused to open the book. A great disadvantage is the crabbed, miserable
language into which it is translated. After the bold, impudent, and
sublime language of the Koran, they cannot relish the tame and stunted
language of the Arabic New Testament. As for the simple and grand truths
of the New Testament, these they cannot or will not comprehend. Force,
or the Sword--as the Might of the Almighty--is the thing alone which
strikes the minds of Mussulmans, in spite of all their moral maxims and
philosophy. But I must confess I never expected that a religion like that
of the Koran, which contains so few fundamental truths, and so few
mysteries, would have produced such a race of superstitious pharisees.
To-day a fellow, whose eyes are dreadfully inflamed with ophthalmia,
refuses to have them _doctored_, because the solution administered to the
eye may enter the stomach, by which he would violate the sanctity of the
Ramadan. I can only beg him to come at night. Another jackanapes, who
suffers equally, refuses to have my solution at all applied. He said to
me, "I suffer, and I may be blind, but it will be the will of God." I
wonder the whole population is not blind. Another sufferer craved a
talisman to drink with water at night[26].

FOOTNOTES:

[23] _Tut_, "Morus alba," L. It is pleasant and sweet, but a
    little insipid eating.

[24] Whether the Rais brought his superstitious reverence for
    amulets from Turkey or not I cannot tell, or acquired the notion
    here. But the superstition seems merely to have changed place with
    the Fetisch amongst the Negro Mohammedan converts. Haj Ibrahim, a
    merchant of Tripoli, was the only Mussulman I found who despised
    the use of charms. He observed:--"The _grigri_ is only fit for
    slaves, or ignorant Mussulmans."

[25] Hell is ordinarily denominated _fire_ by people in The
    Desert.

[26] Caillié gives an affecting account of this superstition
    amongst the Mandingoes:--

    "On the 8th, I found myself very ill in consequence of the food,
    and I had an attack of fever. I took a few doses of sulphate of
    quinine, which had the effect of abating the fever for a few days.
    My host seemed much concerned at my indisposition. He searched
    through some old books which contained verses of the Koran, and
    brought me a scrap of paper well fumigated on which was written a
    charm in Arabic characters, assuring me that it was an excellent
    remedy for the disorder under which I was suffering. He directed
    me to copy it on a little piece of wood which he brought me; then,
    to wash off the writing with some water which I was to drink: he
    observed that this would to a certainty relieve me. To please him
    I copied the writing as he directed, and when he was gone washed
    the bit of board; but instead of drinking the water I threw it
    away, which had quite as good an effect, for next day I found
    myself tolerably well. My host, of course, attributed my amendment
    to the efficacy of his remedy."




CHAPTER VI.

THE FAST OF THE RAMADAN.

     The Sahara, and derivation of the Name.--Astonishment of the
     People at the Sovereign of England being a Woman.--Decision of
     the Kady on a diseased Camel.--The old Mendicant
     Bandit.--Phrenological examination of the Servants of the
     Rais.--The Scorpion and the Chamelion.--Starving state of the
     Arab Troops.--Contradictions in the Moorish
     Character.--Difficulty of acquiring notions of Quantities and
     Distances from the People.--The Princes to whom Presents are made
     in the Soudan Route.--How Butchers cut up their Meat.--Connexion
     between North Africa, The Sahara, and the East.--The Prophecy of
     The Dajal and Gog and Magog.--Origin of the Turks, Touaricks, and
     Russians.--How the Fast is broken in the Evening.--Phenomenon of
     Desert Sound.--The Great Spring of Ghadames.--The Malta
     Times.--The People their own Enslavers.--Quotation from
     Scripture.


A TALEB tells me that _The Sahara_ is so called from its consisting
mostly of rocky stony ground, and its name is a cognate term with
_Sakharah_, ‮صخرة‬, _i. e._ "rock." This derivation we can scarcely
admit, although as we advance into The Sahara we shall find at least
a third of its entire surface to consist of rocks and stones, and
mountains. _The Sahara_--‮الصحرا‬--being the theatre of my
adventures and researches, deserves a little consideration as to the
derivation of this appellation, for so vast a proportion of the
African Continent. A late French writer, M. Le Lieutenant-Colonel
Daumas, defines The Sahara as "une contrée plate et très-vaste, où
il n'y a que peu d'habitants, et dont la plus grande partie est
improductive et sablonneuse." This definition presents no proper
idea of The Sahara. We have already seen it intersected with long
low ridges of mountains, but we shall soon meet with groups of high
mountains, as well as find it bristled over and bounded by
interminable chains. We shall find also that but a certain portion
of its actual mass consists of sand. Unproductive the greater part
undoubtedly is, or rather uncultivated; and its population, compared
with its vast sterile surface, is extremely small, perhaps not one
inhabitant to many thousand square miles. The Mahometan talebs give
the following curious etymology of the term Sahara. "We call
_Sehaur_," they say, "that point scarcely distinguishable which
precedes the point of day, (_fidger_), and during which, in the time
of Ramadan, we can eat, drink, and smoke. The most rigorous
abstinence ought to commence from the time of morning, or when we
can distinguish a white thread from a black thread. The _Sehaur_ is
then a shade between night and the point of day, which is important
for us to seize upon and to determine, and which ought to occupy the
attention of our Marabouts. One of them, Ben-ej-Jiramy, starting on
the principle, that the _Sehaur_ is more easily and sooner
distinguished by the inhabitants of the plains, where nothing bounds
the horizon, than by the mountaineers, who are enveloped in masses
of earth, concludes that, from the name of the phenomenon there
formed, viz., on the plains, where it is more particularly
distinguished or observed, we have named the country _Sahara_, or
the country of the _Sehaur_." In this whimsical and ingenious
derivation there is a change of the ‮س‬ into ‮ص‬, but which is
sufficiently frequent in the Shemitic languages. The grand fallacy
of the above etymology is, that it assumes the Sahara to be a
perfectly flat country, or country of plains, which is not the fact.
The talebs also give various names to different portions of The
Sahara, according to the geological character of the country.
_Feeafee_ is The Oasis, where life is retired, and one spends one's
happy days amidst eternal springs of living water, reclining under
palms and fruit trees, securely sheltered from the burning simoon
(_shoub_). _Keefar_, is the sandy arid plain, which, occasionally
watered by the winter's revivifying refreshing and fructifying
rains, produces spring herbage, where the Nomade tribes pasture
their flocks in the neighbourhood of the oases. _Falat_, is the
region of sands in the immensity of steril wastes. But all these
distinctions are arbitrary, and can be predicated of tracts of
country lying on the North Coast of Africa, as well as the boundless
Sahara. On the coast of Tripoli we have the oasis, the arid plain,
and the groups of sand-hills of eternal sterility. Captain Lyon
enumerates in the same way as the talebs, the various names which
the Arabs apply to different regions of The Desert. _Sahara_ is sand
alone, forming a plane surface, which agrees with the hypothesis of
Ben-ej-Jiramy. _Ghoud_ is groups of sand-hills of indefinite height,
situate on the borders of stony plains, where the wind has formed
and collected them. _Sereer_, is generally plains, whence the
sand-hills have been swept, and where alone sand-hills are found.
_Wâr_, is a rough plain, covered with large detached stones, lying
in confusion, and very _difficult_ to pass over, which is the
meaning of the appellation. It is applied to all difficult traverse.
_Hateea_, is a spot possessing the power of fertility; indeed, those
patches of land which are the germs of the oases, now producing
small stinted shrubs scattered at intervals, from which camels
browse a scanty meal, or travellers make their Desert fire.
_Wishek_, is productive sand-hills and plains, where the wild palm
and lethel-tree grow. _Ghabah_, distinguishes cultivated Sahara,
sometimes a portion of the oases, but mostly where there are no
inhabitants. So near Touat, there is a cultivated place called
Ghabah, and without inhabitants. But the people of Ghadames call
also their gardens Ghabah. Sibhah, is the usual name for all salt
plains, sometimes called _Shot_ in Algeria, being mostly sandy salt
marshes. Like the Sibhah of Emjessen, and "The Lake of Marks," in
Tunis, the saline particles are often combined with earths or sand
so closely as to form a substance resembling stone, and equally hard
to break or cut through. With this _salt_ stone houses are built.
_Wady_, is the designation of all long deep depressions of the
surface, and is used indifferently for a valley, a bed of a river,
or torrent, or ravine. These wadys are almost always dry, except one
or two months in the winter. _Gibel_, is applied to all hills and
mountains. It is quite evident, from the above enumeration, that
these various terms can be equally applied to the coast and other
regions of land, not comprehended within the assigned limits of The
Sahara, and are therefore not peculiar to The Great Desert of
Sahara.

All the people are astonished when I tell them the British Sovereign is a
lady. They have enough to believe it; indeed, some of them do not, and
think I am trifling with their credulity. It goes against the grain, and
their grain especially, to be ruled over by a woman, (though many of
them, from my own personal knowledge, are entirely under the influence of
their wives _in private_, as all or most men are,) and is contrary to
all their notions of government and womankind. I was surrounded with a
group when the information was given, and I shall just mention the
questions which were put to me in rapid succession. "Does that woman
_govern well_?" "Has she a husband? What does her husband?" "Has she any
children?" "Is she a big woman?" "Is she beautiful?" "How much does she
pay you for coming to our country?" "Who has more power, she or the
Sultan (of Constantinople)?" "What's her name?" "Have the Christians any
other women who govern?" And so forth. I explained to them that Spain and
Portugal were ruled by two other Queens, but that, in France, a Queen
never reigns. At the mention of this latter fact, there was general
murmur of approbation, "El-Francees ândhom _âkel_ (the French have
wisdom)." To soften the matter down a little, and abate their prejudices,
I told them the father of the Queen of England had no sons, and in all
such cases, if there were daughters, these were allowed to govern the
people. "Batel (stupid)," said one fellow, and the conversation dropped.

Begin to like the place, as I find I can pick up information respecting
the interior. The merchants seem now more disposed to assume the
responsibility of taking me with them. Went through the market-place, and
witnessed a sitting of judgment upon a sick camel. This was an affair of
the Kady, a little, fat, chubby, cherub-looking fellow, but proud and
silent. The people said he was _sagheer_, "young," and excused his
uncanonical conduct. He sat, high placed on a stone-bench, amidst a
semicircle of people, squatting on the ground. He looked very grave, now
exchanging a word or half syllable with one, now with another, but
continually moving his lips as if in prayer. I met him afterwards in the
street, and always found him moving the lips, with his rosary of black
Mecca beads in his hands. He holds a separate and independent
jurisdiction from the Rais, and is the Archbishop or Pope of Ghadames.
His decision cannot be annulled by the authorities in Tripoli, but must
be referred to the Ulemas at Constantinople. He therefore thinks not a
little of himself, and with reason. Four questions were now before the
Kady, embracing physic, law, and divinity.

1st. To whom did the camel belong (for the Arabs disputed this)?

2nd. Could it recover from its sickness, or was it incurable?

3rd. Whether it should be killed, if it could not be cured?

4th. Whether it should be eaten after it was killed?

The diseased, emaciated camel lay groaning just without the semicircle.
There was a large abscess over the shoulders, produced by the loads it
had carried, besides other sores. A million of flies was then settled on
the abscess, which was a running sore. It was a most disgusting sight.
But not to the people who eyed the poor animal as connoisseurs. I learnt
afterwards the Kady's decision was: "The camel is incurable, but may be
killed and eaten." I asked the people whether they were not afraid to eat
an animal which was so much diseased. They replied, "No, it is the
judgment of the Kady. To-morrow we shall kill and eat it. To-day there's
camels' flesh enough." I was astonished at the Kady's decision, and told
the people diseased animals were not allowed to be killed for eating in
our country, for there was danger in their making people ill. Some
approved of this; but the population is much poorer than I, at first,
thought, and the indigent are glad to catch anything. The few rich bury
their money in foreign speculations, or hoard it up in their houses.
After the decision, the miserable camel was left alone in the Souk, a
prey to the flies, which were voraciously feeding on its running sores,
till the next day. Semi-civilized people cannot comprehend the mercy or
duty of alleviating the sufferings of the inferior creation.

To-day a new case of severe ophthalmia. This was that of a woman, who
also had a fever. To my agreeable surprise, a number of her friends
decided that she should take a fever-powder, in spite of the Ramadan. I
administered it myself, and she drank it greedily. I was glad of such a
marked exception to the rigid fasting. Her relatives said she was
permitted to drink it, first, because she was _a woman_, and, secondly,
because she was sick. This was the law of the Kady. Met a remarkable
Touarick in the streets. This is an old worn-out man, with one eye, and
that much damaged. In his day he has been a famous bandit, has plundered
many a caravan and murdered the hapless merchants. He is now, in his
dreadful old age, sheltered in the very city whose wayfaring merchants he
so often plundered and murdered. The judgment of heaven seems pressing
hard upon him; for he is poor and miserable, a beggar in the streets--all
his ill-gotten wealth is gone! He leads about a little lad, whom he calls
his son, and who seems to afford the wretched old villain his only repose
of mind, if repose he can have from so horrible a conscience. I gave the
child a small coin. The inhabitants feed the bandit, and tolerate him
with an admirable spirit of merciful forgiveness. And if _they_ do, who
cries for vengeance?

Wrote to-day a letter to the Pasha of Tripoli, thanking His Highness for
the kind attentions I had received from the Governor of Ghadames. I never
did anything with such good will. It was, besides, an absolute duty.

This afternoon examined phrenologically, _bump_ologically, the heads of
many children. There was a considerable variety in the _bumps_, as well
as the configuration, of the cranium. Some of the heads were well
flattened on either side, others rounded, and mostly low, depressed
foreheads, with "self-esteem" and "love of approbation" ascending
appallingly far up at the back of the head. Very few men or children have
the frontal regions well developed. Examined a man esteemed a great
dervish, who is always reading and writing the Koran. It's strange that
the saint had the organ of veneration well developed. The Rais hearing of
my cunning in this occult science, which some of the people called a new
_deen_, ("religion,") wished to see me perform; so, on visiting him in
the evening, he ordered forth all his understrappers and hangers-on, and
made them submit to the fearful ordeal of head _pummelling_, first
begging me to speak out everything, and then calling for fire to light
his pipe, that he might muse over the exhibition _à la Turque_. The first
officer examined was collector of the revenue, a native of Derge, a
regular task-master in his way, and very malicious; I was frightened
what to say. All was attention, the Rais particularly wishing to know if
he was a thief, and had secreted Government money in his house. This his
Excellency told me afterwards, when we were alone. The collector
happened, by good luck, to have a large "acquisitiveness," and
"benevolence" at the same time. This I explained to the Rais, and said
the one balanced or neutralized the other. Tayeb, ("good"), said his
Excellency, much chagrined, his Excellency evidently wishing to have had
the fellow made out a thief. I must not continue through all the
examinations. Suffice it to say, by this display of my new craft, I was
raised very much in the estimation of everybody. But the most surprising
thing was, a Touarick affirmed to the Rais, with great vehemence, that
one of his neighbours was a phrenologist, and acquired his knowledge from
the _jenoun_ ("demons"). The major-domo of his Excellency, (who had had a
good character given to him in the examination,) was very angry at this
attempt to lower my credit of being the first to teach phrenology in the
The Desert, and pushed the Touarick out of the Rais's house, and we only
just escaped a disturbance, or losing all our fun, the Touarick drawing
his sword to defend himself. In general I was disappointed, and did not
observe the African and Moorish forms of cranium so much marked as I
expected. They were all, thank goodness, pretty cleanly shaved. It is
well known Mussulmans generally shave their heads, and leave their beards
unshaven. This is, then, a splendid field for accurate phrenological
observation. I observed that the negroes have all of them "self-esteem"
most surprisingly developed. From this, (if the science were true, which
I very much question[27],) we could easily deduce their habitual gaiety,
for a man who has always a good opinion of himself is rarely miserable.

Just after the examination finished, whilst we were all very gay,
smoking, drinking coffee, talking, and laughing, one of the Moors started
up suddenly, and in an instant, taking his shoe, lying beside him, struck
something down with a great smack on the floor; it turned out to be an
immense scorpion! I felt a chill start through all my blood. The smashed
reptile looked hideous in the dim light of the Ramadan lamp. This is the
third scorpion within a fortnight the Rais has killed in his own house;
one of enormous size he killed a few days ago. The Rais called for more
coffee, and said coolly and laconically, "It's all _maktoub_ between you
and the scorpions; if they are to bite you, they will." His Excellency
thought the sting often deadly. My taleb joins the rest in their notions
of fatality. In coming home with me afterwards, I said to him, "I am
alarmed at these scorpions, as there's no security from them; for you say
they get upon the beds, on the tops of the houses, and in every hole and
corner." The taleb--"I am not afraid; I am always killing them in my
house, and yet I fear them not, for it's all from God. If they are
destined by _Rubbee_ to sting me to death, they will, so I do not disturb
myself. You Christians are foolish." It does not appear that this reptile
strikes a person unless it be attacked, or trodden upon. The people say
they feed on _trāb_, "dust" or "dirt." Yesterday the chameleon was seen
in the gardens: there is a few in Ghadames, and in most parts of North
Africa. The one I saw was a most unsightly creature. The construction of
the eyes is remarkable; they turn on a swivel, or seem to do so, and are
directed every way in a moment of time. It is a trite observation, that
the lower brute animal has many advantages over the more perfect and
rational animal. I often, _en route_, admired the beautiful facility with
which the camel turned its head and neck completely round, and looked
upon objects in every direction, without even moving its body, or if in
motion, without stopping. I watched the chameleon a long time, to see it
"change its colour;" it did so continually, but scarcely any of the
colours were agreeable or beautiful; they were mostly dunnish red and
yellow, and sometimes black brown; often-times it was covered with spots,
now with stripes, now with neither one nor the other. Once it was an ugly
black, and then of a light pale-green yellow. The fewness of animals in
this oasis occasions me to record its appearance. The people mention two
or three varieties of the species. They are fond of the chameleons, at
least, give them the full liberty of the gardens, without attempting to
destroy them.

The Sebâah, a freebooting tribe of Tunisian Arabs on the frontier, who
some two months ago plundered a Ghadames caravan near Gharian, have been
made to render up an account of the spoil. The Pasha of Tripoli wrote to
the Bey of Tunis, and the Bey has undertaken to make them surrender their
booty. The value is only about 1000 dollars, and forty camels. People are
very inquisitive about my personal affairs. They ask me repeatedly, why I
don't marry, or where are my wife and children? and add, "for you are
getting old, and have plenty of money." I usually reply, "I can't carry a
wife about with me all over the world." In the Desert and all over North
Africa, it is looked upon as a species of disgrace for a man not to be
married. It perhaps ought to be so everywhere; but our social system of
Europe is become now so bad, that nearly half of the people cannot afford
to marry. And so degraded in their feelings have become the lower classes
of the British Isles, that many of those who do marry, marry with the
clear understood determination of throwing their offspring upon the
public bounty. The Puseyite and Church alms-giving clergy, to their
shame, encourage our miserable population in these most despicable
sentiments, and tell the people it is their right as granted to them by
the founder and apostles of the Christian Church. Tyrants must have
slaves, and priestly tyrants as well as other sorts of tyrants; it is
therefore necessary there should be propagated a race of slaves.

This morning the poor old blind man demands the strong medicine for his
eye. He says, "I feel less pain in my eyes though I see no better." O
Dio! what a precious gift is sight--how persevering is this old man to
see again those sights of desert, palm, and oasis, which he saw in his
youthful days! Perhaps there is a tenth of the population of Ghadames
nearly blind, or quite blind. The Sheikh Makouran has calculated the
expense from Ghadames to Kanou, and back, for me, at two hundred dollars.
The Moors are essentially children in some things. Young men, full grown,
carry about with them in their pockets a little bit of white sugar to
suck, stowed away in needlecases. To-day, a ghafalah of Touaricks,
twenty persons, left for Ghat. They took my letter for the Governor. The
Touaricks are getting used to the sight of a Christian. My opinion is
also undergoing a favourable change towards them. Certainly, the best
informed of the Ghadamsee people give them a good character.

_15th._--The Rais killed two more scorpions after I left him last night.
A child was bitten a few days ago by a scorpion, and died to-day. His
Excellency hopes they will disappear after the Ramadan. The scorpion,
like many other venemous and deadly animals, is a creature of _heat_, and
in the winter is never seen. The scorpion usually comes out of his
hiding-places, or the crevices of the walls, during night time, and is
rarely seen in the day. Various remedies for its bite or sting, or
stroke, are in vogue here. People usually employ garlic: they both eat it
and rub it into the bitten or stricken part. Others cut round the stung
part, and then rub over the whole with snuff. People persist that the
scorpion eats dust, but that he is very fond of _striking Ben-Adam_ ("the
human race.") Two nights after the scorpion affair with the Rais, to our
dread and horror, Said killed a large one close by our beds. We always
sleep upon the ground-floor on matting. He was dozing in the night, after
his Ramadan midnight meal, when the monster scrambled past by his head
like an enormous crab. In the morning he showed me his sting as a trophy
of victory. We then examined all the walls in our sleeping apartment, and
stopped up cracks and crevices. After a short time the scorpions were
forgotten, or we got used to them; and the next one that Said had a chase
after, excited in me little attention. So I found, like the Moors,
myself a fatalist, or at least became reconciled to the presence of these
death-stinging reptiles. I found eventually, in fact, the people killed
them with as much unconcern as we do spiders. The scorpion is the only
creature armed with the fatal power of destroying life, which, for the
present I hear of in the oases of The Sahara. The Arabs, in their hatred
of the Touaricks, say, "The scorpion and the Touarick are the only
enemies you meet with in The Sahara."

_16th._--The old worn-out bandit met me, and asked me to cure his
rheumatic pains. "Show me your tongue," I said. He flatly refused, as
several persons were present. Then when I went away he came running after
me, and tried to put out his tongue, but did not succeed. I told him to
drink plenty of hot broth, and go to bed. He seemed satisfied. An Arab
soldier afflicted with diarrhœa, came for medicine. He waited till the
last rays of the sun were seen to depart from the minaret's top, before
he would take his pills. Meanwhile, he gave me a catalogue of grievances,
the sum and substance of which was, "he had nothing to eat." I questioned
him over and over again, and then, coming to the same stern conclusion, I
gave him some supper. Some weeks ago the Rais gave each soldier 3
Tunisian piastres, about 1_s._ 10_d._ Since then they had had nothing.
Substantially, I believe, he spoke the truth, for these poor fellows are
kept just above the starvation-to-death point. It is not surprising they
wish to return to their homes, or Tripoli, and that they pilfer about the
town. Asking him why the Rais did not give them a few karoobs, he replied
naively, "The Rais has none for us, but plenty to buy gold for his
horse's saddle." To-day, nor yesterday, could I buy any eatable meat. I
mean mutton, for this is the ordinary meat of the place, and upon which I
live, with now and then a fowl. But in the Souk another camel was killed,
and a great display was made of its meat. The camel was ill before
killed, but not so bad as the one already mentioned. Some fifty persons
were enjoying the sight of the camel being cut up, for the Moorish
butchers always cut up their meat into very small portions, sometimes not
bigger than a couple of mouthsful. Before killed, the camel sold for one
hundred and eight Tunisian piastres; the one on which the Kady gave
judgment, only produced thirty-three. (Tunisian piastres vary from 7_d._
to 9_d._)

Yesterday the weather sultry, and a few drops of rain fell on the parched
oasis--drops of ambrosia from the gods. To-day it is cloudy and cool, for
the first time since my residence here; a cool elastic sensation braces
up my poor drooping frame.

The Moor picks up every bit, or little dirty scrap of paper he finds in
the streets, and places it in a hole of the wall, or upon a ledge, lest
there should be written on it, "the name of God," and the sacred name be
trodden upon and profaned. It is probable they derived the superstition
from the Jews, who have many mysterious notions about certain letters which
form the name of The Almighty. I have often seen ‮שדי‬ affixed on
the door-posts of Jewish houses in Barbary. But no people in the world
use the name of God more vainly than Mussulmans, nor swear more than
they, the greater part of the words used being different epithets of the
Divine Nature. This inconsistency runs through all the actions of these
semi-civilized people. No people pretend to more delicacy in the mode of
dress, more respect for women, not even mentioning the names or existence
of their wives. My late Marabout camel-driver, when speaking of his wife
and family, merely said _saghar_ ("little children"). And,
notwithstanding all this, no people are more sensual and impure, and
esteem women less, than the Moors of towns. In swearing and oaths, the
epithets "With God!" "By God!" "God!" "The Lord!" or "My Lord
(_Rubbee_)!" "God, the Most High!" and, "The Most Sacred Majesty of God
(_Subkhanah Allah_)!" are the common forms of using the Divine Name. A
Tibboo stranger went into a house to buy a pair of pistols, and the
seller was not at home. My taleb, who was a neighbour, and was anxious
his friend should sell his pistols, run about exclaiming, _Subkhanah
Allah!_ I confess I was greatly shocked on hearing these most awful words
used in such a way. I taxed the taleb afterwards with it, and compared
his conduct with what I had seen in his picking up bits of paper in my
house, for fear the names of The Deity should be upon them. He merely
answered pettishly, "What do you wish? all people say so." A less serious
note may be added here, that of the loose and curious way in which the
Arabs express their ideas of quantities and distances. "Great" and
"small" means with them any quantities, as "near" and "afar," any
distances. I asked an Arab of Tunis when he expected his caravan? He
replied, _Ghareeb_ ("near"). "What do you mean, a week, a fortnight, or
how long?" "_Twenty days!_" was the reply. In endeavouring to obtain
information from these people on distances and quantities, the only way
is to make them compare the thing unknown with what you know. They will
tell you at such a place is an exceedingly high mountain. If there is a
hill or a mountain near you at the time, you must ask them if it as large
or larger than that? In this way you will frequently find their great
mountain to be no bigger than a hillock.

The merchants say it is necessary to give presents to the following
princes of authority, in the route of Soudan:--

TOUARICKS.

    Governor of the town of Ghat;
    The Sultan of the Touaricks of Ghat, and the surrounding districts;
    The Sultan of Aheer; and
    The Sultan of Aghadez:

and these princes demand presents as a matter of right.

FULLANNEE AND NEGROES.

    The Governor of Damerghou;
    The Sultan of Tesouwah;
    The Deputy-Sultan of Kashna; and
    The Deputy-Sultan of Kanou:

but these latter princes do not demand presents as a matter of right,
leaving it to the good pleasure of the stranger. There are also a few
other smaller places where a trifling present will help a merchant on his
way. The presents are collected according to the means and wealth of each
individual merchant, each subscribing his share, one giving a burnouse,
others a piece of cloth, or silk, or beads, and what not. The whole is
then collected together, and a deputation of two or three merchants is
formed out of the caravan, who convey their presents to the prince, and
the prince, when he finds the merchants have treated him liberally,
sometimes returns a present of a slave or two, but generally a quantity
of fresh provisions.

A small ghafalah of Touaricks having left to-day for Touat, Sheik
Makouran, whose merchandise they were escorting on its way to Timbuctoo,
begged me to write a letter to the Sheikh of Ain-Salah, one of the oases,
which is in direct commercial relations with Ghadames. The plain English
of the letter was, that Sheikh Haj Mohammed Welled Abajoudah, of
Ain-Salah, would receive me friendly if I came to him, would protect all
Englishmen travelling through his country, and would not let them be
attacked and murdered as Major Laing was. When I gave my friend Makouran
the letter, he asked me what I had written. I related the substance.
"Allah, Allah!" exclaimed old Makouran; "Why, the Sheikh of Ain-Salah is
my friend, he'll treat you as kindly as I do; he's one of us." Then he
added, "Never mind, the letter may go." This evening the Rais was very
unwell. Gave his Excellency some purgative pills. Afraid he will be
obliged to return to Tripoli for his health; poor fellow, he suffers
greatly.

_17th._--The weather has opened this morning, dull, cloudy, and cool,
threatening rain. A dingy veil is drawn over the face of things.

Have not yet seen any pretty plays amongst the children. All is dullest
monotony. The youth, however, ultimately recover their wits by
travelling. My turjeman says, "The natives of Ghadames are the greatest
travellers in the world, and are to be found in every country." The
_Souk_ offers nothing for sale but olive-oil, liquid butter, a little
bread, camels' flesh, and now and then a few vegetables. All the
Touarick traders have now left, some for Ghat and others for Touat. My
Ghadamsee friends cease talking of the dangers of my Soudan trip, and it
is a settled thing that I go. Some of them wish me to try a fasting day;
"one day, to see how I like it," they tell me.

It is very amusing to see butchers in this place cut up their meat. Four,
eight, or twelve persons, join to buy a sheep. The sheep is killed, and
the butcher has to divide it into as many equal parts as
joint-purchasers. He begins by dividing it into four equal parts, but not
in the way we should imagine, by cutting the carcase into four. No, quite
different. He first divides the intestines into four portions, cutting
the heart, liver, and lights into four equal portions, and so of the
rest. Sometimes the heart is made a present to some favoured individual.
Of two sheep cut up to-day, the heart of one was given to a young friend
of mine, and that of the other to the Governor. The intestines divided,
the butcher proceeds to divide the legs and shoulders into four equal
portions, dividing one leg and one shoulder into two, and so of the
other. The ribs and rest of the meat is then also equally divided. When
the carcase is thus far divided, a few persons only take one whole
quarter, the rest the butcher proceeds leisurely and scientifically to
divide, several persons taking a whole quarter divided and subdivided
amongst them, not being able to purchase a large quantity. The quarter is
divided into half-quarters, the half-quarters into quarter-quarters, and
the quarter-quarter is often again divided and subdivided before it gets
into the pot. In this division, you would imagine the Desert dissector
would cut the meat all away;--no such thing; and so great is the
precision with which he divides and subdivides, that he has no need of
scales and weights, equally dividing every bit of muscle, cartilage, fat,
and bone; indeed, every person goes away perfectly satisfied with the
justice of the division. I never saw scales and weights used on these
occasions. Should, perchance, a difficulty or dispute arise as to the
comparative size of the portions or equal divisions, a child is then sent
for, and each party having chosen his token--a piece of wood, a straw, or
what not, the whole are put into the hands of the child, who is requested
to place the sticks or straws upon the portions of meat it chooses, or to
which its caprice may guide. This decision of the umpire Chance is
without or beyond all appeal. Mussulmans of The Sahara have no idea of
_separate joints_ or choice parts, the heart, perhaps, excepted, which is
highly prized; or, if you will, they like a bit of every part of the
carcase, and cut it up into these infinitesimal divisions in order that
they may obtain this aggregate of delicate minutiæ. But as this is all
cooked together, there can never be that separate taste of separate parts
which distinguishes the meat as killed and cooked by Europeans. All
Mussulmans are instinctively butchers, and are familiar with the knife,
and expert at killing animals; it is a sort of religious rite with them.
What I have observed particularly is, there is none of that shrinking
back and chilled-blood shudder at seeing a poor animal killed, which
characterizes Europeans, and especially the children of Europeans. Here
children may be seen holding the animal whilst its throat is most
barbarously cut! and not flinching a step, or blinking the eye. Apropos
of killing and eating meat, I had a long polemical discussion with my
taleb upon the respective rites and ceremonies of Christians and
Mussulmans. I told him what distinguished the religion of the New
Testament was, that it prescribed no rules for eating and drinking, or
dress; that the whole Christian religion was based upon two great
commandments: "Thou shalt love God with all thy heart, and thy neighbour
as thyself." This, however, only drew from him the observation, "Before
the time of Sidi Mahomet, this was the religion of the world." I
rejoined, "This was the religion--still is the religion--of all the
English, who eat and drink everything that is good, and dress any way
they please; and such is the will of God." The taleb observed, "You wear
braces, which is unlawful." I could not find out the why and the
wherefore, unless it were that it tightened men-folks up too much for
modesty. I told him the Rais and all Turks had braces to their
pantaloons. He simply replied, "Braces are not permitted by our
marabouts."

North Africa, or this region of The Sahara, more particularly, is
essentially the East, (the Syrian, Arabian East,) and the religion
of Mahomet has indissolubly bound in ideas, manners, and customs,
the inhabitants of these countries with those of the East. It is,
therefore, very satisfactory to read the _Arabic_ New Testament in
these countries; for, besides presenting all the ideas and
metaphorical adornments, such reading often gives you the very words
and idiomatical expressions of the people. This correspondence is
certainly a strong proof, both that the latter Biblical writers were
natives of the East, and that the inhabitants of North Africa and
The Sahara were originally emigrants, or colonies from Syria and
Arabia. This is the opinion of my taleb, and all the literati of the
oasis. My taleb also treated me to-day with writing the famous
Mohammedan prophecy, respecting the destinies of the East, and the
world in general, and everybody in particular. It runneth according to
this mighty import: "_The Dajal_, (‮الدجال‬,) whose name is the
Messiah, and who is the son of Said, and who is a monstrous fellow,
with one eye, shall come upon the earth, or rather, go abroad upon
the earth, and all the Jews shall flock around him, and enrol
themselves under his standard, for he is their expected Messiah; and
then, armed with their prowess and gold, he shall slay all
Christians and Mohammedans, and shall reign upon the earth, after
their destruction, forty years. This time outran, there shall then
appear Jesus, the son of Mary, (the Messiah of the New Testament,)
in the clouds, who shall descend upon the earth with flaming
vengeance, and destroy _The Dajal_. This done, then shall come the
end of the world." My taleb assures me, upon his _parole d'honneur_,
that _The Dajal_ will come in forty years from the present time, or
in the year 1885! Khoristan, the country where he is now bound in chains,
is, besides, the country of Gog and Magog (‮جوج و مجوج‬).
One of these gentlemen is very small, indeed a dwarf, about the size
of General Tom Thumb, perhaps one and a half inches shorter; and the
other is tall enough to reach the moon when it is high over your
head. It is strange the Mussulmans of Ghadames make also the Turks
(_Truk_, as they call them,) to come from the country of Gog and
Magog. See the following table of the genealogy of all the people of
the earth, especially the Turks, the Touaricks, and the Russians:--

                                 Noah.
                                   |
            +----------------------+----------------+
            |                                       |
          Shem.                   Ham.           Japheth.
            |                      |                |
+------------------------+     +--------+     +------------+
|                        |     |        |     |            |
Christians.  Arabs.  Jews.      Negroes.      Gog and Magog.
                                               |         |
                                             +----+  +---------+
                                             |    |  |         |
                                             Turks.   Touaricks.
                                               |
                                           +--------+
                                           |        |
                                            Russians.

Such is the leaf of holy tradition in The Desert. It is astonishing
how all nations love to indulge their gloomy musings with monsters.
The extraction of the Russians from Gog and Magog is a curiosity; but
the Russians, (_Moskou_, such is their name here,) are looked upon as
a species of monster, whose jaw is capacious enough to swallow up all
the Turks, and the Sultan of the East. The Rais has the greatest dread
of them, whose native soil they have already gorged, "These Russians,"
he said to me one day, "are always, always, always advancing,
advancing, advancing upon the Sultan." Who will say the patriotic
Turk's apprehensions are groundless? With regard to the extraction of
the Touaricks, I asked one of these people where his countrymen sprang
from. He answered me, that formerly they were demons, (‮جنون‬) and
came from a country near Kanou, on the banks of The Great River.
Another told me, in true Hellenic style, "The Touaricks sprang out
from the ground." An opinion has been advanced by some acquainted with
ancient Eastern and African geography, that the Touaricks are from
Palestine, and are a portion of the tribes of the Philistines expelled
by Joshua; that the first rendezvous of the wanderers was the oasis of
_Oujlah_, which is a few days' journey from _Siwah_, the site of the
celebrated _Ammonium_; and thence they proceeded, wandering at will,
to the west and south, peopling all the arid regions of the Sahara.
The Sheikh of the slaves visiting me to-day, and describing Timbuctoo,
said, "It is several times larger than Tunis; it is as large as
_Moskou_ (or Russia)."

_I._--"Who told you _Moskou_ was large?"

_He._--"The people."

So the Emperor of all the Russians may rejoice in the consciousness, that
he and his people constitute as large a kingdom as Timbuctoo, and are
celebrated in the gossip of Saharan cities.

The first thing with which people break their fast in the evening is
_dates_. My taleb, when visiting me, takes a few dates in his hands, and
goes to a corner of the court-yard, or upon the house-top, about the
softening, musing time, when the last solar rays are lingering
playfully--and to the emaciated faster, teasingly, on this Saharan world,
and there he listens in silence for the first accents of the shrill voice
of the _Muethan_, calling to prayers, from the minaret of a neighbouring
mosque. This heard, he commences putting the dates, one by one, slowly
into his parched mouth, repeating a short prayer with each as he swallows
it with a sort of choking difficulty. After he has eaten a dozen or so,
he drinks, and then goes off to mosque prayers. Sometimes he prays in my
house, and then comes down to dine with me. Many people, of course, in
Ghadames, never saw a Christian before me; but they are quite as much
astonished to see a Christian eat and drink in the Ramadan, as to see the
Christian himself. This afternoon I was very thirsty, and went to drink a
little water from one of the water-skins suspended in a square. A woman,
of half-caste, going by at the time, cried out, "Why, why?" I went up to
her and said, "Because you are a Mussulman and I'm a Christian." Her
astonishment was no way abated; she kept exclaiming, "Why, why?" as if
she would raise the whole city. One of my merchant friends seeing there
was some prospect of a disturbance, came up to me and said, "Yâkob, that
woman is mad; make haste, go home." However, I rarely ever eat and drink
before the people, avoiding as much as I can shocking their prejudices;
and if asked about fasting, usually evade the question, or say I fast or
wait for my dinner till Said can eat his dinner also.

_18th._--Weather has now set in cool. This morning a little cold and raw.
Now's the time for catching coughs and cold;--people are coughing
already. Just before day-break, a thunderbolt was said to be discharged
over the city, accompanied with a long, low growling muttering sound,
which reverberated from the Saharan hills. The circumstance remarkable,
in the falling of this dread bolt of heaven's artillery, at the time the
sky was perfectly clear and bright, and there was nothing in the shape of
storm. These discharges of sound are rare in the Saharan regions. People
asked me to explain to them what it was, and what it prognosticated? I
told them, thunderbolts were frequent in Christian countries during
storms, and nothing of consequence follow from them. I have reason to
believe since, after conversing with several French officers in Algeria
on the subject, that this phenomenon of a tremendous discharge of sound
was a discharge of electricity _from the earth_, which sometimes occurs
in North Africa.

Went to examine the Great Spring of Ghadames this morning, which is
situate on the west side of the city, but conveniently between the two
grand divisions of the population, the Ben Wezeet and the Ben Weleed. It
was to me a _delicium_. What a revolution has my opinions undergone
respecting water since I have travelled in The Thirsty Desert! Never was
such an enthusiastic conversion! But were all conversions so harmless,
how happy for mankind! Some thirty swallows are skimming its
gaseous-bubble surface, playing off their wing-darting delights. The
Spring or Well is perennial, as old as the foundation of the city, and
may have ran for ages before the palms were planted around it by the hand
of man, or sprung up from a few date-stones left by some chance fugitives
who had stopped to taste its waters, and then held their way on in The
Desert. Without the Spring the city could have no existence. It runs into
a basin made and banked up for it, an oblong square of some twenty yards
by fifteen. In its deepest part it is not more than six feet. The water
is hot, averaging a temperature of 120 degrees, and upwards, it being too
hot to bathe in near the orifices, whence the water gushes with gaseous
globules, which continually rise from the bottom. But the orifices are
not visible, and hence an air of mystery is thrown over this spring of
"Living Water." The people say it was created by God on the same day when
the sea near Tripoli was made. The gaseous particles are larger and more
numerous in the centre, where is the great force of the Spring. The water
is tolerably good, but a little purgative. It is usually allowed twelve,
but some give it twenty-four hours to cool before drunk. The form of the
basin may be thus rudely represented:--

[Illustration]

A. Small bathing-places.

B. Steps where the women descend to fill their jugs with water.

C. Corners where the water runs away to the fountains in the squares and
streets, and to the gardens, in and without the city. Around are the
ruins and backs of houses, walls, and gardens, the palms alone being
visible, looking very fresh and gracefully picturesque, near this source
of life. After this went to see the _Water-Watch_[28], which is placed in
one corner of the Souk. This is constructed upon the same principle as
the hour-glass, but it is small, and requires to be emptied twenty-four
times to complete the hour. In fact, it is only a small earthen pot or
jar with a hole in the bottom of certain dimensions, and when filled with
water, and the water has emptied itself, running out twenty-four times,
the hour is completed. Some gardens require the stream, which the
_Water-Watch_ measures the time of the running of, an hour, others only
half an hour, and others two or more hours, according to their size and
distance from the source. The inhabitants pay Government so much per hour
for the running of the stream into their gardens; but some have an
hereditary possession in a certain quantity of the time of the stream's
running. Of this they are naturally very proud. For ordinary household
purposes the water is given without cost. There are two or three places
in the town where a small water-watch is kept, but that in the Souk is
the principal one. I have thus entered into particulars, for the obvious
reason that, "water is the liquid gold in these thirsty regions." In
Southern Algeria, the oasis of El-Agouat, each landed proprietor has the
prescriptive right of an hour or two hours of the running of the water,
according to the title deeds of the estate. The time is measured with an
hour-glass (of sand) held by the officer who distributes the water, and
who opens and shuts the conduit of irrigation at the time fixed. Many
other oases have the same system.

Some Touaricks remained, who called on me to-day. One, who had shown
himself very friendly, began to enlarge on the dangers of the Soudan
route. I immediately observed, "God is greater than all the Touaricks."
This stopped his gab, and was applauded by the rest. A Ghadamsee bawled
out, "Oh! it requires a great deal--much, much, much money to go to
Soudan." "How much?" I asked,--"Oh! much, much, much!" was rejoined.
"What is _much_?" "Five hundred dollars!" was shouted out by half a
dozen. I coolly observed, "It is not much for an Englishman." Another of
the Touaricks said, about twenty years ago he saw some Englishmen come to
his country from Fezzan. What struck the Touarick was, the English
tourists gave a dollar for a fowl, for a drink of milk, and even, he
added with an oath, for an _Es-Slamah âleikom_? ("How do you do?") This
story was told to impress me with the necessity of taking plenty of money
with me, and I was to keep up the liberal character of my predecessors
in Saharan travel. So we see these English tourists, who undoubtedly were
Messrs. Denham, Clapperton, and Oudney, have spoiled the roads of
travelling between Ghat and Fezzan, as Englishmen have spoiled the routes
of the Continent of Europe. This is the propensity of John Bull, to buy
up everything and everybody abroad[29]. The Touarick added, "A deal of
money is required, because there are many banditti." He meant not exactly
robbers, but beggars, who, whilst begging, give you to understand that
their appeal to your eleemosynary feelings must not be in vain. All who
beg _impudently_ on the routes, or who levy black-mail, are called
_Sbandout_ ("banditti.") But I'm more convinced than ever, that the
greatest shield of safety for the Desert traveller is his poverty.

Saw an aged Moorish lady, who greatly interested me. She told me she was
an hundred years old, fasted all day long, and expected soon to go to
Paradise. It is undoubtedly a vulgar error to say the Mahometan doctrine
teaches that women have no souls. During her hundred years, she had never
seen a Christian before. Her faculties were too weak for sectarian spite,
and she looked upon me as if I had been a simple Mussulman stranger.

Sunset, this evening, a man proclaimed from the housetops the arrival of
the ghafalah, long expected from Tripoli: only a courier arrived. By him
I received the first letter from Tripoli, and the first newspaper, the
_Malta Times_! That mark of admiration means, gentle reader, my poor old
paper, the paper I established at so much cost and waste of time, money,
health, and labour, for the good pleasure and caprice of The Island of
Malta and its dependencies. It's yet pleasing to see the old paper
following me; it will, perhaps, follow at my heels to Central Africa.
Ramadan began a day earlier in Tripoli. The courier, also, brings the
news, banditti are prowling about the The Mountains attacking isolated
travellers and small caravans. I am sorry to see, by my papers, the
people advocates of their own slavery, and that the Texans have carried
through their Congress "the Annexation with the United States," the
republican patrons and upholders of slavery and the slave-trade! In this
case, at any rate, 'it is not kings and despots enslaving mankind,' but
the people wilfully forging their own chains. There is also a humble case
before my eyes. Here sits by my side, the slave of Haj Abd-Errahman, who
is sent every year by his master to buy and sell goods, as if a regular
free merchant. It is wonderful fidelity on the part of this slave that he
does not run away. Unquestionably the negro has some fine qualities. This
slave, however, in palliation of the wrong, tells me he brings few
slaves, and mostly goods. I don't fail to tell him, slaves are _haram_,
("prohibited,") to the English. My taleb comes in, and after asking me
the news, takes up the Arabic Bible, and reads the following beautiful
prophetic sentiment:

    ‮ولكثرة الاثم تبرد المحبة من كثير‬

and then asks what it means? "_And because iniquity shall abound, the
love of many shall wax cold_," I reply, "may be illustrated in this way:
Suppose the Rais buys up or bribes the people, so that nearly all the
people applaud whatever he does, whether right or wrong, then the love of
your country, amongst you few faithful remaining, will wax cold?"

_Ben Mousa._--"Yes, I understand, _Seedna Aysa_, ('our Lord Jesus,') was
a prophet."

FOOTNOTES:

[27] I always thought phrenology too good to be true. Such a
    study, however, may be of some service in classifying mental
    phenomena, and induce a taste for metaphysical research.

[28] _Mungalah_ or _Saah-el-ma_. Watches are very uncommon: only
    the Governor, and a few of the richest people, have a watch.

[29] Once passing through Lyons, I heard of an English tourist who
    hired a steam-boat to himself to pass down the Rhone in, hired an
    hotel to himself, and one evening took the upper part of a theatre
    to himself, including the boxes, and all to enjoy himself
    _tranquillement_, said my French informant.




CHAPTER VII.

FAST OF THE RAMADAN.

     The Women in possession of the Streets.--The Grand Factions of
     Ghadames, the _Ben Weleed_ and the _Ben Wezeet_.--Interest of the
     People in Algerian Affairs.--Names, from Bodily
     Deformities.--Starving Slaves makes them Thieves.--Disease of the
     _Arak-el-Abeed_.--Finances of Ghadames.--The Prophet Jonah, still
     living.--Bad system of collecting Taxes by common
     Soldiers.--Essnousee leaves for Ghat, alone.--The _Thob_.--Stroke
     of the Moon.--Mission of Impostors always that of pretended Mercy
     to Men.--How the Turk governs the Arabs.--Saharan
     _Lady_-Gentlemen.--Classic and Vulgar Names of Things.--The
     _Wadan_, or _Oudad_.--Nimrod, the Hercules of the Saharan
     Moors.--Enoch, a Tailor.--Noah, a Carpenter.--Serpents and
     Monsters in The Desert.--Teach Geography to the
     People.--Indolence of the Inhabitants of Africa.


_19th._--MORNING spent in spelling the Malta Times. Saw a Ben-Wezeetee,
who protested that all the money of the country was in the hands of the
Ben-Weleed. I asked if he ever went to the Ben-Weleed. "For what," he
replied angrily, "should I go to see those devils?" In the afternoon
found all the streets deserted by the men-folks, and in possession of the
women, girls, and little children, who were playing all sorts of pranks,
and dancing and singing like so many people let loose from Bedlam. As
soon as they saw me there was a simultaneous rush at me, all crying out,
"Oh, Christian! Christian! where's your mother? where's your sister?
where's your wife?--don't you want a wife?" Then they began to pelt me
with date-stones. I got out of the way as quickly as possible. Wondered
what in the world had become of the men. At last found them and the boys
all congregated round a mosque, this being some important ceremony of
religion.

I had to-day some talk about the two great political factions, the
_Ben-Wezeet_ and the _Ben-Weleed_, the Whigs and Tories of Ghadames, but
pushed to such extremities of party spirit, as almost to be without the
limits of humanity. Notwithstanding the assumed sanctity of this holy and
_Marabout_ City of Ghadames, and its actually leaving its walls to
crumble away, and its gates open to every robber of the highways of The
Desert--trusting to its prayers for its defence and to its God for
vengeance--it has nourished for centuries upon centuries the most
unnatural and fratricidal feuds within its own bosom, dividing itself
into two powerful rival factions, and which factions, to this day, have
not any _bonâ fide_ social intercourse with one another. Occasionally one
or two of the rival factions privately visit each other, but these are
exceptions, and the Rais has the chiefs of the two parties together in
Divan on important business being brought before him. In the market-place
there is likewise ground of a common and neutral rendezvous. Abroad they
also travel together, and unite against the common enemy and the
foreigner. The native Governor, or _Nāther_, and the _Kady_, are besides
chosen from one or other party, and have authority over all the
inhabitants of Ghadames. But here closes their mutual transactions. It is
a long settled time-out-of-mind, nay, sacred rule, with them, as a whole,
"Not to intermarry, and not to visit each other's quarters, if it can
possibly be avoided." The Rais and myself, reside without the boundaries
of their respective quarters, so that we can be visited by both parties,
who often meet together accidentally in our houses. The Arab suburb is
also neutral ground. Most of the poor strangers take up their residence
here. The _Ben-Wezeet_ have four streets and the _Ben-Weleed_ three.
These streets have likewise their subdivisions and chiefs, but live
amicably with one another, so far as I could judge. The people generally
are very shy of conversing with strangers about their ancient immemorial
feuds. I could only learn from the young men that in times past the two
factions fought together with arms, and "some dreadful deeds were done."
My taleb only wrote the following when I asked him to give some
historical information respecting these factions:--"The Ben Weleed and
the Ben Wezeet are people of Ghadames, who have quarrelled from time
immemorial: it was the will of God they should be divided, and who shall
resist his will? Yâkob, be content to know this!"

But the Rais boasts of having done something to mitigate the mutual
antipathies of the factions. "The _Shamātah_, between them," he says,
"has had its neck broken." And really, if it be the case, there is in
this some compensation for the wrongs and miseries which the Turks are
inflicting upon an impoverished and over burthened people. In other parts
of Northern Sahara similar factions exist, often arising from chance
divisions of towns. There is a similar division of the town of Ghabs in
Tunis, but not carried to such extreme lengths as these factions of
Ghadames. It would seem that society could not exist without party and
divisions no more than a British Parliament. Even Scripture intimates
there must be strifes and divisions.

Many came to me to hear the news from Tripoli and Algeria. I found them
all interested in the fate and fortunes of the latter country. Some vague
rumours had reached them of serious and bloody skirmishes. I calmed them,
telling them "all people were on an equal footing in Algeria, Christians
as Mussulmans, even as Mussulmans were in our British India." Some
doubted my information. Late in the evening, when the visitors of the
Rais had retired, I had a tête-à-tête with his Excellency. Speaking of
the Ghadamseeah, his Excellency said, "They are ignorant and know not the
_tareek_ (_i. e._, system) of the Sultan; they magnify every trifle of
news they hear, and are now alive to every change, and in feverish
expectation of some new event." This is always the case with the
oppressed; they must love change, if but for the worse. His Excellency
then continued: "Since the forced contribution of fifty thousand dollars,
no money is to be found. The money due for the past four months is still
uncollected." Speaking of the bandits, his Excellency said, "The Pasha
has written to me that he cannot allow me, or the Commandant of The
Mountains, to march out against the _Sebâah_ or _Shânbah_, without an
order from the Sultan, but with such an order we could soon exterminate
them." Our Rais does not entirely neglect the intellectual edification of
his Desert subjects. This evening, early, he amused them with talking
about steamboats, or "boats of fire." I put in a word about railroads,
telling them with a railway we could come from Tripoli to Ghadames in two
days. "The Christians know all things but God," said a Marabout.

_20th._--Weather is now cool, and I can walk about the gardens at
mid-day without inconvenience. I enjoy this much, amusing myself
with throwing stones at the ripe dates, which fall in luscious
clusters into one's mouth. Eating fruit in the gardens or from the
trees is also a peculiar delight enjoyed by people of all countries
and climates. Several of the people are so ignorant of printing that
they call my newspapers letters, and this is natural enough, as
there are no other but manuscript books amongst them.--‮سمعان
الابرص‬, "Simon _the Leper_" (Matt. xxvi.). It is usual here to
distinguish people in this way: as "Mohammed, _the one-eyed_,"
"Ahmed, _the lame-with-one-leg_," and "Mustapha, _the red-beard_."
So the famous pirate of the Mediterranean was called "_Barbarossa_."
The people are not at all ashamed of being called by their natural
deformities, as we are in Europe. ‮قمقم‬ is one of the numerous
words in Arabic where the sound corresponds with the sense.
_Ghemghem_ is, "to murmur," and the English word itself is not a bad
example of the kind. The Mussulmans have very grotesque notions of
the Christian doctrine of Trinity. A person said: "Do not the
Christians say God has a Son?" "Yes," I replied. The rejoinder was,
"That is making God like a bullock (‮بقر‬)!" My friend the Touatee,
a native of Touat, tells me the Touaricks were originally from
Timbuctoo, and so say all Touat Touaricks. The ghafalah just arrived
from Tripoli has brought eighty camel-loads of barley. Observed the
head of the little son of the Touarick bandit. Fancied it was really
the infantile cast of such a parent's head. This is the danger of
the science, prejudicing you in such matters.

Apparently, what little thieving there is going on here is committed by
the Arabs and slaves. There are three or four of these latter most
determined date stealers. One of these slaves was brought up yesterday
and received two hundred bastinadoes; but it had not much effect upon
him. When these offenders become incurable, the Rais packs them off to
Tripoli. A very good plan, which keeps the country free of offences of
petty larceny. However, many of these slaves steal because they have not
enough to eat: thus we come to the old circle again, that poverty is the
mother of crime. So is it with the Arabs and slaves of Ghadames. The
slaves are mostly devout, if not fanatic Mussulmans. They have a right to
be fanatical, for their religion is a great protection to them. Their
masters, not like the _Christian_ slave-masters of the Southern States of
America, who close the Bible against the slave, are also proud of the
fanaticism of their slaves, and teach them verses of the Koran. The
slave's conception of the dogmas of his religion is slow and confused. My
Negro Said is a good Mussulman, and keeps his fast well, but I never yet
caught him at his prayers, nor does he go much to the mosque. Yesterday I
came suddenly upon two youngsters, the Rais's slaves, who at mid-day were
devouring roasted locusts and drinking water, in the style of sumptuous
feasting. I called out, "Holloa! how now? are you feasting or fasting?"
They began laughing and then handed me some roast locusts, to bribe me
not to blab. My taleb caught a slave in my house eating also roasted
locusts, and asked him if he should like to be roasted in hell-fire?

_21st._--The old blind man is the most regular patient. The novelty of
being doctored or quacked by a Christian is wearing away. Wrote to-day to
Mr. Gagliuffi, British Vice-Consul of Mourzuk. Said, in visiting his
friends, for he has now _his circle_, brought me a present of
_Danzagou_, in Arabic _Kashkash_. This is a seed of the size of a large
hip, and of a beautiful scarlet colour; it is used sometimes as medicine,
mostly for necklace beads, and is native of Soudan, where it abounds. He
also brought some _Morrashee_, in Arabic _Jidglan_. This is a species of
millet, a product of Soudan. The Blacks, Moors, and Arabs all eat it with
_gusto_. There are several varieties of edible seed brought over The
Desert from Soudan, chiefly as Saharan luxuries. Had a long conversation
with the people of the _Ben-Weleed_, and found them extremely sociable.
One of them had been to Leghorn, and described the houses as seven
stories high, and the port _free_. These were his strongest impressions.
It is worth observing here the universal freemasonry of the mercantile
spirit. As a merchant, he could understand and recollect a free-port in
any part of the world. The honour of this anecdote have the Leaguers.

A man showed me a sore place on his arm, which he called
_Arak_[30]_-El-Abeed_ (‮عرك العبيد‬). This was a large raised
pimple, in the centre of which was an opening, and from which
aperture there issued from time to time a very fine worm, like the
finest silk-thread, and sometimes not much thicker than a spider's
web, in small detached lengths. This worm is often of the enormous
length of twenty yards, gradually oozing out piecemeal. It is a
common disease of Soudan where the merchants catch the infection,
and bring it over The Desert. It is said to be acquired principally
by drinking the waters of that country.

By the wars before the occupation of the Turks, Tripoli had become
exhausted of its wealth, and its trade and agriculture were at the lowest
ebb. The country was divided into two armed factions of the ancient
family, money was borrowed at the most extravagant, and sometimes 500 per
cent. interest, and the jewels of the ancient family were bartered away
for arms and provisions, to carry on the war. A large collection of
splendid diamonds were sold for something like an old song. Most of these
got into the hands of Europeans. I saw some in the hands of an European
gentleman, who assured me that he had been fortunate enough to get them
for a fourth, and some of them for a seventh, of their value. When the
Turks usurped the Government, such was the condition of the country. But
they had also to put down a formidable rebellion of the Arabs, which
occupied several years of exterminating war. This gave the _coup de
grâce_ to the unfortunate Regency of Tripoli, and plunged it into
complete ruin. There was, however, one city, far in The Desert, which
appeared unaffected by these sanguinary and wasting revolutions--the
holy-merchant-marabout city of Ghadames! the pacific character of whose
inhabitants seemed to place it without the pale of such dire turmoils.
But the Turks (the war with the Arabs ended, and at leisure) began to
look about, and thought they saw an Eldorado looming beautifully in the
_mirage_ of The Desert, which would speedily replenish their exhausted
treasures, and put the Government of Tripoli in easy pecuniary
circumstances. A pretext was soon found to excavate in this newly
discovered Desert mine. "The people of Ghadames," said the Pashas of
Tripoli, "are rebels--they sympathized with the Arabs--they did not come
forward to help us to exterminate the Arabs--they must now pay for their
disaffection." A forced contribution was therefore immediately levied
upon them of 50,000 mahboubs and upwards, and the women and children were
stripped of their gold and silver ornaments, and houses ransacked, to
make up the amount at once. Ten thousand mahboubs were also demanded
annually. This new demand threw the city into consternation, and the men
brought out the women and the children into the streets, who fell upon
their faces before the officers of the Pasha, and implored them not to
deprive their wives and children of bread. It was at last settled they
should pay 6,250 mahboubs, as an annual contribution. Under the Caramanly
dynasty they paid only some 850 mahboubs per annum, besides being left to
the uncontrolled management of their own affairs. Now, whilst the people
are complaining of the large amount of taxation imposed upon them, and
pleading their impossibility to pay up arrears--in this irritable state
of things--an order comes from Ahmed Effendi in The Mountains, to collect
an additional contribution of 3,225 mahboubs, under the pretext of its
being wanted to maintain troops in Fezzan, and keep open the
communications of commerce. This intelligence has so completely astounded
the few remaining merchants who have any money, that they nearly lost
their senses, yesterday and to-day, being very ill, and unable to attend
to their ordinary business. The money for the last four months is not
yet collected, and the people say they cannot pay up. Our Rais has three
times represented to the Pasha the inability of the people, but the
answer always is, "_money must be had_." I expect to witness some cruel
scenes of extortion practised before I leave this place, like what I saw
in The Mountains. I observe now the Rais can't keep a respectable
collector. _No native of Ghadames will collect for him._ Sometimes he
sends the Arab soldiers, who abuse the defaulters. Once an Arab soldier
got hold of a poor man in the street, an acquaintance of mine, to drag
him off before the Rais. I told him to stop a moment, and then having
ascertained how much it was--about one shilling and eight-pence--paid the
money and got the poor fellow clear this time. Sheikh Makouran is a true
patriot. Whenever he sees anybody dragged off in this way through the
streets, in spite of the Governor, and his being a member of the Divan,
he takes upon himself to impede the course of justice (_extortion?_),
abuses with all his might the officer, and if he can't rescue the
defaulter, pays the money himself: so strives for public liberty this
Hampden of The Desert!

To-day, had a proof of the rancorous enmity of the ancient factions. A
merchant of the Ben Welleed, who wished to visit me, said, "I must come
round the city, for _I don't know_ the streets of the Ben Wezeet. Thank
God! I never went through them in my life." This he said with vehemence,
intimating that he never would enter the streets of the Ben Wezeet as
long as he lived. A ghafalah has arrived from the oases of Fezzan,
bringing corn and dates, productions abundant in those countries.

_22nd._--Weather continues cool. Few more patients. Present of dates from
one of them. Very little meat now killed in Ghadames, less and less every
day. What will become of this once flourishing city it is hard to tell.
The prejudices of the people against the residence of an European in this
city have apparently disappeared; people are increasingly civil; many
would willingly look upon me as their protector, were I made Consul, but
unfortunately for them, I am not ambitious of, nor have any inclination
for, the honour.

This morning heard a curious opinion about Younas, or Jonas (Jonah), for
the Arabs, like the Greeks[31], sometimes change the last letter of the
Hebrew ה into a Σ. Probably they got their traditions through the Greeks
or the Greek language. I was talking with a taleb about longevity, when
he observed, "There is but one person who is always alive." "Who is
that?" I inquired very anxiously. "It is our lord Jonas, who is living in
_distant_ and _unknown_ parts of the world," he said. "Is he alone?" I
further inquired. "No," he added, "he has with him a hundred thousand
people, who live to a great age, but who at last die, whilst he is always
living. Then as to Jesus, the son of Mary, he also never died, and went
up to heaven alive. The Jews (the curse of God upon them!) only killed
his _likeness_." I have always observed these mysterious events to
transpire in some _unknown_ and _distant_ part of the world, and took the
liberty of telling this taleb that the "smoke-ships" (steamers) could
soon make every place in the world near and known, and then we might find
out the residence of Jonah as well as the captivity of the ten tribes.
The story of the ten tribes is pretty well known. A Maroquine rabbi told
me they are somewhere about the regions of Gog and Magog, in Central
Asia, situate in a country where there is a river running perpetually six
days out of seven, very rapid and full of stones, so that they cannot
pass it and return to the Holy Land. On the seventh it stops, when it
might be passed, but on the Sabbath day the law does not permit them to
travel. This is the Barbary version. Central Asia is still the land of
mysteries for both Jews and Mohammedans. The Russians have done little to
dispel these mysteries, if they have not tried to envelop these lands in
profounder obscurity, for political purposes; but had we been established
in Affghanistan, we might have discovered _Jibel Kaf_, the retreat of Gog
and Magog, the strange stony river, the ten tribes, and all the other
objects of Jewish and Mohammedan superstition. But as with the famous
gardens of the Hesperides, the abode of perfectly happy mortals, which
were shifted farther and farther from actual observation by the progress
of ancient discovery, so the mysterious retreat of the ten tribes and the
ever-living Jonas will be transferred to other unknown lands when modern
discovery shall have exhausted Central Asia.

Met Sheikh Makouran: asked him what was to be done to meet the
extraordinary contribution. He said he couldn't tell, people had no
money: Rais had so written to Tripoli, but was reprimanded by the Pasha.
Advised him to send a deputation to the Pasha, or the British
Consul-General. Had another example of the bad system of collecting
monies, as often in Mahometan States, by means of common soldiers. These
fellows do all the dirty jobs, everything necessary in the way of
extortion; the more respectable officials shun these disagreeable
transactions, especially if they be natives of the place where the taxes
are collected. A great disturbance was in the streets, the people almost
fighting with these extortioner ruffians. Going farther on, something
absolutely ludicrous happened. The soldiers could not read, no person
would read their papers for them, and they could not find out the person
on whom they were to make their demands, although the parties were
actually present. They then came to me to read their papers. I asked
them, "Whether they thought it showed any of the friendship which they
professed towards me to embroil me with the people of the country, whose
hospitality I was receiving?" They were so convinced of the justice of my
appeal, that they went off without replying. A Ghadamsee peasant called
to me, "Yâcob, you must be our Consul!"

Afternoon, Essnousee left for Ghat. Being extremely attached to this
merchant, I went to see him off. About thirty of the Ben Weleed (for he
is of this faction) accompanied him, the most respectable of this
division of the the city; I was glad to see a person, in whom hereafter I
might have to place implicit confidence, so much esteemed. His friends
set to and loaded his camel before starting, as many as could find any
thing, each taking an article of harness or equipment. This I observed
often afterwards. It is reckoned friendly. By such conduct they show they
are willing to render all the assistance in their power to their friend.
I continued on the route of Ghat with Essnousee half an hour or more,
bade him farewell and returned. His brothers and a slave left him with
me. The merchant then proceeded on his desert journey of some fifteen or
twenty days _absolutely alone_, for he had only a Touarick camel-driver.
This demonstrates the security of the route. I said to the people
afterwards, "Is he not afraid to go alone?" "No," was the answer, "they
will only meet Touaricks, and these are our friends. You have only to pay
a small trifle of toll in different parts of the route and you are quite
safe. Sometimes you don't pay this." Essnousee will reach Ghat in twelve,
whilst a quick caravan requires from eighteen to twenty days. With
first-rate camels the journey could be performed in _eight_ or ten days.
Strange infatuation! I felt an almost irrepressible desire to accompany
Essnousee _as I was_, and to plunge anew into all the hardships and
dangers of The Desert. But such is man, a creature of daring or absurd
impulses! and the more he moves, and roams, and rambles, the more (in
modern phrase) _locomotive_ he is--the less he likes repose, and seeks
unceasingly such perilous stimulants. Observed, on returning, amongst the
loose stones scattered upon the surface of The Desert, a great quantity
of rubbish, like brick-bats thrown out from a brick-kiln, giving the face
of the ground a burnt and volcanic appearance. Picked some up and could
hardly believe but what they were burnt bricks. The Ben Weleed, who
accompanied Essnousee, instead of the short and direct road through the
streets of the Ben Wezeet, took a circuitous route round the inner walls
of the city to arrive at the gate of departure, showing me how great was
still the force of these factions. Essnousee himself told me he never
went through the streets of the Ben Wezeet, nor did he expect he ever
should in this world.

_24th._--Yesterday and to-day employed in writing for the _Shantah_
(Turkish, for mail). Rais in a good humour this evening. Two camels came
in from The Sahara, one day's journey, laden with wood for the Rais. His
Excellency offered some to me. The fact is, I purchased a camel-load a
few days ago, and his Excellency's servants had nearly begged it all
away. People generally burn dried and dead branches of the palm, which,
in this season, is abundant. It is not good fire-wood; there is plenty of
flame and smoke, but little heat. Said, on my return from the Rais,
assures me he has heard from his visitors, the Touarick slaves, that now
the Touaricks do not beat their slaves, but esteem all men _souwa,
souwa_, ("equal"); it was not so in former times. Free and enlightened
America may have yet to learn lessons of freedom and humanity from the
savages of The Sahara!

Purchased a _Thob_[32], a species of large lizard. It is common in The
Sahara. The Touaricks eat them, and say they are _medicine_ for a pain or
weakness in the back. This may have been surmised from the ideal
resemblance between the strength of their backs, which is scaly and bony,
and strongly bound together, and the strength it is likely to communicate
unto persons having a weak or crippled spine. They are pretty good
eating, and taste something like the kid of the goat; the tail is
esteemed the greatest delicacy. I tasted of this which I bought, and
liked it. There is no lizard of this species in Soudan. A Touarick told
me that, having found one in The Desert, he carried it to Soudan, where
a Negro prince fell in love with it, and gave him for it the present of a
young female slave. The Arabs tame the Thob, and he grows very fond. Some
of them are very large. This I purchased is only twenty inches in length,
and about ten round the thickest part of the body. The head is large and
tortoise-shaped, with a small mouth. It is covered with scales, or "scaly
mail," and its tail is about four inches long, composed of a series of
broad thick and sharp bones. It has four feet, or rather _hands_, for, as
the Arabs say, "It has hands like _Ben-Adam_ (mankind)." All the body,
back and flanks, are covered by shining scales, of the colour of a
darked-spotted grey, with spots white and light under the belly. It runs
very awkwardly on account of its bulky tail, and to look at is a
miniature aligator or crocodile. It is almost harmless, fighting a little
now and then; its appearance, however, is rather forbidding. It hides in
the dry sandy holes of The Sahara. A drop of water, say the Arabs, would
hurt it. The traditions of the Mohammedans mention that Mahomet did not
himself eat the Thob, at the same time he did not prohibit it to his
followers. The Saharan merchants, in traversing The Desert, frequently
make a good meal of the Thob. Whilst talking of the Thob, the people said
the flesh of parrots was _poison_ for Ben-Adam.

_25th._--Another of my patients dead, of a raging fever caught, it is
said, "by sleeping on the top of the house in the open air." The moon
struck him, they say. According to the Psalms, "The sun shall not smite
thee by day, nor _the moon by night_."

They let him remain seven days without sending for me, when it was too
late to administer my fever powders. I fetched an old gentleman who could
bleed to have him bled, but they refused, saying it was now late. The old
blood-letter vexed at their refusal, said, "Well, if I mustn't bleed him,
let me pray for him;" and, immediately offered up a short prayer, in
which they all joined willingly. On telling a Ghadamsee I ate some Thob,
he said, "Ah, that's forbidden; the Thob was formerly a human being,
before it had its present shape. Don't you see its hands are still
_human_?" The notion of the transmigration of souls lingers in these
parts, but it is a doctrine not generally received. I observed this man
afterwards fattening his sheep with date-stones, broken into small
pieces. Almost every family, however small, have their sheep to fatten.
Pounded date-stones are also given to camels for fattening. Writing for
amusement with my taleb, I recollected a verse in the Koran, which I
wrote:--

    ‮ارسلناك الّا رحمة للعلمين‬

This filled him with surprise and horror, and he immediately scratched it
out, as too pure and holy a thing to be in the possession of an Infidel.
The translation is:--"We (God) have sent thee (Mahomet) only for mercy to
mankind;" or, "Thy mission to man, O Mahomet! is only mercy." Such credit
all impostors and pretenders to revelation claim for themselves, and such
an object they declare to be the end of their mission, although at the
same time, and in the same breath, they don't forget to doom all those
who reject their authority to perdition. This, it would seem, is a
necessary evil in propagating new religions and new sects. But enough of
this--may the world grow more kindly--let us hope it will. This morning
arrived a single Arab from Fezzan. It would appear extreme hardihood when
we reflect, that for nine days, there is not a house, and scarcely a
resting-place. The Arab was mounted on a camel. This arrival, as
Essnousee's departure, shows the security of the routes in some
directions. The Arab told me he made his journey in nine days, and
stopped occasionally on the road to sleep and refresh himself. In the
night he tied his camel's leg to his own leg, so that if it attempted to
stray, it would awake him.

Nothing new with Rais. Speaking of the Arabs, he says, "You know Arabs to
be very devils. There are two ways to consider Arabs, but whichever way
they are robbers and assassins. When they are famished, they plunder in
order to eat; when their bellies are full, they plunder because they kick
and are insolent. Now, we (Turks) keep them upon low diet in The
Mountains; they have little, and always a little food. This is the
Sultan's _tareek_ (government) to manage them. Their spirits are kept
down and broken, and they are submissive." He then told me he had held a
Divan to obtain the extra contribution of 3,200 mahboubs, for the Pasha;
but the people protested they could not pay such an amount. I wrote a
letter to Colonel Warrington, stating this circumstance, and asked him if
he could assist the people in any way. I thought it a bare possibility
that the hand of foreign diplomacy might be stretched out to save this
city, which had flourished in the pursuits of its own peaceful commerce
for more than a thousand years. . . . To mitigate the apparent harshness
of his demand, the Rais observed, that before the Sultan occupied
Ghadames, the country between this and Tripoli was full of banditti. "The
Arabs of The Mountains," he added, "were all banditti, those amongst whom
you resided eight days. The Touaricks were not so bad, they generally
protected Ghadamsee merchants. Now since the Sultan, there are only the
Shânbah and the Sebâah, therefore the Ghadamseeah must pay." So, _Audi
alteram partem_.

_26th._--To-day, resident thirty days in Ghadames which time I have
certainly not lost. Written a good deal of MS., such as it is, and
several letters; besides, applied myself to reading and writing Arabic.
Likewise distributed medicines to a considerable number of invalids. Wish
to pass the next month as profitably as the month gone. My expenses of
living, including a guard to sleep in the house at night, and Said, are
only at the rate of eighteen-pence per day; this, however, excludes tea,
coffee, and sugar. Besides, Sheikh Makouran refuses to take anything for
house-rent, saying, "It would be against the will of God to receive money
from you, who are our sure friend, and our guest of hospitality." Few
patients, in comparison with the past. As the winter approaches, the
cases of ophthalmia are less. In the precipitation of leaving Tripoli,
brought little ink with me, and most of that I gave away; so am obliged
to go about the town to beg a little. The custom is, when one person
wants ink, he begs it of another. Went to Ben Weleed, who procured me a
supply.

My intercourse has been mostly with Ben Wezeet, but to day I visited _Ben
Weleed_ at the _Bab-Es-Sagheer_, ("the little gate,") or the
_Bab-Es-Saneeah_, ("the gate of the garden,") where there were about
forty of the most respectable of this faction assembled in a sort of
gossiping divan amongst themselves. They told me they met here every
morning, and chatted over the news of the previous day. Usually they meet
just after sunrise, and certainly in this way they pass a cool and
fragrant hour, full of the odoriferous breathings of the gardens as the
day is awakening. I asked one, who were the richer, the Weleed or the
Wezeet? He replied, with an honourable frankness, "The _Wezeet_."
Observed many of the men had their eyelids blackened, like the women,
with _Kohel_[33], and also their finger-nails and toe-nails dyed dark-red
with henna[34]. I confessed I was surprised at this monstrous effeminacy.
One of these _lady_-gentlemen was the son of the powerful Ettanee family;
he was brought up to the Church, and of great promise, bidding fair to be
future Kady or Archbishop. He put a curious question to me, "How much is
the expense of a journey from Malta to Constantinople?" When I satisfied
him, he said, "I shall go and buy some slaves at Ghat, and then convey
them to Constantinople. Don't you think I shall make money by it?" I told
him he would not find anybody at Malta to convey slaves to
Constantinople; and if he took them there, they would be set at liberty,
for a slave once touching British territory became free. To this he
replied only, "I know--I knew before." I was extremely glad he did know
it. It is strange to see a young man of this description so avariciously
turn himself into a slave-dealer, but Mohammedan priests frequently
trade.

Marabouts in The Mountains are mostly camel-drivers; and the greater part
of priests, marabouts, and kadys perform sacred duties gratis. An order of
priesthood exists, though it is not kept up very distinctly from laymen,
but it is an honour to them, "to work in the service of God for nothing,"
and is worthy of the imitation of Christians. My new clerical friend gave
me a dissertation upon things having two names, a classical one and a
vulgar one. The Kohel is also called _Athmed_, ‮اثمد‬, which is
its classical name. Senna is called _hasheeshah_, ‮حشيشه‬,
literally "herbs," its vulgar name, and ‮سنا حرم‬,
"senna of _Mecca_," (literally, of the inviolable,) which is its
classical name. A little senna is found casually in the gardens of
Ghadames; but the country of Senna, in The Sahara, is Aheer, where
it is cultivated by the Touaricks. He pointed out to me the _Tout_,
(‮توت‬,) the small white mulberry, which is planted in little
squares of the city. Speaking of the Touaricks, he said: "These
people are getting dissatisfied with us. Formerly we paid them
better; but being robbed of our money by the Turks, we can't give
them much. They smell also a disagreeable odour now. Formerly they
came in and went out our city as a garden." "What odour is that?" I
asked. "_It's that Rais_," he whispered in my ear. The fact is, the
Touaricks felt themselves more at home before the Turks came here,
which everybody can imagine.

[Illustration]

This afternoon, whilst talking with the people about their antiquities,
one of them said, "There are some figures remaining." I immediately asked
him to show them to me. The youngster volunteered; and, to my great joy,
I was taken off to a garden, where I saw the _bas-relief_ drawn above. I
then thought about getting it in a quiet way to my house; so I went up to
the owner of the garden in which it lay, and said to him in a very
careless, indifferent manner, "What's the good of the stone to you--you
may give it me; perhaps it will be of some use." The man replied at once,
"Aye, Christian, take it." The youngster, who was a stout fellow, brought
it off forthwith upon his head. I followed him in secret triumph,
thinking myself very fortunate; for if any noise had been made, I should
have had to pay several dollars for it, whatever might have been its real
value, and, perhaps, not have got it at all. Indeed, some of the people
were very jealous; and when I returned, they called out _flous! flous!_
("money! money!") They thought I had got a rich prize, and I hope I have.
I told them, if anybody had any _flous_, it would be the owner of the
garden, who gave me the slab. The sketch represents, apparently, a
soldier holding or feeding a horse, but of what age and country I shall
not pretend to say, leaving that to antiquarians. It is broken off half,
and otherwise pecked and mutilated by the people. It is a pious act of
religion to deface stones representing figures of any sort, to decapitate
heads of statues, and destroy every shape and symbol of the human
likeness, not excepting likenesses of animals. An old Ghadamsee doctor,
very fond of me, was, however, extremely glad when he saw me in
possession of the slab. He kept saying, "Ah, Yâkob, that's your
grandfathers (ancestors). See! isn't it wonderful? Ah, that's your
grandfathers of the time of _Sidi Nimrod_. Take it home with you. Ah,
that's your grandfathers!"

This evening, heard that the heads of the people of Ghadames had adopted
my suggestion of sending a deputation to Tripoli, to state their
inability to meet the new and extraordinary demand of 3,200 mahboubs, the
Governor consenting to their determination.

_27th._--Weather still cool and pleasant, but the flies are in great
numbers, and very disagreeable. Am obliged always to have my room
darkened when I write, to keep them from tormenting me. They
increase as the dates ripen, and soon after the dates are gathered
in, they disappear, and not one is to be found during the winter. Haj
Mansour gave me to-day a _meneshsha_ (‮منشّا‬) or fly-flap, made
of the long flowing beard of the Wadan. It is a most effective
whipper-away of the flies. It instantly disperses them, the fine
strong hair of the Wadan's beard hitting them like pins and needles.
This species of fly-flap is greatly valued in Soudan, where it sells
at a high price. The hairs which are of a dull grey or red brown,
are usually dyed with henna when made up into fly-flaps. I expressed
myself extremely obliged to the Haj. _Wadan_ (Ar. ‮ودان‬), _Oudad_
(Berber ‮اوداد‬), and English _Mouflon_, is the name of a species
of animals between the goat and the bullock[35]. It is common in the
Southern Atlas of Morocco, and is hunted in the neighbouring sands
of Ghadames during winter by the Souf Arabs, and brought in and sold
for butcher's meat. Wadan is said to be _medicine_ by the people,
and tastes like high flavoured coarse venison. Three or four only
have been sent to England[36]. Dr. Russell, in his _Barbary States_,
makes it to resemble a calf, but it rather resembles a large goat or
a horned sheep. Besides the _Wadan_ and the _Thob_, Saharan people
eat many animals which hungry Europeans might eat, amongst the rest
rats and mice, when in good condition. But the mouse is the large
mouse of The Sahara. The Rais had a live Wadan which died just
before my arrival. He regretted much as he would have given it to
me. His Excellency promises to get me one.

_Nimrod_ is always in the mouths of the Ghadamseeah as the founder of
their city. They are especially fond of calling him a _Christian_. He is
often called my grandfather, although I have not yet been able to trace
my descent in a direct line from so august a progenitor. The European
reader recollects where he is mentioned in the Jewish early records,--

 ‮הוּא הָיָה נִבּר֗־צַיִד לִפְנֵי־יְהוָה‬

"He was a mighty hunter before the Lord." Gen. x. 9. In the Arabic
translation the word employed for "mighty" is the same as that of the
Hebrew, _i. e._ ‮جبّار‬ the ‮ج‬ representing the ‮ג‬,
omitting any word to correspond with ‮ציד‬; but the Moors
understand generally by the term ‮جبّار‬, "a tyrant" and "a
conqueror." So Hammoudah Bashaw, the great Bey of Tunis, is called
by a faithful Tunisian historian of that country, a ‮جبّار‬.
But, perhaps, in those remote times, the hunter and the tyrant, as in the
Roman Commodus, were joined in one and the same person. Certainly this
is the natural sense of the combination of the terms ‮גבר־ציד‬.
To this might easily be added man-hunter and slave-maker, a worthy
attribute of Nimrod. The gentlemen of the turf, of the Bentinck
school, ought, however to protest against this supposition. Properly
Nimrod is the Hercules of the Moors of North Africa. According to
them he emerged from the East, overran and founded several cities in
The Sahara, conquered all before him, put his feet upon the neck of
all nations, and then passed the Straits of the Roman and Grecian
Hercules, and built the far-famed Andalous (Spain), as also Paris
and London, and no doubt planted the germ of the future courses of
Epsom and Ascot, of which he is in our day made the mighty patron
and the ruling god[37].

After Nimrod the people are very fond of talking about _Enoch_, who is
called in the Koran _Edrees_ (‮ادريس‬). My taleb says that he did
not undergo the penalty of nature, but was translated, as, indeed,
it is recorded of him in our sacred books. My taleb adds, "Enoch was
a tailor, and one day the devil came to him and offered to sell him
some eggs, declaring that in the eggs the whole world was included.
Enoch rejoined, '_Also in the eye of my needle is the whole world
comprehended_.' Immediately the eggs began to expand, and although
really empty, swelled out as wide as the arms when outstretched.
Enoch seeing this was all imposition, to punish the impostor, sewed
up one of the devil's eyes, who went off in a great rage. The needle
of Enoch was nevertheless all powerful, and the devil has gone about
with _one eye_ ever since." My taleb asked me whether I ever heard
of Noah. I opened the Arabic Bible and read some passages about the
Flood. "Yes," he said, "Seedna (_our lord_) Noah was a carpenter
(‮نجّار‬) because he built the ship (‮الفلك‬). I am also
a carpenter. I will show you my collection of tools. But I don't work
now at this trade, except for my amusement." The people know many of
the common trades which they exercise occasionally as amateurs.

Nothing puzzles the Touaricks and Negroes so much as my _gloves_. Am
obliged to put them on and off frequently a dozen times a day, for their
especial gratification. My Leghorn hat, on the contrary, here, as in The
Mountains, is an object of admiration, on account of the fineness of the
platting. It astonishes them how it could be done. The large straw hats,
with huge broad brims, worn in The Desert, are all of the coarsest
texture.

This morning made inquiries of the Touaricks respecting serpents in
The Desert. Could obtain but little information, the notions of the
Saharan tribes in general being very confused about serpents. All
serpents go under the name of _lefâah_ (‮لفعة‬). But other names
are in use here, as ‮حنش‬, ‮حية‬ &c., which apparently are
the generic names. The _boah_ mentioned by Dr. Russell I have not
heard of. One of the Touaricks, however, described to me a serpent
as being nearly as thick round as a man's body, but not more than
three feet in its greatest length. This serpent has also large
horns. It is not at all dangerous. There is a much longer serpent or
snake, but not more than four inches round in thickness, which is
dangerous. If we are to believe Mr. Jackson, the southern part of
Morocco abounds with monstrous serpents, but in all my route through
The Sahara, I met with none, nor heard of any. It is a very old
trick of the poets and retailers of the marvellous to people The
Desert with dragons, and serpents, and monsters of every kind. We
know that on the banks of the _Majerdah_ an enormous serpent stopped
the progress of the army of Regulus. Batouta, also, who flourished
in the fourteenth century, pretends that "The Desert is full of
serpents." Even Caillié, who saw neither lions nor elephants, or
very few animals of any sort, says, when at the wells of
_Amoul-Gragim_, "My rest was disturbed by the appearance of a
serpent, five feet and a-half long and as thick as the thigh of a
boy twelve years old. My travelling companions also experienced
similar visits." If this report be correct, it evidently refers to
the harmless _lefâah_ mentioned by the Touarick. At the ruins of
Lebida, on the coast of Tripoli, an unusual number of large snakes
were seen this year (1845), mounting upon and twining round the
broken shafts of pillars still standing, as if at the command of
some invisible _jinn_; but they were all perfectly harmless. The
jugglers were catching them, to exhibit their forky tongues and
snaky folds, as venomous and deadly, to the marvel-loving crowd. The
lion of The Desert is a myth. The king of beasts never leaves his
rich domain, the thick forest and pouring cascade, where water and
animals of prey abound, for the naked, arid, sandy, and rocky wastes
of The Sahara. The ancients and moderns, however, have persisted in
representing Africa, not only as a country full of monsters, but
"_always producing some new monster_,--"

    Semper aliquid novi Africam afferre[38],

all which is either entirely incorrect or a monstrous exaggeration. It
would have been very _nice_ to fight one's way through The Desert in the
midst of every kind of beast and monster which the gloomy imagination of
men may have conjured up from the beginning of the annals of adventure
and travel; this would have made these pages undoubtedly very "stirring
and exciting." Happily Providence has not filled up those vast spaces
which separate Northern and Central Africa with such hideous tenants!
Sufficient are the evils of The Desert to the wayfarer who sojourns
therein.

In the evening, had a long conversation with a group of people. The
subjects, in which they all felt more than ordinary curiosity, were, the
new world of America, Australia, the Pacific, and the whales in it, and
the gold and silver mines of South America, &c. The number of sheep,
also, in Australia, amazed them, in comparison with the few wandering
scattered flocks in The Desert. I am become a walking gazette amongst
the people, and ought to be dubbed "Geographer of The Desert." They also
question me on the relative forces of the Christian Powers, and have a
great idea of the military strength of France. The capture of Algiers has
produced a vivid and lasting impression of the French power throughout
all North Africa. They consider England the great power on the sea, and
France on the land. I have, besides, to tell them of the population of
all the world, and to answer a thousand other questions. Sometimes their
conversation, after being exceedingly animated, falls into unbroken and
moody silence, and they recline for hours, without moving a muscle of the
face or uttering a syllable. Indolence is the besetting sin of the
Saharan tribes. It is also the same in Tripoli. Col. Warrington, in
reporting upon the Tripolines, says:--"Whether the extraordinary
indolence of the people proceeds from the climate, or want of occupation,
I know not, but they are in an horizontal position twenty hours out of
the twenty-four, sleeping in the open air." In this temperate season of
the year, the Ghadamsees might find useful and healthful occupation in
the gardens, but they are so confoundedly lazy that they won't stir, and
what work really is done is performed by slaves. Such people deserve to
starve. Caillié says:--"The Mandingoes would rather go without food part
of the day than work in the fields; they pretend that labour would take
off their attention to the Koran, which is a very specious excuse for
laziness." Like most people in Central Africa, all their hard work is
done by the poor slaves. The Ghadamsee people have, however, the excuse
that, being a city of merchants, their object is repose when they return
from long journeys.

Paid a visit to Rais; presented to his Excellency one of my best razors,
with which he was highly delighted. Saw plenty of my acquaintances, all
pleased with the Ramadan being about to terminate. Few patients.

FOOTNOTES:

[30] The Arabic ‮عرك‬ seems to be used for a pustule or small
    tumour. The term is applied to the tumour of a camel. There is
    also the term ‮عرق‬, "decayed flesh or bone."

[31] ‮يونس‬, Ἰωνας. _Esaias_ is changed in the same way.

[32] ‮الضب‬, _Thob_--monitor: probably, _monitor pulchra_.

[33] ‮كحل‬, _Kohel_, "powder of lead," name derived from the
    epithet "_black_."

[34] ‮حنّا‬, _Henna_, "Lawsonia alba," Law. The Henna shrub is
    cultivated in irrigated fields at Ghabs (Tunis), and is a source
    of wealth.

[35] It is the _Ovis Tragelaphus_ of Zoologists.

[36] I was fellow-passenger from Mogador with the male oudad, now
    at the Royal Zoological Gardens. He is a very fine animal, but has
    but one eye.

[37] The foundation of Nimrod's reputation was laid in the East,
    many curious facts of which have been preserved in Armenian
    tradition. The Armenian Bishop, Dr. Nerses Lazar, says, for the
    benefit of all England, (See his _Scriptural and Analogical
    Conversations on the Physical and Moral World with reference to an
    Universal Commercial Harmony_, published by Bentley, London,
    1846):--"In the second age of the world, just on entering the
    second century, _Nimrod began to be a mighty one in the earth_; he
    was the first great warrior, conqueror, or most severe governor.
    _He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said,
    Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord_, by which means
    he became a mighty monarch. For he inured himself to labour by
    this toilsome exercise, and got together a great company of young
    robust men to attend him in this sport; _who were hereby also
    fitted to pursue men as they had done wild beasts_. (Here the Free
    Kirk will find the beginning of the system which they are
    patronizing in Yankee Land.) Besides, in the age of Nimrod, the
    exercise of hunting might win him the hearts of men, whom he thus
    delivered from wild beasts, to which they were much exposed in
    their rude and unprotected way of living; so that many at last
    joined him in the great designs he formed of subduing men, and
    making himself master of the neighbouring people in Babylon,
    Susiana, and Assyria. The memory of this hunting of his was
    preserved by the Assyrians, who made Nimrod the same as Orion, for
    they joined the dog and the hare, the first creature perhaps that
    he hunted, with his constellation. He first erected Babylon, and
    Assyria is called the land of Nimrod, &c., &c. He began to exalt
    himself, and he is called _Bel_ from his dominions, and _Nimrod_
    from his rebellion (against God)." The worthy prelate goes on
    giving a very long affair about the father of huntsmen and
    jockies. Nimrod has come up again in this our year of 1847. The
    French and English antiquarians and excavators have dug him up,
    and all his splendid posterity from the banks of the Euphrates at
    the _Bir-el-Nimroud_. The _Royal Asiatic Society_ no doubt will
    soon find his mark, or cross, His Turfy Highness not being
    expected to be a _letterato_, in Cuneiform, wedge-shaped or
    arrow-headed characters upon the unbaked or sun-dried bricks
    thrown out of the famous Nineveh mound, so that at last Nimroud
    will have full justice done him by a grateful posterity.

[38] Pliny. This vulgar error of antiquity is cited
     from the Greek of Aristotle.
     Λεγεται δε τις παροιμα ὁτι αει τι Λιβυη καινον.




CHAPTER VIII.

FAST OF THE RAMADAN.

     The Shâanbah and Banditti of The Desert.--Native Plays and Dances
     of Ghadamsee Slaves.--Aâween, or Square of Springs.--The Women of
     Ghadames, their Habits and Education.--The Ghadamsee and Berber,
     or Numidian Languages.--Varieties of People and Population of
     Ghadames.--Charge of corrupting the Scriptures.--Ben Mousa
     Ettanee.--The Bishop of Gibraltar.--Continue teaching
     Geography.--Ruin of the Country.--Approaching end of the
     World.--Seeing the New Moon.--My Taleb disputes about
     Religion.--Movements of Banditti.--The small Force by which the
     Turks hold Tripoli.


_28th._--HEARD the _Shâanbah_--‮شعانبة‬--and Touaricks are about
to have a set-to. Last year they had a skirmish, and the Touaricks
killed about eighty of the Shâanbah. These latter are going to
avenge their defeat; they will attack the open districts, and then
proceed to Ghat. The Shâanbah inhabit a desert of sand in the
neighbourhood of Warklah--‮وارقلة‬--about fifteen days from
Ghadames, and four from Souf. They are independent tribes, but small
in number, not more than from five to six hundred. Nominally,
however, they are located in French Algerian territory. They have
been celebrated from time immemorial as the robbers and assassins of
The Desert--_to be a brigand_ is, with them, an hereditary
honour--and they are equally the dread of the people of Warklah,
whose neighbours they are, as of stranger merchants and caravans.
They have a well of water scooped out in the sandy regions where
their tents are pitched, and here they live in a horrid security,
defying all law and authority, human and divine, and all the
neighbouring Powers. Around them is an immensity of sandy wastes,
and none dare pursue them to their abhorred dens. Horses, indeed,
would be useless; and camels might wander for months without water,
and perish before coming upon their hiding places in these dreadful
regions. "Two hundred men would require four hundred camels, eight
hundred water-skins, and provisions for two months," says the Rais,
"and therefore we must leave them to be exterminated by time."
Unfortunately, they are recruited from the bad characters of the
Souafah, a kindred tribe of Arabs, and other outlaws. The Shâanbah
are the great professional bandits of the North, but there are some
other fragmentary tribes, located on the confines of The Sahara, and
the valleys of the Atlas. Particularly I may mention the horde of
brigands of Wady-es-Sour, which infest the routes between Touat and
Tafilelt. But this horde is more placable, and mostly, after levying
black-mail, will allow a caravan to pass uninterruptedly on its way.
The expedition of the Shâanbah will take place after Ramadan, for,
like the story of the Spanish assassins, who, being too early to
enter the house of an unfortunate victim, went in the meanwhile to
the matins which were being celebrated in a neighbouring church, so
these pious assassins of The Desert highways will not proceed to
their work of blood and slaughter until the fast of Ramadan is
concluded. The Shâanbah and Touaricks are, besides, national enemies
as to blood, the former being pure Arab, and the latter of the
Berber, or aboriginal stock of North Africa. The Shâanbah have for
arms common matchlocks, and a few horses in addition to their
camels. The Touaricks have the spear, dagger, the straight broad
sword, and a few matchlocks and pistols, it is said, and all are
mounted on camels, so the contest is somewhat differently balanced
with regard to the mode of equipment. People speculate as to the
success of the parties, but their sympathies are entirely with the
Touaricks.

Said comes in blubbering, sympathizing with his countrymen, saying,
Rais has been bastinadoing his household slaves, natives of Bornou
like himself. Rais certainly ought not to do this, for he does not
bastinade his Moors or Arab servants. In the evening I went with
Said to see the slaves of Ghadames indulge in their native dances and
other plays. These are called ‮لعب العبيل‬ "_playing of the
slaves_." The festival of the evening was "_the night of power_"
(‮ليلة القدر‬), on which the Koran[39] descended from heaven,
and the slaves were allowed a holiday in consideration of this
solemnity. The slaves danced in a circle around a leader of the
dance in the centre. At first, it is a simple walking round, face to
back, the legs raised, and a little swinging, and the steps keeping
time to the iron castanets fastened on the hands of each. Meanwhile,
they sing, and the chorus comes at intervals between the noise of
castanets, or finger-clappers. They now turn round and face their
leader, some prostrating before him, and others twirling themselves
round, but always moving in their circular motion and singing. The
tones of their voice are melodious and deep, not the plaintive
wearying monotony of the Arabs. Now the sounds increase, the chorus
rises higher and higher, the steps fall heavy, like the tread of
military, on the ground; and now, sounds, steps, and every noise and
movement quickens, until it becomes a frantic rush around their
terrified leader, who is at last, as the finish of the dance,
overthrown in the wild tumult. . . . . . . Besides the castanets,
they have a rude drum, consisting of a piece of skin stretched over
the mouth of a large calabash, brought from Soudan, which makes a
low hollow sound: to these is added occasionally a rude squeaking
hautboy. This circular dance was performed by about thirty male
slaves, gaily dressed in their best clothes, and evidently all very
happy, in truth, the free blood of their native homes danced through
their veins. Aye, the poor slave danced and sung! happier far than
his proud and wealthy master, who looked on in moody silence. So God
has ordained it to alleviate and balance human miseries. This dance
of freedom lasted a full hour, and was very laborious. There were
several Negresses near, who answered in shrill voices to the deep
choruses of the Negroes, but did not themselves dance. After the
circular dance, came off reels of couples. These were danced with
great spirit, nay, violence: there was no dancing of a person
singly. None of the dancing was indecent, like the Moorish; the
lower part of the body and legs now and then assumed steps and
positions like the well known Spanish _fandango_ with castanets.

_29th._--Weather is now tolerably cool all day long in the city, but
not cool enough for agreeable travelling. Sketched to-day the
_Aâween_, ‮اعوين‬, or square of "fountains," which belongs to the
faction of the Ben Weleed. A group of fifty persons surrounded me,
all clamoring to see what I was doing, and making the funniest
observations. They call drawing, _writing_ a thing. One said, "Ah,
it is well written, the Christians know everything but God."
Another, "Yâkob, shall you give that writing to your Sultan?" From
the fountains in this square, which merely run into stone troughs,
the camels drink.

[Illustration]

The white women, or the respectable women of Ghadames, white or coloured,
never descend to the streets, nor even go into the gardens around their
houses. Their flat-roofed house is their eternal promenade, and their
whole world is comprehended within two or three miserable rooms. The
date-palms they see, and a few glimpses of The Desert beyond--and this is
all. Truly it is necessary to establish an Anti-Slavery Society for the
women of this oasis. I have visited a few of them in their private
apartments with their husbands, in my capacity of quack-doctor. None of
them were fair or beautiful, but some pleasing in their manners, and of
elegant shape; they are brunettes, one and all, with occasionally large
rolling, if not fiery, black eyes. They are gentle in their manners, and
were very friendly to The Christian. Many of them, in spite of their
seclusion, shewed extreme intelligence; they are also very industrious.
My taleb assured me the little money he got from keeping the register of
the distribution of water, and other minor matters, could not keep his
family, and his chief support was from the industry of his wife in
weaving, whom he highly praised, adding, "God has given me the best wife
in Ghadames." Most of the women weave woollens enough for the consumption
of their family, and some for sale abroad. The education of women
consists in learning by heart certain prayers, portions of the Koran, and
legendary traditions of the famous _Sunnat_. The women are proud of their
learning, and the men pride themselves in saying, "Only in this country
are women so well instructed!" Besides this, they have the privilege of
going to the mosques very early in the morning, and late in the evening,
where they say their prayers like men, at least, so I understood from my
taleb; but a Christian must not ask questions about women in these
countries. The same authority assured me, the women, mostly negresses and
half-castes, seen in the streets in the day-time, are slaves, or esteemed
as such, the Touarick women excepted. I have no doubt the manners of the
women of this city are generally very correct, and as chaste as any women
in North Africa. But the Touarick women, especially of the elder sort,
are not always exceedingly refined. One morning, going out from my
house, I found some seven or eight Touarick women sitting on the
stone-bench at the door. They began to laugh and joke with me; at last
one of the elder present said, "Now, Christian, give me some money, and
then I'll come into your house." At this delicate sally, all expressed
their approbation in loud laughter: the half-caste women are much the
same. A Moor said something to me, which I did not understand, and then
laughed and said, "It is a Negro word," and, lest I should want an
interpreter, an half-caste lady present, putting her hand deliberately to
something, said, "That's the meaning," repeating the action two or three
times. On the whole, however, I have not seen so many cases of indelicacy
in this part of the world, as are to be seen almost every day in Paris
and London. No, the morals of The Desert are mostly pure and continent as
compared to those of our great European cities.

My taleb to-day made a vocabulary of the Touarghee, Ghadamsee, and Arabic
languages. He finished also the translation of the third chapter of
Matthew into the Ghadamsee language, which I sent afterwards to the
British and Foreign Bible Society. I did not expect that he would have
done it so easily, thinking his religious scruples would have interfered.
He would have done all the Gospels had I paid him. According to Ben
Mousa, the Ghadamsee language contains a few Arabic words, and is a most
ancient dialect. It is spoken only at Siwah and Ougelah, two Tripoline
oases near the coast, ten days apart, on the route to Egypt, and there is
a dialect something like it in one of the Tunisian mountains. Many of the
Touarghee words, he says also, are very much like, if not the same, as
those of Ghadamsee. I showed him the Gospel of St. Luke, translated into
the Berber language of Algeria, through Mr. Hodgson, and published by the
Bible Society. He was only able to recognize a few Ghadamsee words in
this translation. The Berber dialects, which comprehend the Ghadamsee,
the Touarghee, the Kabylee, the Shouweeah (of Dr. Shaw), and the Shelouk
of Morocco, although more or less intimately related, are very dissimilar
in many words and expressions. But they are sister branches of one
original mother, which require to be reduced to consistency and harmony
by some mastermind, and then a very copious and powerful language might
be formed. Such is said to have been the state of the German language
when Luther made his translation of the Scriptures, by which he laid the
foundation of the present mighty language of the Germans. Their common
enemy is the Arabic, which is daily making inroads upon them; and the
probability is, instead of being moulded into one mighty whole, they will
in the course of a few centuries be destroyed by the language of their
religion, for which the Berber tribes have a superstitious reverence.
There is a singularity about the language of Ghadames: it has differences
as spoken by the two factions of the Weleed and the Wezeet, the
provincialisms of the country. It is highly probable that the various
Berber dialects are the fragments of the language of those formidable,
but doubtful, auxiliaries, which so often balanced and changed the
fortune of Roman and Carthaginian arms. Of all these Numidian dialects,
only one people has amongst them a native alphabet, the rest using Arabic
characters: this people are the Touaricks. It is besides worthy of
remark, that amongst all the African tribes of Central Africa, nay, every
part of Africa, excepting the Coptic and Abyssinian Christians, only one
alphabet has been found, none of the other tribes having any characters
wherewith to write. Specimens of the Touarghee and Ghadamsee language, as
well as this alphabet, have been recently published, under the auspices
of the Foreign Office.

The language of Ghadames is spoken by an extremely mixed and various
population. Some are from Arabs of the plains, others from Arabs of the
mountains, others from Berber tribes, others from Moors of the Coast, and
not a few from Negress mothers, of every description of Negro race found
in the interior. Sometimes the men make a boast of being descended from
ancestors of pure Arab blood, from immigrants of the princes of Mecca and
countries thereabouts in Arabia, but in practice they contemn the
principle of uncontaminated blood, cohabiting with their favourite female
slaves, and from these rearing up a large family of mixed blood and
colour. In the Arab suburb a considerable number of free Negroes, the
offspring of liberated slaves, are settled. This class of population has
been mistaken for emigration from the interior, by some writers; but
Negroes never emigrate from the south to the north over The Desert,
however, some may wander, like the Mandingoes, in the countries of
Western Africa, as itinerant traders, tinkers, and pedlars. The city of
Ghadames presents therefore a most mixed and coloured population, there
being but very few of pure Arab blood, and fewer still of fair
complexions. I have seen, nevertheless, some families of sandy hair and
fair skins; but, certainly, the _barbarossa_ ("red beard,") or flaxen
locks, are not esteemed. These children of the sun prefer the raven-black
beard, the tanned skin, and the gazelle eye. The united population
amounts to about 3,000, but there are many Ghadamsee families established
in Soudan and Timbuctoo. I may add, six languages are spoken daily in
Ghadames, viz., Ghadamsee, Arabic, Touarghee, Housa, Bornouse, and
Timbuctoo. The Rais has not a Turkish soldier or servant with him, or
Turkish would make seven. Mourzuk being a garrison town, there Turkish,
Greek, Italian, and Tibbo may be added to these six languages. The Negro
languages are spoken by the slaves and free Negroes, and the merchants in
conversing with them.

As a specimen of flying reports, I heard yesterday Bona was not in the
hands of the French, but the Mussulmans. With respect to _shamatah_
("fighting"), the reports added, the French had lost 100,000 men in
battle! The eyes of all genuine Moslems are turned anxiously westwards,
and force and conquest, is everything with them.

_30th._--The mornings are now very cool and delicious. Walked on my
terrace, and enjoyed the fresh air of this autumnal spring. The palms are
beautiful to look upon, and the Desert city has the aspect of an
Hesperides. Are these the "fortunate isles" of the ancients? A few birds
twittering and chirping about, pecking the ripe dates.

My taleb, backed with two or three Mussulman doctors, charged me in
the public streets with corrupting and falsifying the text of the
word of God. "This," he said, "I have found by looking over your
‮الانجيل‬ Elengeel (Gospel)." It is precisely the charge which
we make against the Mohammedans. But our charge is not so much
corrupting one particular revelation as falsifying the entire books
of the Jews and the Christians, of giving them new forms, and adding
to them a great number of old Arabian fables. A taleb opened the
Testament at the Gospel of St. Mark, and read, _that Jesus was the
Son of God_. Confounded and vexed at this, he said, "_God neither
begets nor is begotten_," (a verse of the Koran). An Arab from the
Tripoline mountains turned upon me and said, "What! do you know
God?" I answered sharply, "Yes; do you think the knowledge of God is
confined to you alone?" The bystanders applauded the answer.

In general, the ignorant of the population of this part of North Africa,
as well as Southern Morocco and Wadnoun, think the Christians are not
acquainted with God, something in the same way as I heard when at Madrid,
that Spaniards occasionally asked, if there were Christians and churches
in England: "Hay los Cristianios, hay las iglesias in Inglaterra?" But in
other parts of Barbary, I have found, on the contrary, an opinion very
prevalent, that the religion of the English is very much like the
religion of the Moors, arising, I have no doubt, from the absence of
images and pictures in Protestant churches.

This evening, when visiting the Ben Weleed, conversation turned upon the
Bas-Relief. The people showed some jealousy at my possessing it, and
would have prefered that it remained in the oasis, and were not sent to
Tripoli. They added:--"Because it proves that God has given us the land
of the Christians." This is the grand argument in proof of the
Mussulman's religion, that God has given him the countries of the
Infidels. Indeed, the sooner the Bas-Relief is off the better. On my
observing that the slab belonged to a date prior to the Christians, they
were astonished, and asked, "_Who were before the Christians?_" They have
no idea of people before the Christians. The conversation was suddenly
stopped by the appearance of a remarkable personage, the _quasi_-Sultan
of the Ben Weleed. This was the famous rich and powerful Haj Ben Mousa
Ettanee. He is a man of a great age, and nearly blind, and the chief of
the most numerous and influential family of Ghadames. He always exhibits
a most difficult and obstinate temper in public affairs, and, I
understand, from the first, has shown an hostility to my residence in
Ghadames, unlike the Sheikh Makouran, who is the recognized Chief of the
Ben Wezeet, and who has shown himself as favourable as the other Chief
hostile. There may be a little of the spirit of faction in this; for we
see often a person unsupported by the one party, because he is supported
by the other party. But the whole family of Ettanee is considered _wâr_
("difficult"). The Rais speaking to me of this family, said: "Wâr, wâr--I
can do nothing with the Ettanee." Ettanee was attended by two or three
servants, one carrying a skin, and another a cushion to recline on
(_mokhaddah_). These arranged, the old gentleman mounted upon the
stone-bench and took his seat, everybody making way for him with the
greatest alacrity. Having heard I was present, after a short silence, he
addressed me: "Christian, do you know Scinde[40]?" I replied, "I know
it." "Are not the English there?" he continued. "Yes," I said. He then
turned and said something to the people in the Ghadamsee language[41]. My
conversation with them was always in Arabic. He abruptly turned to me,
"Why do the English go there, and eat up all the Mussulmans? Afterwards
you will come here." I replied, "The Ameers were foolish, and engaged in
a conspiracy against the English of India; but the Mussulmans in Scinde
enjoyed the same rights and privileges as the English themselves."
"That's what you say," he rejoined, and then continued: "Why do you go so
far from home, to take other people's countries from them?" I replied,
"The Turks do the same; they came here in The Desert." "Ah! you wish to
be such oppressors as the Turks," he continued very bitterly, and then
told me not to talk any more. No one present dared to put in a word. This
painful silence continued for some time. I was anxious to get off,
feeling very disagreeable; and beginning to move, he said to somebody,
"_Who's_ that?" for he couldn't see much, being nearly blind. They told
him it was the Christian going. He cried out, "Stop!" and then added,
"You have books with you, but you English are not Christians. You deceive
us. Nor are the Danish, or the Swedes, or the Russians Christians. _They
have no books._" He meant _religious_ books. The same opinion, I found
afterwards, was entertained by Haj Ibrahim, a very respectable and
intelligent Moorish merchant of Tripoli. Haj Ibrahim said to me, "How is
it that you have books on religion, when the English have none?"
Formerly Ettanee resided at Tripoli; and I have not the least doubt both
these Moors derived this false information from the intolerant and
Protestant-hating Romanist priests resident in Tripoli, backed as the
falsehoods were by the absence of any English church or worship, although
the English Consul very regularly celebrated worship in his family every
Sunday,--a circumstance which ought to have been known amongst the town
population of all religions. I am sorry the intentions of the British
Government have been so feebly carried out by the Bishop of Gibraltar.
Her Majesty's Government was anxious that Dr. Tomlinson should visit all
the coasts of the Mediterranean, both to strengthen the few Protestants
scattered on these inhospitable shores, and to show the various
authorities and people of this famed inland sea, that the English had a
religion, and cared for its prosperity. Up to the time I left the Barbary
coast, Dr. Tomlinson had neither visited Tunis nor Tripoli, though he had
been resident at Malta some three years. This is too bad; and it is quite
clear the Bishop does not understand the object of his mission in the
Mediterranean. He ought to have shown himself at once in all Barbary; he
then might have annihilated this monstrous error, propagated by Romish
priests, that the English had no religious books, and were not
Christians. It is but justice to add, the Bishop went to Tangiers. Mr.
Hay expected a very unctuous episcopal visit, and was shocked to hear the
good Bishop talk so much about fortifications and "horrid war." There is
consistency in everything; and common sense dictated that the Bishop
should have, on such a visit, assumed his character of "Overseer of the
scattered Protestant flock." Unfortunately, when he went first to Malta,
Dr. Tomlinson acted more like an episcopalian tight-rope dancer, always
balancing himself between Puseyism and Evangelicalism, and so distracted
the few Protestants at Malta. He is eminently a man of no decision of
character; and whenever he does manage to get up his reluctant will to a
decision, it is invariably on the wrong side of the question. Here in The
Desert I found myself pestered with both political and religious
questions; and to have shirked either, would have been to offend the
people. There was no alternative but to preach to them that all the
English and all Protestants had the same Bible as the Romanists, and were
equally Christians with them. I may add, of the Bishop of Gibraltar:
Since my return, I have heard that his Lordship found all his efforts
useless to conciliate the Malta papistical authorities; that he was much
shocked at their treachery; and that he was determined, on his return
again to Malta, _to become once more a good Protestant_. The truth is, he
had nothing to do with the Roman Catholics. He was to mind and care for
the Protestants in Malta, and on the shores of the Mediterranean. I
believe, however, he did do something in the way of unpleasant
interference with Colonel Warrington. It is well known the Colonel was
high-priest of Protestantism through his long Consular service of
thirty-three years, as well as Her Britannic Majesty's Consul. The
Colonel baptized, married, and buried, whenever applied to. He baptized,
married, and buried the members of his own family, and was surprised Sir
Thomas Reade had not the courage to do the same. Of this the Colonel was
very proud, citing the authority of some peer in the British Parliament,
who said, "If the King's subjects wished to _procreate_ in a foreign
land, where there was no parson, why should not the British Consul help
them?" This the Bishop demurred at; but the Colonel supported himself on
the authority of Dr. Lushington. The Colonel was undoubtedly right.
Still, politically and ecclesiastically, it would be much better if
English clergymen of some denomination or other were established along
the line of the whole coast of North Africa, which would show the native
Mussulmans we had a religion, and that we could afford to support and
protect our co-religionists. The French reap a good harvest by _their
protection of Christians_, which, characteristically enough, they use as
a political engine of aggrandizement.

On returning home, my Moorish friends pestered me still with more
questions, as to what people were _before_ the Christians. I endeavoured
to impress upon them, that the Christian era was comparatively _new_, and
that _before_ Christ, there were many nations, and great events occurred.
I found them grossly ignorant. But I had the good fortune to procure an
Arabic map in the possession of one of the merchants, who had laid it up
for many years amongst dusty papers. This had been published by the
printers and agents of the Church Missionary Society of Malta, very much
to their credit. By the aid of this, I made more progress in teaching
geography to the people. Seeing several dots on the map where _Sahara_ is
written, the people asked me what it meant. I told them sand. However, I
must protest against this device. We shall see that the greater part of
The Desert is stone and hard earth. The term "_sandy border_" of The
Desert is equally incorrect. Such a distinction does not exist in the
Tripoline provinces. The Desert comes up to the gates of Tripoli, it then
gives way to cultivation and The Mountains; it beyond them appears again
here and there and everywhere, within and without the regions of rain.
There is nothing like a border of The Desert. The "Grand Desert" and
"Petite Desert" of the French, are equally incorrect and absurd. All is
Sahara, or waste, uncultivated lands, and oases scattered thick within
them, as spots on the back of the leopard[42].

Saw the Rais late, who had heard all about my conversation with Ettanee,
and jokingly said, "_Wâr, wâr_, that old fellow, aye?" His Excellency
turned, to other matters: "The Shânbah are not going to attack the
Touaricks, they are coming hereabouts to plunder our caravans." Asked
him, if the city was secure enough to prevent them entering and pillaging
it? His Excellency replied, "Yes," but adding, "_koul sheyan maktoub_
(all is predestinated)." This doctrine is not only a comfort in every
misfortune, but also an apology for every fault, crime, or mismanagement
a person may be guilty of. Nay, if a man be starved to death, because he
will not work, which is sometimes the case in this part of the world, as
well as Ireland, it is destiny and the will of God! . . . . . . So of all
other things. If Ghadames should be stormed and plundered by the Shânbah
in its present defenceless condition, it will be, as a matter of course,
the will of God. But I must add, which unhappily cannot be said of
Ireland, the security of human life is very great in Ghadames and the
neighbouring desert. I have heard of no murder since I have been here,
and a murder is the last thing thought of. This does not arise from any
preventitive police, but from the simple dispositions of the
people--their horror and unwillingness to shed human blood! If a
messenger from a distant planet were to come to prove the divinity of a
religion, from the absence of the crime of murder, and were to take these
Saharan oases, and our Ireland, and put them in the balances of Eternal
Justice, we should soon see Ireland and its popular religion kick the the
beam, as--

         "The fiend look'd up, and knew
    His mounted scale aloft."

The "signs of the times" in this country are, when I first came here
bread was found in the Souk occasionally, as a luxury for the poor who
could not buy wheat and make bread; now, and it is only a little more
than a month, no bread is to be found. To-day not a single sheep was
killed anywhere, and I am obliged to go without meat. So the country
progresses in poverty and misery, so rapidly is its money being filched
from the people! Or, is it because every body has conspired together
against the Rais, and determined to wear an air of abject poverty? And
thus to evade the new contributions? This cannot be. To-morrow is the
last day of Ramadan; provided the new moon can be seen. I hope they'll
see it, for I am heartily sick of the Ramadan: the most amiable and
kind-hearted get out of humour in Ramadan; as to the Rais, I never go to
see him, except in the evening, unless to get a little money from him,
his Excellency being my banker. A Turk, who smokes all day long for
eleven months out of twelve, must suffer greatly in these thirty days.
Should like to have tried a day's fasting, as I have been so strongly
recommended by the people, but I expect to have enough of fasting in The
Desert, and it is of no use adding to our miseries for the sake of
curiosity or vanity. From recent conversations, it appears there is no
great danger in attempting Timbuctoo, but I have resolved on the route of
Kanou, because my object is not so much a journey of discovery, as to
collect a statistical account of the slave-trade, and see whether there
are any practicable legitimate means for extinguishing the odious
traffic. For this latter object, the Kanou route is decidedly more
advantageous. A wild adventure to Timbuctoo, ever so successful, can
never serve me in such stead in the end, when I have to read my own heart
and its motives, as a humane mission on the behalf of unhappy weak
Africans, doomed, by men calling themselves Christians, to the curse of
slavery.

_1st October._--Sheikh Makouran paid me a visit this morning. Our
conversation turned chiefly on the discoveries of lands and countries
since the times of Christ and Mahomet. The Sheikh was a little surprised
when I told him: "We ought to consider the world as just beginning, for
the ancients knew but little, and the greater part of the now inhabited
world was unknown to them." Moors, like some Christians, think the time
is near when Deity shall appear to destroy all unbelievers in their
respective religions. For myself, I cannot but believe that the world has
only _yet_ begun. It is impossible that the Creator should destroy the
world in its present imperfect state. No--the world will go on yet
thousands of years on years in the path of improvement unto (_shall I
say?_) perfection. At any rate, I belong to those whose aspirations are
for the future and not for the past. I am not enamoured with Hebrew
patriarchal innocence, or Grecian classic polish and freedom, or
Christian mediæval chivalry of the past. I am of the _New_ Englanders,
but not for the resurrection of the past. Rather than subscribe to
divinely-anointed kings and pious monks, church charities and May-day
holidays and May-poles for the people, I would sooner affix my signature
to railways, electric telegraphs, and the wild, bold, and raving
aspirations of a Shelley--in fact, to plunge anywhere head _foremost_,
than back again into the past.

A Moor to-day, in wishing to give a grand idea of the Touaricks (some of
whom were present), said, "Muley Abd Errahman (Emperor of Morocco) and
the Sultan of Stamboul, pay tribute to the Touaricks; but they pay
tribute to no one." This is ingeniously made out by the merchants of
Tripoli and Morocco, the subjects of the two Sultans, being obliged to
pay black-mail in passing through the Saharan districts of the Touaricks.
Some of the ill-natured are continually magnifying the dangers of the
route of Kanou, and one present said, "You can't go, there are thousands
of Touaricks to block up your way." Annoyed with this man and others, I
replied, "Do Touaricks eat the flesh of Christians after they have killed
them?" This made him very angry, and he began to apologize for the
Touaricks, one class of Mohammedans being always anxious to defend
another from unwonted or odious suspicions. They have, nevertheless, not
the least difficulty in confessing that the Touaricks will kill
Christians, as such, thus tacitly acknowledging it to be right to kill
Christians. The more respectable Ghadamseeah argue that in no case, if I
pay the Touaricks a certain sum as tribute, or what not, have the
Touaricks a right by the law of the Prophet to do me the least harm.
Heard all the Arab soldiers have run away from Emjessen, being without
anything to eat. These wise Turkish commanders gave the poor fellows a
bag of barley and a little oil, and left it, like the widow's cruse in
Holy Writ, to replenish itself. The Shânbah may now go and drink the
water of the well, and plunder the caravans as they please. The wonder is
that more open-desert robberies are not committed.

The Rais told me this evening that _one_ person saw the moon, but it is
necessary _two_ should have seen the dim, pale, half-invisible crescent
streak. Then the _âyed_ after the fast would have been to-morrow. At
sun-set, all the people were on the _qui-vive_, the Marabouts mounting
the minaret tops, but none saw it but this solitary moongazer, who, said
the Rais, "might have _imagined_ he saw the moon." The telescope was not
lawful, he added, "The people must see it with the naked, unassisted
eye."

_2nd._--No patients; only a little girl with severe ophthalmia, and the
old blind man, who fancies his eyes are better with the application of
the caustic. Generally the Moors think there is a different sort of
medicine for women. Yesterday I was asked for a medicine for women. I
gave a man a fever powder for his wife. This morning being the last
before the Ramadan, the Rais sent me a _backsheesh_ of meat (not cooked)
and a quantity of rice, enough to make a sumptuous festa. Certainly the
Rais is very gracious, and continues, if not increases, in his friendly
feelings towards me. People are killing and preparing for the festival.
There's a report, the merchants in Tripoli are afraid to leave for this
city on account of rumoured depredations of the Sebâah and Shânbah.
To-morrow, my taleb says he marries his two daughters. He prepares the
wedding-feast, and gives his daughters a stock of _semen_ (liquid
butter), and barley and wheat, to begin the world with. The sons-in-law
make presents to their brides of clothes, besides a little money; and
this is all the matter. My taleb seems very glad to get rid of his
daughters so easily; they are extremely young--thirteen and fifteen.
Besides these daughters he has a pet son. People usually choose a
religious festival, for the day of the celebration of their nuptials, as
in some parts of England. The taleb then, who is excessively fond of
religious discussion, began, "The essence of all religion is,--

     ‮وهو لا يولد ولا مولد‬
    _He_ (God) _neither begets nor is begotten_: and

     ‮وما عند الله شركاً‬
    _God has no associate_":--

both referring to the unity of God. Speaking of the duration of the
world, I said:--"The world must now begin, for, up to this time, men have
been generally very ignorant; and until lately the whole of the earth has
not been discovered." Very angry at this, he replied:--"Now the world
will finish; God is coming to destroy all you Christians, and all the
black _kafers_ (infidels), as well as the white." He then gave me an
account of the creation. "The world," he said, "was created seven times,"
&c., &c., adding many curious things.

_I._--"What is to become of the world; are nearly all its inhabitants,
from its beginning until now, to be d----d?"

_He._--"Yes."

_I._--"Is this the decree of God?"

_He._--"Yes, all is _maktoub_."

_I._--"But you say, God, is ‮الرحمان الرحيم‬,
      (_Most merciful_.)"

_He._--"Yes; but men won't obey his religion and Mahomet."

_I._--"What is to become of those who never saw, nor never could see or
read the Koran?"

_The Taleb._--"I don't know; God is great; God must have mercy upon
them."

_I._--"Undoubtedly God created the world; but according to you, the world
is now all corrupt (_fesad_), and nearly all men must soon be destroyed.
Is this honourable to God?"

_The Taleb._--"All is decreed."

_I._--"But many of the unbelieving Infidels are better than the Touaricks
and Arabs. Is not the British Consul in Tripoli better than a Shânbah
bandit?--better than an assassin who cuts the throats of the Faithful? Do
not all the people speak well of our Consul?"

_The Taleb._--"I know it; he's very good."

_I._--"But you can't change the religion of some people though you kill
them. When the Mohammedans conquered India, they got tired of putting
Hindoos to death for not changing their religion, and becoming
Mussulmans."

_The Taleb._--"God knows all, but you don't know," (a frequent phrase in
the Koran).

_I._--"Now, I don't think it's of much use to talk about religion, for
you won't change yours nor I mine. Here's the end of the matter. We must
all die, that's a thing no one disputes; but as to who is saved, or who
perishes, we cannot tell."

_The Taleb._--"The truth, by G--d! If God please, we shall see all soon."

A small caravan of Arabs, bringing sheep for the _Ayed_, arrived this
morning from Tunis. The route is _viâ_ Jibel Douerat, and only seven
days. If the roads were safe, travelling indeed about North Africa could
soon be rendered expeditious. The Arabs report:--"That great military
preparations are making at Jerbah, where the Bey of Tunis is expected
after the _Ayed_, and whence he will invade Tripoli, all his Arabs being
ready to march with him." After this, a caravan of forty slaves arrived
from the south, under the conduct of Touaricks. The _ghafalah_ is
originally from Bornou, but half left for Fezzan on arriving at Ghat. Was
much surprised when Rais told me this evening, after five or six days, he
would send a soldier to sleep as a guard in my house. He explained he had
received authentic intelligence from Souf, of the Shânbah banditti being
on the march, five hundred strong, proceeding in the direction of Ghat
and Ghadames, and he expected them near this in the course of ten days.
Their intention is to avenge themselves on the Touaricks for the defeat
last year. They are the immemorial enemies of the Touaricks, who have a
stake in the commerce of the Desert, but they as professional robbers
have none. Besides this, we hear the Sebâah continue their depredations,
and have carried off 2,000 sheep from The Mountains: they also threaten
an attack on Derge. The whole country, indeed, will soon be full of
banditti, unless some energetic measures are adopted, and we shall have
no communication between this and Tripoli. All the routes are now
considered unsafe. Rais assured me, he has applied to the Pasha for a few
Turkish troops, but His Highness refused, on the plea of expense. The
whole force of the Rais is not a hundred Arabs, and poor miserable
fellows they are, with two or three horses placed at their disposal. With
such inconsiderable means the Pacha presumes to hold in the heart of The
Desert this important commercial city, and its dependencies of Seenawan
and Derge! The French manage matters very differently in Algeira. Indeed,
the united force occupying all Tripoli, with its wide-spread provinces of
many hundred miles apart, does not exceed _five_ thousand men of all
arms! Compare this to the hundred and thirty thousand men (including
native troops) in Algeira, and be astonished at the different effects of
the French and Turkish systems. . . . . To add to the Rais's
embarrassments, the people are in ill-humour, whilst some hear the news
with pleasure, and fancy they see in our present troubles the beginning
of the end of Turkish rule in Ghadames.

FOOTNOTES:

[39] This book is said to be eternal as God himself, even
    UNCREATED. This is argued metaphysically from all the thoughts and
    volitions of Deity being eternal and immutable, and therefore the
    laws of the Koran have no relation to time or creation.

[40] Most of the people here have heard of Scinde; but their
    knowledge of it is very imperfect.

[41] I afterwards learnt it was--"You see these Christians are
    eating up all the Mussulman countries."

[42] Strabo mentions the oasis:--"To the south of Atlas lies a
    vast desert of sand and stones, which, like the spotted skin of a
    panther, is here and there diversified by oases, or fertile
    grounds, like isles in the midst of the ocean."




CHAPTER IX.

CONTINUED RESIDENCE IN GHADAMES.

     The Ayed (little Festival of Moslems).--Ghadames a City of
     Marabouts.--Every Accident of Life ascribed to Deity.--Second
     Day's Feast, Swinging and Amusements of the People.--Death of the
     Sultan of Timbuctoo.--Various Terms employed for denoting
     Garden.--French Woman in The Desert.--Price of Slaves.--Time
     required to go round the World.--Stature of the Touaricks.--Oases
     of Derge.--Reconquest of the World by the Mahometans.--Tibboo
     Slave-dealer.--Touatee Silversmith and Blacksmith.--Assassination
     of Major Laing.--Tibboos compared to Bornouese.--The Touarick
     Bandit again.--First Encounter with the Giant Touarick.--Water of
     Ghadames unhealthy.--Manacles for Slaves.--Second Meeting with
     the Giant.--The Souafah, and Tuggurt.--Visit from the
     Giant.--Chapter in the Domestic History of Ghadames.--Serpents
     and Scorpions, the Banditti of The Desert.--Toys Prohibited.--The
     Wahabites.--How Moslems despise Jews.


_3rd._--THE Ayed ‮عيد‬, succeeding Ramadan, is ushered in with a
cold morning, the first cold morning I have felt in The Desert.
Might venture to put on my cloth pantaloons. Happy to feel this
invigorating cold. This is the little âyed; the âyed kebir, or âyed
Seedna Ibrahim, takes place two months hence, when every family, in
imitation of Abraham offering up his son Isaac, kills or sacrifices
a lamb. The caravan from Bornou reports the road to be good. It is
added, rain has fallen in Ghat as well as in The Sahara, near Tunis
and Tripoli, so that the oasis of Ghadames is the only dry spot, for
no rain has yet fallen.

Had several visits from persons all dressed out in festival finery,
amongst the rest the black dervish. He looked like a dusky Nigritian
Sultan. Twenty paras he condescended to take from me, which added to his
holiday happiness; sometimes he won't accept of money. Now comes Ben
Mousa, my taleb, to pay his respects. Not, as amongst the great unwashed
of London, do they shave for a penny and give a glass of ---- (I shall
not say what), in the bargain, here in Ghadames they shave for nothing.
"How is this," I said to my turjeman who had now come in. "This is the
custom of the country," he replied, "we always shave one another for
friendship." There are several other little things done _gratuitously_ in
Ghadames, but shaving the head is the principal one[43]. He who has the
sharpest razor is expected to do the most work. They cut and hack one
another about most barbarously, some using no soap, only rubbing a little
water over their heads. I have seen a score in a row, all sitting on the
ground, waiting patiently their turn. Some shave the head every month,
others allow several months to elapse. By way of diverting conversation,
my taleb had the extreme kindness to tell me that the Touaricks of Aheer
and Aghadez (not those of Ghat) killed Christians and Jews on the
principle of religion, and would refuse to compound matters, even if I
gave them a thousand dollars. He, however, condescended to add, "They are
_mahboul_ (foolish)." He then went on to boast of the sanctity of this
city, and said, "Our people are not afraid of the Sebâah and Shânbah,
because they are a city of marabouts." The taleb had just come from a
full divan of the people, where the Rais, on this festival morning, had
been haranguing them and flattering their prejudices. "Be assured," said
the Governor, "if the Bashaw knew that you were a holy city, _a city of
dervishes_, a zaweea (or sanctuary), he would write to the Sultan at
Constantinople, and the Sultan, hearing of this, would immediately give
orders that no 6,000 mahboubs were to be exacted from you, but that, on
the contrary, money from the Sultan would be sent to you, holy people." I
wondered that a man of the Rais's sense could so commit himself. What
would he have done if after the âyed, the people had brought a petition
to him, addressed to the Sultan, setting forth that they were "_a city of
marabouts_," and praying to have their tribute remitted? But the poor
people are incapable of taking such an advantage. They were excited by
their religious feelings, and believed all the Rais told them. It was
certainly a fine compliment for the feast, to men in the situation of the
people of Ghadames. And my informant added: "Ahmed Effendi in The
Mountains is the rascal and the infidel, and does not tell the Pasha we
are a nation of dervishes." Said told me a slave was brought up to day to
be bastinadoed, but reprieved till to-morrow on account of the feast.
Said's sympathy is always excited on these occasions, he remembers
ancient days. On asking what he had done, he said, "The slave stole some
dates because he had nothing to eat." My taleb, occasionally rather free
in tongue, took upon himself to call all Negroes _thieves_. I admonished
him: "The poor slaves got little from this city of dervishes, now and
then a little barley-meal, or lived almost altogether on a few dates. It
was not surprising they stole to satisfy the cravings of hunger." Berka
the liberated slave of Makouran, and Said's intimate friend, now came in,
dressed up in his holiday clothes. He asked for Said. "He is gone to The
Desert, run away, for he has broken our cooking-pot; see here are the
pieces, here's the meat spoilt; what am I to do for dinner?" I added, "He
ought to have a good beating." The poor old negro stared and looked
really grieved. At last he muttered, "Why, Christian, that _breaking_
comes from God, and not Said." "The truth," said the taleb laughing. Said
now came in, having borrowed another pot, and Berka was comforted at the
return of his friend. In The Desert, every accident of life is ascribed
to an ever-present and all-superintending Divinity!

All people enjoy their festival or carnival, to-day. They follow the
reckoning of Tripoli, but as the people saw the moon a day sooner there,
a day of fasting is here saved. It is so fortunate not to see the moon
too soon. The appointed Ramadan is twenty-nine or thirty days; ours is
twenty-nine. However, rigid Moslems did not begin to eat to-day till
noon, after the morning prayers, so delicately scrupulous are they. My
taleb agrees with me, that the Arabs, who usually only eat in the
evening, and don't smoke, experience but little inconvenience from the
fast. Nothing particular took place to-day's âyed, except every one being
dressed in his best clothes, and most of the youth having on something
_new_. It is the same with the Jews of Mogador on the feast of Passover.
The Sanctuaries hoist the holy colours of their religion, beautiful
vermilion, and yellow, and green; these are their holiest and most-loved
colours. The slaves danced and sang all day long. I was present during
the closing scene at night, which was curious. After their continuous and
laborious dancing, they all suddenly stopped as if struck with paralysis,
offered a prayer to Allah, and dispersed. Did not go out till evening,
for if I had gone out at all in the day-time I must have dressed up, and
I did not wish to appear a Guy Fawkes amongst the people, or excite their
curiosity or prejudices on the day of a solemn festival. The Rais asked
why I did not come in the morning, for this was a grand receiving-day,
when all his particular friends and the heads of the people paid him
visits. On telling him, he approved my reason, and said, "You, Yâcob,
have _compass yaiser_ (plenty of wit)."

_4th._--To-day is half a feast, and full-grown men and aged men are
amusing themselves with swinging, like so many boys. A dead aoudad was
brought in from The Sahara, which the Touaricks had killed. These
Touaricks are also bearers of a letter, written at Timbuctoo, which has
come the round-about way of Soudan, announcing that the Sultan of
Timbuctoo is dead. Sidi Mokhtar, a marabout, is appointed Governor of
Timbuctoo by the new Sultan. The Sultan himself, after visiting Timbuctoo
and making this appointment, retired to Jinnee, his royal residence.
Sheikh El-Mokhtar has a good reputation; he is now occupied reorganizing
his government. No other news. Met in the streets one of the Touaricks
who came yesterday with fifteen camel-loads of senna. Asked him if
Touaricks killed Christians. Surprised at this abrupt question, he asked,
"_Why?_" I added, "If you are a good fellow I will go with you to Ghat."
Pleased at this confidence, he came home with me and took some coffee. A
camel-load of senna now sells for seventeen mahboubs. He asked me what
the Christians did with the senna, and would not believe it was all used
for physic. Said Christians were not numerous enough to drink all they
bought. There is a wady near Ghat covered with senna, during rain, but
the greater portion of senna is brought from Aheer.

An instance of the way in which the Arabic language is used, and
which makes some people think there are different dialects in this
language, may be given in the terms denoting _Garden_. For garden,
the Touaricks and people of Touat use ‮جنّة‬, a word which
frequently occurs in the Koran, conveying the highest and purest
idea of garden, and which we usually translate "_paradise_." In
Ghadamsee and Touarghee a corruption of this pure Arabic word is used for
heaven, ‮اجّن‬. The Tripoline and Tunisian Moors use the term
‮سانية‬, and the people here ‮قابة‬, for garden, but
which is, rather, kitchen-garden. Now, all these words are good Arabic, and
may be used indifferently, at least the two latter. In the New
Testament translation, the Persian ‮بستان‬ is used, which I
imagine is the Eastern term for garden generally, in opposition to the
western ‮سانية‬. _The Garden_ in North Africa is very different
from our ideas of a garden. Corn-fields, overshadowed with the palm, the
olive, and a few other fruit-trees, is the species of plantation to
which the term is usually applied. Certainly a few flowers are
sometimes cultivated in these gardens of Africa, but this is the
exception to the usage.

The Rais, who is a grave Turk, nevertheless unbended himself to-day,
amusing himself in seeing the boys swing. The Moors sadly wanted me to
join their swinging, but I politely declined. They said, it was
"_medicine_," meaning good for the health, everything conducive to health
being called "_medicine_" by people in The Desert. Was gratified to see
some sports amongst the people, for the men are always gloomy and
reclining about the streets, brooding over their ruinous affairs, and the
boys are little encouraged to healthful and innocent games. Up to this
time, the only persons I have seen happy are the slaves, who dance and
sing, and forget everything but the present moment. The swings are tied
high up to the tallest date-palms, two or three persons swing together,
and the sport is a little dangerous. Saw no other amusements during the
âyed, except here and there drafts, played in the primitive way of making
small holes in the sand for the squares.

During the expedition of the Duke d'Aumale to the south of Algeria, the
Bey of Biskera, Mohammed-es-Sagheer ("little") murdered the small
garrison of soldiers left behind, emptied the chest of what francs were
in it, and went off to The Desert. He is now living tranquilly in the
Jereed. The French made a demand to the Bey of Tunis to have him given
up, but it seems His Highness had courage enough to resist it, alleging
that he was a political refugee. Mohammed-es-Sagheer had married a French
woman, and she ran away, or was taken by force, with him. She had borne
him two children. The most extraordinary stories are current of this
French woman. Though a low woman of one of the towns, she gives herself
out as "the daughter of the Sultan of France!" She rides like a man,
dresses like a man, smokes, and follows the Arabs in all their
expeditions _against_ the French. She has adopted the Mahometan religion,
and is become a sort of priestess, or Maraboutah. She promises the
credulous Arabs that she will not only put her husband on the throne of
Algeria, but even of France itself, and then all the world will become
Mussulmans! The Moors say she can never leave The Desert because she has
brought her husband two children.

Saw Rais in the evening, and had a sort of confidential conversation with
him, and told him for the _first_ time of my intention to proceed further
in the interior. Of course, he had heard of it before from his servants.
Nevertheless, he affected great surprise and sorrow. But, when I told him
I might return in six months hence, he became more calm. He then
persuaded me by all means to avoid the routes of the Touaricks, and
proceed to Fezzan, thence to Bornou. Speaking of the Ghadamsee merchants
and their friends and correspondents, Messrs. Silva, Labe, Shaloum, and
Francovich, in Tripoli, he said, "Your merchants exchange products with
the Ghadamseeah in the way of barter, and make a great deal of money,
whilst the Ghadamseeah have no money left, none at all." He wondered,
like the Touaricks, what the Christians do with all the senna. He
expected the Shânbah, on the route of Ghat, in a few days' time. I
observed, "People are all superbly dressed, and there was not much
appearance of poverty." He smiled, and said, "The people are _sheytan_
(very cunning), they lay up their new clothes, and only wear them on
festivals." Speaking of slaves, his Excellency said, "There is now no
profit on slaves. Government takes ten mahboubs duty on each. A good
slave fetches 40,000 wadâ (cowries) in Soudan, usual price 30,000, and
some as low as 15,000. A good slave sells in Ghadames for forty
mahboubs." The Rais told me to take care of the vermin, and abused the
filthiness of the people. If I escape the Touaricks and the fevers as
well as I escape the vermin, which abound on the clothes of all the
people without exception, I shall consider myself fortunate. The
inhabitants of Ghadames make no scruple in attacking the enemy in the
public streets, which stick to them closer than their dearest friends. I
attribute my escape to my being an infidel, for their orthodox l-i-c-e
won't have anything to do with Kafers.

People look worse than during the Ramadan. Poor creatures, they have
little to eat; they say they have nothing but barley-meal and dates to
eat, for the Turks have taken away all their money. Some, however, as a
luxury, which their relations and friends send them from Soudan,
masticate _ghour_[44]-nuts, and which I believe is the _kolat_, or
colat-nut of Caillié. The Arabs called these nuts the "_Coffee of
Soudan_." Konja is a great place for the growth of the ghour, two or
three months west of Kanou.

_5th._--Weather gets colder every day. I was reflecting on the best
situation for a Consul in Northern Sahara. The point would be Touat, the
nucleus of many routes, the great highways of commerce in The Desert.
From this point a British Consul could keep a sharp look-out on the
French, moving southward.

A Mussulman doctor told me with great solemnity this morning, that five
hundred years were necessary to go round the world. Two hundred years
desert (‮ك٘لع‬), or nothing, or containing--

    "(God's) _dark materials to create more worlds_."

Two hundred years of seas. Eighty years of Gog and Magog. Eighteen years
of Soudan. And two years of white people, including Christians and
Mohammedans. There were countries full of Mussulmans which had not been
visited by the Mussulmans of Turkey or Africa. They had been visited by
one man only, Alexander the Great. Certainly the Moors read history
_backwards_. On asking where this information was to be obtained, he
said, "From the _Tăfseer_ (Commentaries) of the Koran."

The Touaricks who have just arrived are men of very large stature, and as
"straight as a dart." Several of them are full six feet high. Such men
are alone produced in the Sahara! All the weak and the diseased soon die
off, leaving behind only the robust. They walk about the streets with an
air of consummate pride, with their huge broad swords swung at the back,
and their lances in their hands, like "a tall pine."

An Arab, just arrived from Derge, brings intelligence that the Ghadamsee
people who were in Tunis are returning home _viâ_ Tripoli. These are
mostly poor labourers, who go a few months to Tunis to amass a little
capital, with which to trade afterwards. The Ghadamsee is constantly
going on these journeys of profit and enterprize, either as merchant or
labourer. His Desert home is the pulse of all his distant enterprises,
whither he retires to end his days, dedicating the last hours of his
existence to God. The Arab came from Derge, mounted on a good horse, in
the short time of _thirteen hours_,--by camels it occupies two and
two-and-a-half days! The Arab told me he killed, a few days ago, six
ostriches near Derge. The oases of _Derge_ consist of four little oases,
or districts, viz., Derge (proper), Terghuddah, Madress, and Fiffelt,
containing an Arab population of 400 souls, a hardy and brave people.
Water is plentiful, but there are no hot springs. A native told me, that
invariably any stranger drinking this water, was attacked with fever.
Generally these little oases are very unhealthy. Some assert that all who
visit the oases are taken ill. Probably, like Mourzuk, they lay low, in a
wady or hollowed plain. Date-trees are numerous, and bear good fruit. A
fair quantity of wheat and ghusub is grown. Besides sheep, and goats, and
fowls, there is a few camels. The people are occupied in the gardens, but
too numerous for the oases; they are very poor, and obliged to emigrate.
Derge is in the more eastern route of Zantan and Rujban; and when that of
Seenawan, the western, is not safe, this, the longer route, is taken.

_6th._--Slept badly during the night; restless about my journey.
Determined now to take the Fezzan route. Weather very soft, with murky
clouds.

Relating to my taleb, that, formerly, Mussulmans conquered Christians, but
now, all the countries of the Mediterranean were fast falling back again
into the hands of the Christians--such being the will of God, he consoled
himself by replying: "That, in less than forty years will rise up one
Abou Abdullah Mohammed El-Arbee El-Korashee El-Fatamee,
(‮ابو عبد الله محمّد القرشي الفاطمي‬,) who
will kill all the Christians, both of the new[45] and the old
world; that this will be the golden age; all people will be
Mussulmans, and all will be rich and powerful, enjoying the
abundance of this world's good things; and the very dust of the
earth, and the sand of the Sahara, will be turned into gold and
silver: But, (the awful but!) that this will only last one
generation, or _forty_ years; for then will arise The Dajal! who,
mounting upon an ass, will scour the earth in three days, and kill
and destroy all the Mussulmans, this Dajal being the Messiah of the
Jews, who will all flock to his standard; and that then will appear
Jesus, _the Son of Mary_[46], from the top of the mountains of the
moon, after Dajal has reigned forty years, and slay this monster
Messiah of the Jews. Now there will appear Gog and Magog, let loose
from Jibel Kaf, in Khoristan, and the country of the Turks and
Russians. And last of all will come the end, when the Wahabites will
carry all the Jews into hell-fire on their backs." Such are the
secret consolations of a good and orthodox Mussulman of The Sahara.
A part of this monstrous fable has been related before, with some
variations. The gist of the prophecy is, _the destruction of the
Christians by another Arab Conqueror_. Here the now humbled follower
of the Prophet finds his sweet revenge. The same revenge the more
ignorant and fanatic of the Jews seek and cherish in the advent of
their long-expected Messiah, who is to enable them to put their feet
upon the necks of all people--all the nations of the earth. But the
better class of Israelites are willing to believe that the Gentile
nations may enjoy a portion of the blessings of Messiah's reign, and
will not be effaced from the earth. Some pious Christians, who,
failing to convert men to their peculiar views of revelation,
anticipate the appearance quickly of a sort of _Buonaparte_ Messiah,
armed with similar attributes, who is to involve all infidel nations
in seas of blood, and make the world a heap of Saharan desolation.
Such views of Christianity have always been abhorrent to my
feelings; and I have kept close to the fair and pacific pictures of
Messiah's reign, so beautifully set forth by Pope:--

    All crimes shall cease, and ancient frauds shall fail;
    Returning Justice lift aloft her scale;
    Peace o'er the world her olive wand extend,
    And white rob'd Innocence from Heaven descend.

    The dumb shall sing--the lame his crutch forego,
    And leap exulting like the bounding roe.
    No sigh, no murmur, the wide world shall hear,
    From every face He wipes off every tear.

    No more shall nation against nation rise,
    _Nor ardent warriors meet with hateful eyes_,
    But useless lances into scythes shall bend,
    And the broad falchion in a ploughshare end.

    The swain in barren deserts with surprise,
    Sees lilies spring and sudden verdure rise;
    And starts, amidst the thirsty wilds, to hear,
    New falls of water murmuring in his ear.

    The steer and lion at one crib shall meet,
    And harmless serpents lick the pilgrim's feet.
    The smiling infant in his hand shall take,
    The crested basilisk and speckled snake.

Afternoon, went to see the slaves lately brought from Bornou. They were
as much like merchandize as they could be, or human beings could be made
to resemble it. They were entirely naked, with the exception of a strip
of tanned skin tied round the loins. All were nearly alike, as so many
goods packed up of the same quality. They were very thin, and almost
skeletons, about the age of from ten to fifteen years, with the round
Bornouse features strongly marked upon their countenances. These slaves
are the property of a Tibboo. I invited the Tibboo home to my house, to
glean some information from him. The Tibboo bought the slaves on
speculation in Bornou; he could now sell them at from forty to fifty
dollars each. He had only six; the Touaricks had thirty-four. He came
from Bornou to Ghat, thence to Ghadames. He had also some elephants'
teeth. The Tibboo pressed me to buy his slaves; he had not yet found
purchasers, though he had been here some days. The merchants have no
money, or none to buy slaves. The Tibboo drank some tea with me, which he
observed was better than _bouzah_, fermented grain liquor. The Tibboo was
a young black, tall and slender, and of mild and not disagreeable
features. There was nothing in him to denote that he was a common
trafficker in human flesh and blood. He was not so much stamped with the
negro features as his slaves; he was, indeed, as much of a gentleman as a
Presbyterian slave-holder of the United States, patronized by Doctors
Cunningham and Candlish, and admitted to the fellowship of Free Kirk
Saints. The Tibboo was excessively curious about me, the Christian. He
handled and turned over everything I had. Seeing my naked (white) arm, he
exclaimed, "Whiter than the moon!" Said did not approve of my new
acquaintance, and declared all the Tibboos rascals; and thinks he
recollects that he was made a slave by the Tibboos. Said was very angry
with me for giving the Tibboo tea--wouldn't make any more for him--I
might make it myself. The Tibboo showed his sense of my attention, by
giving me some trona, which he says abounds in Bornou, and is called
_konwa_. He champs it in its hard crystalline state, like children
champing sugar-candy. He mixes it with his tobacco, and says it is
pulverized and drank in solution for medicine at Bornou, like Epsom
salts, producing the same effects.

Two people left to-day for Ghat, and two for Timbuctoo. The latter were
the headmen of the large mercantile firm of Ettanee. It is the custom of
Saharan merchants to send their headmen, and even slaves, to these
distant countries, when circumstances prevent them going themselves.

My friend the Touatee, who unites in himself a blacksmith and a
silversmith, was this evening employed in making ladies' ornaments for
arms and legs. He was in the course of finishing a pair of anclets,
weighing together about thirty-eight ounces. Each anclet would cost 20
dollars. They are for an Arab lady; but, of course, the husband invests
his money in this way until he can find profitable employment for it, or
becomes distressed. "Meanwhile," says the Touatee, "he has the kisses of
his wife for the investment, and is happier than if he obtained a hundred
per cent. for his outlay of silver." The old Touatee distinctly
recollects Major Laing passing through Ghadames to Timbuctoo. The account
he gives of him is:--"When in Ghadames the Rais (or Major) purchased
something of every thing he could find in our city, as well as specimens
of Soudan manufacture. He had with him _thirty-six bottles of wine_!
which I counted. He was attacked by the Touaricks near Touat, and wounded
in twenty places; but he cured his wounds, and then proceeded on and
arrived safe at Timbuctoo, where he stopped some time. Afterwards he went
to Sansandy, where he was murdered." The unfortunate Major had no money
in his possession when murdered, which greatly surprised the assassins,
who murdered him merely for his money. People add, he wrote every thing
in Timbuctoo, but did not stop long there. He was enticed to go away with
a stranger, against the advice of the parties who conducted him to
Timbuctoo. The stranger was a Saharan Arab. One of them is still living,
Haj Kader, and left lately for Touat, who has the reputation of being a
quiet and upright man. I did not hear of him until he was gone, otherwise
I should have had some conversation with him about the Major. The other
party died at Timbuctoo; he was called the _Marabout_, and seems to have
been another Mohammed (my marabout.) In a letter of the Major, read to me
by Colonel Warrington, his father-in-law, the Major charges his Marabout
with having stolen his double-barrelled gun, and sent it on to Timbuctoo
for sale before they arrived there. For this theft, and other bad
conduct, old Yousef Bashaw made a formal complaint against the people of
Ghadames, and mulcted them several thousand mahboubs. Mr. Gagliuffi heard
a strange story about the Major; according to which, he was murdered near
Touat, on his return, by the same Touarick who stopped him, and wounded
him in twenty-six places, on his way thither, the Touarick alleging, that
the Major was not a man but a devil, so he (the Touarick) was obliged to
kill him. No authentic account now will ever be collected of Major
Laing's death. That he was stopped a couple of days beyond Aghobly, in
the oases of Touat, and there wounded, is certain; we have the Major's
own account for it. He seems also to have remained a month at Timbuctoo,
and wrote a full account of that mysterious city. He then, not being able
to ascend or trace the Niger _viâ_ Jinnee, on account of the objections
of the people, made a _détour_ through The Desert, wishing to go to
Senegambia, when, after four days' journey, he was stopped by a party of
Arabs, and murdered. Some persist in saying, that Caillié found Major
Laing's papers, and gave them as his _own_ account of Timbuctoo. I should
be sorry to attempt either to prove or contradict the charge. All the
documents are in possession of the family of the late Colonel Warrington.
We must suspend our opinion until they are published, which I trust will
not be long.

Afterwards visited the Rais, who is, like myself, very fond of the
Touatee. His Excellency had a bad headache, and his _major-domo_ was hard
at work rubbing his head with his hands. I laughed, but said nothing. The
people are fond of manipulation, and shampooning (_Temras_). Whenever any
one hurts himself by bruises or falls, the limb affected is rubbed and
stretched, and stretched and rubbed, until the poor sufferer's limb is
nearly severed from his body. Manipulation ought to have made the fourth
mode of cure laid down by my marabout, after burning, blood-letting, and
talismanic writing. However, I believe manipulation, aided by the bath,
frequently effects important cures. Some Moors indeed, consider this the
sovereign remedy for every hurt and disease. Found the Touatee again with
the Rais. He amused us both by giving his opinion about the
_inexhaustible_ supply of slaves furnished by Nigritia. "All other
countries," said he, "die and become depopulated. It is now ten thousand
years we go to buy slaves in Soudan. The oftener we go there the more we
find. In that country the men are all night long begetting children, and
the women all the morning bringing them forth. This is the reason the
supply of slaves never becomes exhausted."

_7th._--Said has just come in and told me I must not eat many of the
dates of this country, for they have killed some of the soldiers, and
will kill me. Dates may, indeed, injure the poor soldiers, who have
nothing else to eat. One died yesterday. I asked his comrades what he
died of, who replied, "_Hunger_." It is a disgrace to the Government of
Tripoli to keep these wretched Arabs without any thing to eat. Why not
let them go to their native mountain homes; for there, though they may
pine away and die in the caverns of the Atlas, they will nevertheless
give up the ghost in the arms of friends and relations--joining misery to
misery, where the miserable may comfort the miserable. But, here, amidst
the rude buffs of strangers, it is cruel to let them die like dogs.

The Tibboo called this morning. Merchants have offered him only 35
mahboubs each for his slaves; he asks from 40 to 50. He says, the
Americans, or people nearly as white as I am, ascend the Niger as far as
Noufee, for the purchase of slaves. Bornou and the surrounding countries
are now in peace, and make no slaves by war. The Tibboo bought his
slaves of persons who kidnapped them during the night. To observe, that
although the Tibboos, if this merchant be a fair representation of them,
have not such extended nostrils as the Bornouse, and such thick
projecting lips, yet they are much darker than the Bornouse. Indeed, the
Bornouse are of a lighter, _fairer_ complexion than any of the Negroes I
have yet seen, those of Soudan and Timbuctoo being of a much darker
shade, and some quite black. The Bornouse has a round, chubby, smiling
face; the Tibboo, a long, grave, intellectual face. The old Touarick
bandit called to-day, with other Touaricks, and asked how much I would
give for a _live aoudad_. Told him from 6 to 8 mahboubs. He said they're
going to hunt them next month. This retired cut-throat gave himself a
good character, and the Touaricks generally. "Trust us, don't be afraid
of the Touaricks, upon our heads (_raising his sword to his head_,) we'll
protect you!" Then stepped in an old friend and lover of the mysteries of
geography. These are some of his questions:--"Where is the sea by which
the Christians go to Soudan? Where is Mount Kaf, that girdles the earth
with brass and iron? Where are Gog and Magog, which is Muskou (_Russia_),
the monster which eats up the _Moumeneen_ (_faithful Mohammedans_)?" &c.
Went out and saw for the first time the Giant Touarick. The huge fellow
must be 6 feet 9 inches. His limbs were like the trunks of the palm, and
he walked with a step as firm as a rock; whilst his voice was a gruff
growl like distant thunder. Compare this noble, though monstrous,
specimen of a man, the product of the wild uncongenial Sahara, to the
little ricketty, squeaking, vivacious wretch of the kindly clime of
Italy, "the garden of Europe," and be amazed at the ways in which works
Providence! As soon as the giant saw me, he bellowed out, "Salam
aleikom!" which far resounded through the dark winding streets. He now
strode by without stopping to speak or to look at me, his head and turban
nearly reaching the roof of the streets, and his big sword, swinging from
his back, extended crosswise, scraping the mortar from both sides of the
walls. His iron spear, as large as an ordinary iron gas-light post, was
carried in his firm fist horizontally, to prevent its catching the roof
of the covered streets. The giant is one of the chiefs of a powerful
tribe of Ghat Touaricks, of whom the aged Berka is the reigning Sheikh.
The giant is quite at home here and possesses some forty or fifty camels,
with which he conveys the goods of the merchants between this city and
that of Ghat.

After several trials of changing food, find I am greatly relaxed, and am
convinced it must be the water. This, however, is the opinion of every
stranger who visits Ghadames. Last evening the Rais said, "The water here
is bad. Look at the people of Ghadames, they have no colour in their
cheeks. What a miserable wretch am I! When I first came, I had the colour
of the rose; now I am become like these yellow men: as for my poor horse,
he eats quantities of barley every day, and is still very thin. It's the
bad water. We have a proverb in Turkey, 'Good water makes good horses,
and bad water bad horses.'" I observed, the dates and water together made
the soldiers ill. He replied, "I have written several times to the Pasha
to return, it is impossible for me to enjoy good health here. His
Highness still refuses to allow me, saying, he can get no one to fill my
post so well, but I hope to return in a few months." I am inclined to
think now that Ghadames is not salubrious, although, thank God, I enjoy
pretty good health. Strangers, however, require to be acclimated. A great
controversy is now being carried on amongst the medical men of Algeria,
respecting _acclimating_; some alleging that a man can bear the climate
of a country when he is quite new or fresh in it, much better than after
a long residence. According to the anti-acclimaters, the longer residence
in a country only weakens the force necessary to support a person against
the fever and bad influences of a foreign climate.

Accosted one of my merchant acquaintances, playing with some iron
manacles and fetters for the legs. It did not strike me at first
what they were: at last, he says to me, "These are for slaves, each
has a pair of them, to prevent them from escaping when travelling
through The Desert." A painful shuddering came over me to see a man
playing with these dreadful instruments of the slavery and torture
of his fellow men. Yet he played with them as his rosary of beads,
or some simple toy! . . . . . Another merchant came up to him, and
observed, "The irons for the neck are better, as these may break."
After a pause, I asked my acquaintance where these irons for the
legs were made? He replied, "In Soudan; the people there have iron
mountains, and they make these irons for slaves in that country." I
asked him then how much they cost, and whether he would sell them.
They were not for sale. So Africa enslaves herself! forges the very
chains of her own slavery. Cruel, heartless Europe! Thou that
knowest better, encouragest the wretched African to create his own
misery; to dig from his dark purple mountains the very iron fetters
of his own slavery! Take care that slavery does not surprise thee in
an hour when thou thinkest not, though thou art never so wise, never
so free! Another Corsican tyrant may come and bind thee down anew in
the chains of slavery. . . . . . . Making inquiries of the Moors
about these fetters, they said, (wishing to smooth down the matter,
seeing it was disagreeable to me), "Only those who seek to escape
are chained." This, indeed, afterwards I found was the case. "Some,"
they added, "have irons on their necks, and others irons on their
legs." Alas! poor people, what have they done to be thus ironed? or
what right have others to iron them? Has God said "_Thou shalt iron
thy brother and make him a slave_?" "Yes!" say the free republicans
of America, who, for being taxed for half an ounce of tea,
proclaimed their _freedom_ and independence of the _tyranny_ of the
parent country, in words which, continuing as they are,
slave-holders, must condemn them to everlasting infamy[47]. But, as
God lives, he will have a day of reckoning; he will avenge the
wrongs of Africa! . . . . . Be sure, beware America! . . . . .
Whilst walking through the streets to-day, in a bad humour on this
subject, there were three Bornou youths, nearly naked, offered for
sale, I think they belonged to the Tibboo. Some Arabs sitting near,
asked me to buy. I replied, indignantly, "If I buy, my Sultan will
hang me up, and you too." They stared at one another, and muttered
something like a curse upon me.

I here find several reasons in the journal for my not proceeding by the
route of Fezzan and Bornou, but it is unnecessary to give them. It is
easy to write out a long list of _pro_ and _con_ reasons. Whilst writing
these, the Tibboo comes in and brings a sick slave. He complains the
merchants will not buy his slaves. Give the dropsical slave medicine. Ask
him whether he ironed his slaves _en route_ over The Desert. He answers,
"No." I am bound to believe him, for though a slave-dealer, he appears an
honest man.

[Illustration]

_8th._--O God of the morning! what a fine sight are these lofty
umbrageous palms, with the soft serene morning sky, and the sun just
rising above the clear illumined horizon, colouring and setting off the
heavens around. How still, how voiceless is The Desert! The early morn
now begins to be pleasant as the autumnal morn of old England. It is
indeed, the--

    "Sweet hour of prime."

After breakfast visited the quarter of Ben Weleed. Saw the giant Touarick
stretching his unwieldy length upon a stone-bench. At sight of me, he
aroused himself, and raising his head upon his huge arm, growled out to
the people near him, to show them his zeal for their common religion,
"Tell the Christian to say, '_There is only one God, and Mahomet is the
Prophet of God_.'" No one took any notice of the stern command. After a
moment, the conversation was continued on other subjects, and the giant
fell back again to sleep. I asked an acquaintance of mine, how long he
would sleep? He told me that whenever the Sheikh comes here, he usually
sleeps three days before he goes round to see his friends, or begins to
transact business, during which time he occasionally opens his eyes,--and
his mouth, for his slaves to feed him.

Heard some Souafah, Arabs of Souf, had purchased the slaves lately come
from Bornou, to sell them in Algeria, there being no market in Tunis on
account of the abolition of slavery. Rais sent for me and asked me if I
had any money left. I thought his Excellency wanted to lend me some, by
putting the question. His Excellency then said he was in want of money. I
lent him a hundred Tunisian piastres--all the money I had in the world,
with the exception of seventeen in my pocket. Afterwards I dined with the
Rais, and he persuaded me to return to The Mountains, _en route_ for
Fezzan. It is reported, the Touaricks have gone out to meet the Shânbah.
I tell the Governor, as well as the people, whenever they begin to
exaggerate or declaim upon the dangers of travelling in The Desert
"_Rubbee, mout wahad_ (God! death is but once)." This has usually the
effect of stopping their mouths. Were I not to adopt this Moslemite style
of address and reply, I should be worried out of my life with the
exaggerations of the dangers of The Desert.

A small caravan has arrived from Souf, bringing the news of the departure
of the Shânbah from Warklah for Ghat. The Souafah also bring news of
interest from their own country. They are threatened with an invasion of
the people of Tugurt. Twelve hundred men of Souf have returned from Tunis
to their own country, in expectation of a combined attack of the Tugurt
people and the French, for the Tugurt people have given out that the
French, their new allies, will help them. They boast that they must now
go and destroy all the Souafah. The object is to revenge an old grudge,
for formerly the people of Souf and Tugurt fought a pitch battle, and the
latter were worsted. There is no French governor in Tugurt, but the
tribute is regularly paid to the authorities of Constantina. One of the
Souafah came to me much excited. I told him that it was not likely the
French would encourage this war of revenge, and I understood the
principle of the French to be, "to occupy only the countries which before
paid tribute to the Dey of Algiers." He observed he understood that to be
the rule. But if the Souafah attack Tugurt, the French will probably
defend it as a part of their territory.

_9th._--The morning is cool and cloudy; a few drops of rain fell
soon after sunrise, still it holds up. Amused in finding the
Ghadamsee word for _father_ was the same as _dad_ or _dady_, which
is written ‮دادا‬ _dada_. This morning the giant Touarick honoured
me with a visit; he had enough to do to get through the doors of my
house with his pine-tree spear. He behaved extremely well. I gave
him sixty paras to buy tobacco. He begged for a whole piastre, but
thinking he would be a customer of this sort again, I thought it
prudent to begin with a little. His giantship swore by all the
powers terrestrial and celestial, that he would escort me from
Ghadames to Kanou in perfect safety. I evaded the question by
observing, (what the Rais had often told me) "The Rais says the
Touaricks will cut my throat." The giant roared, "_Kitheb_, kitheb,
kitheb, (a lie! a lie! a lie!)"--and went off furiously threatening
wrath against the Turks. Afterwards I heard of a complaint which the
giant made against me, saying I had given him this morning a karoob
short of the half piastre. I was greatly amused at the giant's keen
observance of this defalcation of my generosity.

The Ghadamseeah literally carry out the injunction, "Take no thought for
the morrow," which will be illustrated in the following conversation.

"What do you do for the poor in your country?"

"In England, the poor are not allowed to beg in the streets, but are
provided with food and clothing in a house built on purpose for them when
they can no longer work."

"We have no houses for the poor in Ghadames."

"How then do the poor live?"

"By begging."

"And if the people give them nothing?"

"It is destined _they must die_."

However, in one part of the oasis there are some large gardens which
belong to the poor, who are allowed to eat the dates and cultivate
patches of the gardens. I think also the Sanctuaries sometimes give alms
in the way of the ancient monasteries. These are miserable and precarious
resources. Nevertheless, before the Turks so fleeced the inhabitants, I
question if there were any poor person ever likely to die of starvation,
for the rich members of families provide for the poor, and rich friends
for poor friends, and each faction for the poor of the faction, although
no poor-rates are levied. Indeed, like the Society of Friends, all took
care of their own poor relations and connections.

I shall now give the reader a chapter of the domestic history of
Ghadames, referring to one of the principal families. Most of the rich
merchants of this city have two and some of them three wives. My
venerable friend, the Sheikh Makouran, came in possession of one of his
present young wives in the following romantic way. (His wives by whom he
had his children are long ago dead.) A friend of the Sheikh's died and
left a young and beautiful widow, whose wit and grace was the theme of
all the city, for such things are esteemed also here. The eldest son of
the Sheikh immediately set his heart upon the possession of this beauty,
but unfortunately he did not communicate his intentions to the
disconsolate lady, who remained in ignorance of his attachment.
Meanwhile, El-Besheer, as a party in the firm of his father, purchased
the house over the widow's head and made everything ready for the future
wedding, and then took a journey of business to Touat, intending on his
return to send some old lady, which is mostly the practice, with his
message of love and marriage to the widowed solitary. Perhaps he thought
the widow could not fail to discover his intentions in what he had
already done, mostly preliminary to marriage. But we often imagine others
are thinking about us when we are never in their thoughts. So he left for
twenty days' journey through The Desert, with all these hopes and fears
crowding about him. On his return, to his consternation, he found his old
father, of some seventy years of age, had got possession of the young
blooming widow, the object he had so fondly cherished on his weary way
over the solitudes of The Sahara! But like the doomed Pasha, who receives
the imperial order of his decapitation from the hand of the executioner,
and kisses it and then bows his head to the stroke, so the young
merchant, full of filial veneration for his aged sire, submitted silently
and without a murmur to this cruel decree of heaven. It is said of the
lady that she pines and mourns out her life for the son. She was kept in
profound ignorance of his love until she found herself in the withered,
cold, and shrunken arms of the father. She accepted the father to keep a
house over her head. Alas! poor woman, whether sold at Paris or London in
a marriage of _convenance_, or in The Desert, she is always the victim of
man's galling tyranny.

The Ghadamseeah are a strictly religious people. One of my best friends
would not allow me to touch a religious book of his, concerning the
future world, alleging it was _haram_ ("prohibited"). A young rogue of a
Touarick now came in and asked me impudently, whether I knew God and
prayed? He added, "Say Mahomet is the prophet of God." As several aged
men were present I made no answer. These people believe that there can be
no more question of believing in Mahomet than in the sun when shining in
its full strength, and are astonished that I who read and write Arabic
don't know better. One said, "You are afraid of scorpions, believe in
Mahomet and they will do you no harm." I could not help thinking of the
parallel, for all Oriental phraseology is so much alike:--

  ‮هاهوذا اعطيتكم سلطا نا لتدوسا الحيات والعقارب‬
    Luke x. 21.

"Serpents and scorpions" have a peculiar application to The Desert. There
are still more dangerous animals in The Desert, and I have heard the
epithet of "a race of vipers," applied to the Shânbah banditti. This
morning the people showed me a wooden figure of a fiddler, placed on a
box, in which was inserted a handle, turning round and making a squeaking
noise. None of them could understand what it was. A boy was playing with
it as a toy. They told me, as news, "This came from the country of the
Christians; it ought not to have been made, it is _haram_." All toys of
men and animals are considered by these rigid Moslems as so many
violations of the commandment "Thou shalt not make unto thyself any
graven image."

According to my turjeman there are many _Wahabites_ in this
neighbourhood. Besides Jerbah and its mountains, many Wahabites are found
in the Tripoline districts of Nalout, Kabou, Fessatou, Temzeen and
Keklah. The Ghadamsee people detest them and say; "The Wahabites will be
the carriers of the Jews to hell-fire in the next world." The Wahabites
assert, there are five orthodox sects, of which they form the fifth, and
hate cordially the other four. Wahabites have great difficulty in eating
with other Mussulmans, and some refuse absolutely to eat with other than
their own sect. Wahabites are very numerous in the oasis of Mezab,
belonging to Algeria, which is confirmed by the Morocco marabout _El
Aïachi_, who made his pilgrimage to Mecca in 1661. The Wahabites of
Jerbah are subdivided in the _Abadeeah_, or _The Whites_, who wear a
_white_ scull-cap, in contradistinction from those who wear _red_ caps,
like most Mussulmans of the coast. Generally the Wahabites differ from
other Mohammedans as to the observance of the _five_ daily prayers. They
also require that, in the observance of the Ramadan, a person should
purify and wash himself at the hour of the day in which the fast may
begin. The sub-sect of Abadites will neither eat nor drink from the same
vessel with any other sects. Wahabites in general will not weigh or touch
weights, for fear of doing wrong. Other persons do weighing for them,
they looking on, like the Jews who will not touch the candle on their
Sabbath, and get Mussulman or Christian servants to snuff a candle or
trim a lamp for them. It seems what is a sin in them, may or may not be a
sin in others.

My turjeman is surprised we Christians receive the books of the Jews as
sacred and inspired, and so are many other people. They are quite
astonished when I tell them that Christians esteem the Scriptures of the
Jews equally divine with their own. They have a confused notion that the
whole of the Jewish Scriptures consist of the five books of Moses, which
they call the _Torat_, and the Psalms of David. Some of them say Abraham
was not a Jew. I explain to them, that the Christians give a different
interpretation to the Jewish Scriptures from the Jews themselves, and
believe "the Son of Mary" to be the Messiah of the Jews and all the
world. They hardly believe me; and say, "The Jews are corrupt and their
books corrupt." When I told them one day before the Rais that we had had
Jews in India, they flatly replied it was a lie, for said they, "It is
impossible for such a miserable being as a Jew to be a soldier."

FOOTNOTES:

[43] Shaving off the hair from different parts of the body is a
    species of religious rite. The barber in North Africa is highly
    esteemed. One of the antiquities in Kairwan (Tunis) is the tomb of
    Mahomet's barber. This city is also the _third_ holy city of the
    Moslemite world, on account of this important personage being
    buried there.

[44] Ghour, ‮قور‬, _Sterculia acuminata_, Pal. de Beauv.

[45] He did not know there was a _new_ world before I told him.

[46] The Moors always add to ‮عيسي‬, (Jesus,) _the son of Mary_,
    to distinguish The Saviour from others of the same name, one of
    whom is Jesus, a marabout, the founder of the Brotherhood of
    Snakecharmers.

[47] In their "Declaration of Independence," the Anglo-Americans
    say--"_All men are created equal_," and "_endowed by their Creator
    with certain unalienable rights_;" and "_amongst these, life,
    liberty, and the pursuit of happiness_." I once met a Naval
    Officer of the United States of America at Gibraltar, who
    graciously told me, "_Slavery is the support of the country_,"
    (_his_ country).




CHAPTER X.

CONTINUED RESIDENCE IN GHADAMES.

     Celebration of Marriage.--Native Feast of the Slaves.--Study of
     the Negro Languages.--Visit to the Ancient Watch-Tower.--Arrival
     of an Algerian Spy.--Visit to Sidi Mâbed.--Continued Oppression
     of the Ghadamsee People by the Turks.--The Ancient Sheikh
     Ali.--Finances of Algeria.--Bastinading a truant
     School-Boy.--Ceuta sold by the Mahommedans to the Spaniards for a
     Loaf of Bread.--The _Parakleit_ of the New Testament the promised
     Prophet Mahomet.--Tricks of the Algerian Dervish-Spy.--Learn to
     crack Jokes in Arabic.--The sustaining force of Camels' Milk as
     Food.--Depreciation of Women by the Moors.


_10th._--A BEAUTIFUL morning, and cool. I saw with some surprise a very
fine red butterfly, also a small flight of good-sized birds passing over
the gardens.

This morning there was a grand gormandizing of bazeen[48], in celebration
of the nuptials of the two daughters of my taleb. The feast was given by
the fathers of the young men. Nearly the whole of the male population of
the _Ben Wezeet_, besides strangers and the Arab soldiers, went to dig,
and dip, and dive into the huge bowl of bazeen, some three or four
hundred adults, besides boys. The house was small, and parties entering
together were limited to twenty. However, as the object is merely to
compliment the new married people and their parents, after they had
swallowed half a dozen mouthsful, they immediately retired and left the
coast clear for the rest, and thus the ceremony was soon got through.
There was an exception in the case of the soldiers, whose hungry stomachs
found the bazeen so good that they stuck fast to the bowl, and were
obliged to receive the Irish hint of being pulled away by main force
before they would relinquish their tenacious grasp. My taleb, as a matter
of course, called upon me to go to the festa. I found the festive hall to
be a smallish oblong room, the walls of which were garnished with a
number of little looking-glasses, polished brass basons, and various
other small matters, including little baskets made of palm-branches. The
floor was covered with matting and a few showy carpets, and one or two
ottomans were arranged for seats. In the centre of the room was placed an
enormous wooden dish, full of bazeen, or thick boiled pudding, made of
barley-meal, with olive-oil, and sauce of pounded dates poured upon it.
Every person ate with his hands, rolling the pudding into balls, and
dipping the balls into oil and date-sauce. A great piece of carpetting
was laid round the bowl, to be used as a napkin to wipe the hands and
mouth. The wooden dish or bowl might have been three feet in diameter,
and was replenished as fast as emptied with masses of boiled dough, oil,
and date-sauce. There was suspended over it, two or three feet above, a
wicker roof, to prevent the dirt from falling into it when the people
stood up all around and wiped their hands. The visitors squatted down
together, encircling the bowl, in numbers of about eight or ten. An Arab,
who had a lump given him in a corner, like a dog, found fault with it and
returned it, saying, "It is not enough." This, of course, was delicate,
but another lump was given him, for which also he growled
dissatisfaction. This _feeding_ of bazeen was the fullest extent of the
good things of the feast. Some of the more respectable merchants went in
and out without tasting the bazeen, merely paying the compliment to their
friends. I asked an acquaintance how much he thought a feast of this sort
cost. He replied, "About twenty dollars, but it is not the value of the
materials of the feast, but the custom, which is esteemed." Not one of
the Ben Weleed were present, but all the Wezeet deemed it their duty to
attend the feast. The marriage feast is some eight days after the
marriage. Last night there was a little firing of matchlocks. After
marriage, the bridegroom cannot mix with his acquaintances for two or
three weeks. It is a sort of decamping after marriage, as if the parties
had done something of which they were ashamed, like in travelling
honey-moons amongst ourselves. But at certain hours of the day the
bridegroom may be seen gliding about like a spectre in the dark streets,
alone and with noiseless tread. He usually is dressed in gayest colours
of blue and scarlet, with a fine long stave of brass, or a bright iron
spear in his hand. When he is met by any one he instantly vanishes: he
does not utter a syllable, and no person attempts to speak to him.

This afternoon and evening was also a _native_ feast of the slaves. They
first danced and sung in the market-place. Afterwards they visited the
_tombs_, and prayed to their dead relatives, propitiating their manes,
and "to be restored to them and liberty at their death." The women
carried chafing-dishes in their hands, on which burnt fragrantly the
incense of _bekhour_. The pride of men perpetuate their distinctions
beyond life to the land of the dead, where one would think the ashes of
the human body should be allowed freely to return to the essential
elements of our common mother, Earth. So slaves have their place of
burial, and must not commingle their bones with those of freemen. From
the grave-yard and its sadness, the slaves proceeded to a garden, alotted
to them, where they danced, and sung, and forgot their slavery. Besides
dancing and singing, the slaves occasionally fired off matchlocks, which
they had borrowed from their masters or friends, and of which they are
most immoderately fond. The high military chivalry of Europe, and France,
who calls herself _mère de l'épée_, are well matched by the savage tribes
and slaves of enslaved Africa, who all delight in the slash and cut of
the sword, and the banging noise of the gun. The negresses sat apart, as
usual, occasionally raising their shrill _loo-looings_, which they have
well learnt from their Moorish mistresses. They were very gaily attired,
some with their arms covered with bracelets and armlets, six or seven
pairs of very broad tin or silver hoops being fitted on or encircling one
single arm; so that the arms of some of these sable beauties were an
entire mass of metal. The party mustered about a hundred, and the Tibboo
stranger was here, attracted by the colour of skin and native
associations. Several people went from the city to see the slaves'
festival--I amongst the rest. It would be great injustice if I were not
to add, that the Moorish inhabitants of Ghadames ordinarily treat their
slaves well; they have a good deal of leisure, if not liberty; and their
lot, as compared with the slaves of the cotton and sugar plantations of
Christians, _is liberty itself_,--so differently do religions affect, or
not affect at all, the morality of the people who profess them. To judge
from this obvious case of comparison, which is so notorious through all
The East and North Africa, as contrasted with the Christian States of
America, the religion of the impostor of Mecca should be the religion of
the divine morals of the New Testament, and the religion of The Saviour
be the corrupt morals of the Koran. But if we were to judge of a religion
and its morals from those who profess it, our ideas would soon get into
confusion, and we should fall into the most deplorable errors.

Began to-day to acquire a few words of the Nigritian languages. People
are such geese, that when I learnt half-a-dozen words of what some call
the "_black_" language, they thought me a prodigy. The Housa is the best
and most frequently spoken language here of the Nigritian tongues. A New
Testament, translated into this language, would or could be read by a
third of the tribes of Central Africa. Asking my negro master what _I_
was, he replied, "_Kerdee_," which means _kafer_ ("infidel") in Bornou,
the negro mistaking my individual self for the pronoun _I_, which is
_oomah_. I laughed heartily at the fellow's impudence.

This afternoon, visited the ancient tower, about half a mile distant,
westwards, from the walls of Ghadames. My turjeman, who was _cicerone_,
informed me that the tower was built by the Christians, and was a
watch-tower to give alarm to the city in case of an attack from banditti
or other enemies. There is another like it in the mountains to the
north-west, where are also scattered some old masonry of other buildings.
We mounted the top of the tower, and found a hollowed space at the top,
of this shape--

[Illustration]

twenty feet long, eight broad, and about five deep. It was evidently a
cistern or tank for the troops, for we saw a hole at the broad end, from
which the water ran out. The tower itself was about forty feet in
diameter. How high it had been, we could not now tell; but the cistern is
placed nearly at the top of what remains of the tower. Probably the water
ran down into the lower rooms. From the tops of the ruins there was a
commanding view of the oasis, and the surrounding Desert. On our way we
passed a very deep, dry well, and the wall-remains of several ancient
gardens. The turjeman says the water of Ghadames diminishes, and was
formerly much more abundant.

_11th._--This morning cooler than any yet. My eyes are now nearly
restored from the attack of ophthalmia which I had in Tripoli; they open
always with a little pain in the morning. It is frightful to observe how
many people here have their eyes injured. A poor camel-driver said to me,
"Alas! since I went that road to Ghat, I have been nearly blind. The sand
and rock were too bright for them."

An Algerine Arab arrived with those of Souf, a species of vagrant
marabout, bringing with him all the lax liberal ideas of French
Mussulmans. I thought at first he had been sent as a spy, to see what I
myself was doing at Ghadames. The pious Ghadamseeah were confounded at
his discourses, as he held forth in the streets. He was very clever and
facetious, now and then affecting the saint--now the reformer. When he
was gone, I asked the people what they thought of him. They replied,
"He's spoilt--he's a _French_ Mussulman--he'll soon be an infidel."
Others said, "He's mad." This stranger brings the news that all is peace
in Algeria. One of the people asked him, "Whether it was really true that
the French had got so far into the interior as Constantine?" The Algerine
says also, Abdel-Kader is escaped to The Desert. The Emir had been at war
with the French during the summer. My taleb, speaking of the French,
observed, "Buonaparte had no father." I endeavoured in vain to persuade
him to the contrary; and pressing him to tell me under whose influence he
was begotten, he at last said, "You think I'm a fool, but his father was
one of the Jenoun ("demons")." This is rather a good ancestry, for the
Jenoun are, on the whole, a harmless, pleasant sort of people, a
disposition which the war-loving tyrant Corsican rarely showed.

_12th._--Rose earlier than usual, before sunrise, in order to go to the
marabet[49] of Sidi-Mâbed--‮سيدي مَع٘بد‬. My turjeman had
married his wife from this place, and therefore accompanied me. He
said, "I married one of the daughters of the Saint, and his blood
runs in the veins of my children." In all The Desert we find this
aristocracy of the gentle blood of the Saints. Sidi-Mâbed is two
miles and a half from Ghadames due west. It is situate upon the
slope of a small valley, which might formerly have been the bed of a
river. To look at this speck of an oasis, its appearance is not
unlike that of Seenawan. Around, and near the little village, which
may consist of some fifteen very lowly dwellings, is a cluster of
palms, and further on are two or three single ones, scattered over
the sloping valley. At the furthest distance are some patches of
cultivation, the water running gurgling down to them. The gardens
are of the same character as those of Ghadames. The inhabitants
consist of some seventy souls, all the descendants of one man, the
famous saint who has given his name to the village. But according to
the account of his sons, his offspring has not increased very fast,
for it is several hundred years,--even 900 say they--since His
Maraboutship flourished. Some place him as far back as the Flood. It
is said that Nimroud did not place his iron hoof on this sacred
spot. The daughters of the Saint marry away, only the sons remain in
the oasis, and some of these emigrate, which accounts for the
smallness of the Saint's offspring.

The children of this Saint, like many a saint himself, are very ignorant,
and only one of them pretends to read and write, and to-day he was
unfortunately not in the oasis. Those with whom I conversed were simple
rude peasants, but polite in their manners, with countenances speaking a
serenity of soul and happiness of disposition, not common to the
inhabitants of the Saharan regions. They told me their village was
_Zaweea_ ("a sanctuary"), and was recorded in the sacred archives of
Constantinople as one of the most renowned places in the countries of the
Prophet. It is, at any rate, one of the most venerated sanctuaries in the
Sahara, and receives pious offerings from all. Amidst wars and tumults,
and the depredations of banditti without and around, it remains secure
and inviolate and inviolable. This has been its happy destiny through
ages, and the villagers, poor and ignorant as they are, may be proud of
their sacred unpolluted home. We have here a remarkable instance of the
triumph of religious principle over brute force. The people of Ghadames
make continual pilgrimages to the shrine of the Saint. The villagers
brought our party dates, and all the women and children came out to look
at me; the same jealous feelings do not exist amongst these unsuspecting
untutored people as in Ghadames and other Desert cities. A happy thought
occurred to me before I came away in the morning, of bringing them some
wedding-cakes and sweets which had been sent to me: these I brought, with
several loaves of bread. They received them very gratefully, dividing
them among the whole population of seventy people, a morsel for each.
They have no wheaten bread here; they live not on the "fat of the land,"
as the Christian poverty-vowing monks of our own and past times. These
Desert saints are content with a scanty supply of barley-meal, a little
olive-oil, and a few dates. I had been told they did not approve of
holding _Ben-Adam_ as slaves, and was greatly disappointed to hear a
reply from one of them, "If we had money we would have slaves; we have no
slaves, because we have no money." By the way, the poverty of North
Africa and The Sahara is one of the principal causes of the few domestic
slaves now kept, in comparison with former times.

When we had been in the village a few minutes, an Arab soldier came
hastily after us. He was sent by the Rais, who was frightened out of his
wits, his Excellency giving out, that I should be attacked by banditti.
His Excellency said, on my return, "_Why, why?_ (apparently displeased,
many people being with him,) whenever you go out, come to me, and I will
give you an armed Arab soldier." He added; "You and I will go and see the
Zaweea on horseback." The fact is, some of the people were jealous of a
Christian going to their sacred village, and considered it a pollution,
and the Rais was obliged to make a show of opposition and displeasure.
The children of the Saint manifested none of these exclusive jealous
feelings, and were happy to see me. In the course of an hour, though my
turjeman and myself came off early and secretly, it was known all over
the city the Christian had gone to the sanctuary, and the more bigoted
were not a little excited. In the village, although everything has the
appearance of the most abject poverty, all is bright and clean. The tomb
of the Saint remains, but is concealed from the world, enveloped in
profound mystery, suitable to the exciting of superstitious feelings. In
the gardens were many pretty butterflies. I noticed a single cotton-tree,
and gathered two or three ripe pods; the tree looked unhealthy and was
very dwarfish. The Sahara is not the place for cotton growing; formerly,
however, cotton was grown at Carthage, the Jereed, and other parts of
North Africa. Sir Thomas Reade has lately tried cotton-growing on the
lands of Carthage, but not succeeded very well. We went to see the
date-trees, and seeing one a mere bush, without a trunk, I said; "How
long has that been so, will it ever bear dates?" A son of the Saint said;
"That tree has been there as long as I can remember. It was always so.
Date-trees are like mankind, some are tall, some are dwarfish, some fat,
some lean, some bear fruit and others are barren. The root descends into
the earth as low as the length of a man. God created this place and gave
us this garden. We and our children shall keep it until the Judgment-day!
From this garden we shall ascend to that of paradise, where we shall have
dates always ripe and ready for eating, for every tree is large and
fruitful there. And no man dare touch these trees without our permission,
not even the Rais or the Bashaw. We pay nothing to any man; all cast
before us their offerings. But we have little because we want little.
Such is the will of God." Here then is the abode of inviolate sanctity!
here sits the protecting genius of Ghadames, like a pelican in the
wilderness! I observed again to-day the burnt volcanic stones scattered
over The Desert. They were of all colours, yellow, black, brown, and red,
like so many brick-bats. These stones scattered for miles around,
together with the hot-spring of the city, and many of the low dull
Saharan hills, like so many heaps of scoriæ and lava, give apparently a
volcanic origin to all these regions, or render such a supposition
probable.

In full Divan it was decided this morning to clear out a little the
hot-spring and its ducts running to the gardens, in order to give the
flow of water more room. Some old people say their fathers cleaned it
out, and the water ran more abundantly; the deeper their fathers dug the
well, the more the water gushed out. Others are opposed to the
innovation, opposed to all change, being the good old Tories of the
Saharan city. All the people are to go in a few days and set to work at
this cleaning, that means their slaves. Went to see this evening a sick
Touarick, out of town in his tent, and gave him some medicine; but shall
be obliged to leave off distributing soon, for the most useful medicines
are nearly all finished.

_13th._--Weather becomes daily cooler. Get tired of writing, and wish to
be off in The Desert. A courier from The Mountains has arrived, bringing
a note from Ahmed Effendi, who says, "The people of Ghadames have no
occasion to send a deputation to Tripoli. They must pay the extraordinary
demand of 3,000 mahboubs at once, without farther dispute or delay."
People are in consternation; they all say they've no more money. My taleb
assures me he was obliged to sell two of his shirts to make up the last
amount of the regular tax. What is to be done for extraordinary demands?
The fortifications of _Emjessem_ are to be immediately rebuilt. The mud
and salt walls are to be destroyed, and new ones of stone and lime are to
replace them. Rais showed me the plan of the fonduk, which was nearly
executed. This looks like perseverance on the part of the Turks, and
shows their determination to keep open the communication between this and
Tripoli. The fonduk, or caravanseria, will be eighty feet long and thirty
wide. It is to be built by the people of Ghadames, who, whilst working,
will be protected by sixty Arab troops. The expense to be also paid by
Ghadames. Rais is going to see the works begin. Besides the new fonduk,
Rais has taken the precaution of stopping up a well, a day's journey
north-east from the city, by rolling into it a huge stone. This is for
the same object, to prevent brigands coming near the city and lying in
wait for small caravans and isolated travellers. Fifty sheep were brought
into Souk to-day; they were immediately sold. People fatten them for the
_Ayd-Kebir_, each family endeavouring to procure one as a religious
obligation.

_14th._--Went early this morning to _Ben Weleed_ to find my aged friend,
Sheikh Ali. He has the largest species of dates, and invited me to go to
his garden to see the palms.

Sheikh Ali is a man of ancient days, and ancient honour and resources,
and fallen into a very low estate. He has not only outlived his age and
reputation, but outlived his wealth and riches and has become "poor
indeed." A long flowing white beard now covers his receding breast, and
the wrinkles of ninety years furrow his pale brow and sunken cheeks.
Nevertheless, dignity, though ruined, is stamped on his countenance, and
an almost youthful activity and hale health keep up the great burden of
his years. On arriving at the old man's garden, he told me to follow him,
and coming to a very fine lofty palm, with over-hanging wide-spreading
boughs, he sat down under its ample shade, and bade me sit by his side.
"Christian," he said, "I have sat under the shade of this palm all the
days of my life, and shall recline here till God summons me hence."

"How old are the longest-lived palms?" I returned.

"More than the ages of three old men's lives," observed the Sheikh.

An old slave, as ancient-looking as his master, now brought a basket of
dates, they were every one of them larger than our largest walnuts. I am
vexed I have forgotten the name of this splendid variety of the date.
"Eat," said Sheikh Ali, and reclined back in silence for at least half an
hour. Now and then he opened his eyes to look on the autumnal beams of
the rising sun, then breathed a sigh and a prayer, but did not address me
a word. His ancient slave sat at a distance with his eyes fixed on his
beloved master, watching the movement of his lips, as he breathed his
morning prayer. At length, seeing the old man's lips cease to move, I
said gently:--

"Sheikh Ali, they say you have broken down very much, but I am glad to
see you confide your sorrows in the bosom of God."

_Sheikh Ali._--(Awakening up suddenly, and looking at me anxiously) "Ah,
Christian, have they told you so? The detractors, the wretches!"

"I trust I have not offended you."

_Sheikh Ali._--"No, stranger, no. But I hate them. I hate the world. I
curse the world."

"The unfortunate and disappointed are always bitter upon the world. But
you, Sheikh Ali, I know are above spite and malignity: you would not
stoop even to hate the miserable follies of the world."

_Sheikh Ali._--"Christian, thou talkest well, and in my way. I tell thee
I hate no one, I have lived and I shall soon be done with the world. May
those who come after me fare better."

"What is this hatred of the Ben Weleed and the Ben Wezeet?"

_Sheikh Ali._--(Smiling faintly.) "Christian, thou wilt know everything.
My father told me when I came out of the belly of my mother, that I was a
_Ben Wezeelee_, and I have remained so to this day. But why or wherefore,
I know not? Dost thou not see that people do this and that, and know not
why they do it? Well, Christian, we do not hate the Ben Wezeet; but we
will not associate with them, because we are proud, and because our
fathers did not associate with them. It is pride, not hatred, which
divides this our nation into two."

"Why so proud? It says in the Koran the Devil would not admire Adam for
pride[50], and God cursed him for his pride."

_Sheikh Ali._--"Ah, Christian, how knowest thou the Koran? Canst thou
read the Great and Mighty Koran?"

"In England we read the Koran in order to obtain a correct knowledge of
classic Arabic. Others read it to understand the religion of Moslems."

_Sheikh Ali._--"Right, right. The Christians are a wise people. Oh, these
religions!"

I thought I heard a regret of scepticism, or a kindly view of heretics
and infidels, in the latter exclamation, "_Oh, these religions!_" So I
observed to the Sheikh, "A pity it is we are not all of one religion, as
we are all the children of one Creator."

_Sheikh Ali._--"By G----! Christian, thou art right. I have always prayed
God to lead me in the right way, and to have mercy upon others. But do
you know, Christian, I think there were amongst those prophets of ancient
times many impostors. What do you think?"

"I am sure of it. It is also the opinion of all our wise men in England."

_Sheikh Ali._--"Christian, I hate Marabouts. In the long years of my life
I have seen all their tricks, lies, and impositions. I am sorry for the
poor people, on whom they practise their impostures, and also for the
women. I have one daughter; I never permitted her to consult a marabout.
I told her what the wretches were. Have you marabouts in England?"

"Yes, of all descriptions. We have also many who get the women to confess
the secrets of families, and create an odious war in the bosom of
society."

_Sheikh Ali._--"Ah, ah (chuckling), all the world's alike. God curse
those marabouts. Do you give them money?"

"Money! In our country, nothing is done without money."

_Sheikh Ali._--(Becoming fresh excited.) "What! are the English like us?
is a man esteemed for his money?"

"You have heard of London?"

_Sheikh Ali._--"_Londra?_"

"Yes, that's it. Well, in Londra, nor virtue, nor honour, nor wisdom, is
worth anything without money."

_Sheikh Ali._--"The Devil take the world, it's all alike. So here, so
there. When I was rich, everybody bowed down to me; now that I am poor,
they pass me by without saying _bis-slamah_ (saluting). Why did God make
money? How wretched is the world." So this philosopher of The Desert
continued. Returning, I bade the ancient Sheikh an affectionate adieu.

In the streets, people appeared to be fasting, as in the most rigid
Ramadan. I never saw such gloomy, emaciated faces. Really people look as
if they were all going to give up the ghost. What is to become of these
poor devils of dervishes! Government is grinding them down to the dust!
Returned home heart-sick at the sight. I am growing daily more impatient
of remaining so long in Ghadames. Impatience comes on like attacks of
fever. Have determined again to pursue the Kanou route.

The forty slaves brought by the Touaricks and the Tibboo have been all
sold to the Souafah. The Tibboo sold his for twenty dollars per head. The
ten dollars per head tax on them put the Rais in possession of a little
ready money, and his Excellency paid me back the hundred Tunisian
piastres. The Arabs of Souf always bring money here, and, besides
dollars, a quantity of five-franc pieces, since the French have occupied
Algeria. The millions spent or wasted by the French in Algeria are
variously disposed of:--

1st.--The Arabs get a _fifth_, who bury their money, or send it into the
neighbouring deserts of Tunis and Morocco.

2nd. The Maltese ship off a _ninth_ of the money to Malta. The Spaniards
and other foreigners also get a share.

3rd. A great quantity, a fifth, perhaps, is embezzled by the _employés_
of the civil administration, and their creatures, the contractors.

4th. A tenth is spent on the public works.

5th. The rest is paid to the military. A _fraction_ only is spent on the
culture of the soil, and for the purposes of emigration, or the real
colonization of the country.

_15th._--This morning is really cold, and the coldest morning we have had
yet. Rais assures me I shall with difficulty be able to bear the cold, so
intense is it in Ghadames during the winter, or January and February.
Greatly agitated about my journey in the past night, and could not sleep.
There will soon be an end of this uncertainty. I pray God to give me
patience and wisdom. Observe people are beginning to feel the effects of
the cold, and cover up their mouths like the Italians and Spaniards. But
all are living up to the starvation-point.

At noon was held a full Divan, to decide upon the "extraordinary demand."
The chiefs of the people said:--"We have no money, and cannot pay." The
Rais replied:--"Such discourse will not do; you have money, and must
pay." Then the Divan broke up without farther palavering. The alleged
object of the money to be raised, is for the expenses of the troops who
went in pursuit of the Arabs of the son of Abd-el-Geleel in the past
summer.

The old bandit calls and says:--"Your friend, the _long_ man, has
finished to-day all his tobacco." The long man is the Giant Touarick. I
took no notice of this polite hint to furnish a new supply. I might
furnish with tobacco all the Touaricks who came here, if I were to
attend to these Irish hints. The old bandit, who is cramped up like a
wizened apple, is said by people still to carry on his nefarious trade.
The proof of this they give to be, his always _going alone_ when he
travels. The old villain then catches what he can. Myself, I hardly
believe he continues his brigandage. He appears wholly worn out. I gave
his little son 20 paras to buy camel's flesh. The old freebooter grinned
a ghastly smile. Walking in _Ben Weleed_ quarters, I heard a great to-do,
and went to see what it was, when I saw the old chief, Haj Ben Mousa
Ettanee, standing over his young truant son, whilst with a thick stick
the servant of the schoolmaster was belabouring the feet of the child.
Never was a more complete bastinadoing. The urchin cried to his father
for mercy. It was perfectly in character with the old man, and the
austere manners of his family. I do not wonder that all the people read
and write in Ghadames, when such severity is practised by the very
aristocrats of the city. Whilst standing by, another Moor went up to the
old man, and said, "Stop, stop, here's the Christian looking on." They
stopped, but it appeared a mere pretence for leaving off, for already
they had unmercifully belaboured the truant.

No mutton to be had to-day, and was obliged to buy camel's flesh for
dinner: found it pretty good. My turjeman and taleb both joined me.
After dinner, the taleb began in his usual controversial spirit. He
insisted, that "Any person who should make himself well acquainted
with the Koran must become a Mussulman." "If the French teach their
children to read the Koran, in order to learn the Arabic," said he,
"they must conquer the Russians and the English." Not "εν τουτω
νιχα[51]," but in or with _This Book_, say the Mussulmans, the
world must be conquered. The Russians and the French, having
recently made conquests in Mohammedan countries near them, (for the
wars in Circassia are heard of here,) impress these people with
fear, and fear is their ruling principle of government. Asking my
taleb why the Mussulmans who had possession of _This Book_ did not
conquer the world, he answered sharply, "The Mussulmans conquered
the world once with the Koran, but now they have lost their faith,
and are weak, and such is the will of God." The taleb then related a
curious story about Ceuta. A certain marabout, who had seen the _Elouh
Elmahfouth_ (‮الوح المحفوظ‬,) or "Book of Fate," which
was let down to him to look at and read in, from heaven, went into the
city, and offered Ceuta for sale at the low price of "_a loaf of
bread_." The people said:--"Oh, the man is mad, let him go." But he
continued the more to cry out, "Who will give me a loaf of bread for
Ceuta?" At last he met a Christian, a Spaniard, who gave the
Marabout a loaf of bread, and took possession of the city. This
seems really an excuse for the loss of that strong fortress. But it
is added:--"The Marabout having seen and read the future destiny of
Ceuta in the _Book of Fate_, was determined to hasten the crisis,
and placed it at once in the hands of the Christians." My taleb
assures me that Mahomet was foretold and promised in our gospels,
under the name of _Parakleit_, (_i. e._ ὁ Παράκλητος,), "The
Comforter." He cited also the Koran, but would not write the
passage; I had no Koran with me. But this is an advantage, for if I
had had a Koran in my possession, I should only have excited the
prejudices of the people against me, and should not have been able
to have kept it from them. A traveller might take a translation
advantageously, one without Arabic notes, or _Arabic_ words
explained, which would soon excite their curiosity to know what it
was. Speaking of the "_Ben Welleed_" and "_Wezeet_," my turjeman
said:--"These are the French and the English; we are always at war
with one another."

It is the opinion of people here, that the French and English are always
at war, and they are continually on the _qui-vive_ for a war breaking out
between France and England, for they think then the English will drive
out the French from Algeria, unmindful of what miseries such a war would
entail upon themselves, crushed as they would be between the two great
hostile Powers.

The Algerine dervish is playing off some fine tricks. This afternoon he
got together a dozen low fellows of the Ben Weleed, and went to say the
_fatah_ before the Governor. This saying _fatah_ was chiefly forming a
circle with his troop, himself in the middle, and then at the top of his
voice singing out, whilst his troop cried out, "_hhahh_," jumping up, and
bending forward their heads and bodies towards him. This they continued
for an hour or more, until they sank upon the floor with exhaustion.
Afterwards they played off some other genteel tricks. His Excellency the
Rais is as great a dervish as any mad fellow here, and though suffering
greatly from headache and bad eyes, he endured this tomfoolery for nearly
a couple of hours. My taleb, a shrewd man, said to me, "Don't you see, I
told you this Algerian was an impostor?" I believe really he is a French
spy on the movements of the Turks, and perhaps myself. The Tibboo calls.
He is preparing to depart, and presses me to go with him. Speaking to a
Touarick, he said, "See the money of the Christians (taking hold of my
black buttons)." Many people have half a mind to believe my black buttons
are money. The Tibboo says, there are no watches in Soudan. People are
content to measure time by the sun's rising and setting. Some merchants,
lately come from Tunis, have heard of the projected aërial machine. They
have no difficulty in believing that Christians travel in the air. They
think the Devil, being very clever, teaches Christians all these things.
The _Touatee_ calls, and says, "You must write something." "What?" I
answer. "Oh," he replies, "My wife has a head full of fantazia (or
nonsense); this you must write." It appears the Touatee has got a
scolding wife. Told the Rais about this funny incident, who said, "Tell
the _Touatee_ to go home and pretend he's going to take another wife, and
then she'll soon leave off pouting."

_16th_ and _17th._--Continues cold. People say I improve in Arabic. I
ought, for I have enough of it. What is odd, I begin to joke with the
people. It will be seen I have represented the Saharan people as mostly
gloomy, and suffering from the oppression of their Government. Still
there are times when they can force a smile, or crack a joke. They carry
the joke so far that they have sometimes joked me about my fasting in
Ramadan, a very sacred subject for a Mussulman. Every time I go into the
streets, I meet with one or other with whom I try to get up a joke, for
it grieves me to see the people suffer so much from bad government. After
we come to satire, and with the help of the word _batel_,
"good-for-nothing," we manage to hit off somebody. An Arab Sheikh came to
us, one day, when we were joking. I said, "Oh! here's the lion-heart, who
ran away from Emjessem for fear of the _Shânbah-Bātel_." The Arab,
astounded, "Ya rajel (Oh man), I had nothing to eat!" "Nor have we here,"
replied a merchant, "you better go and hunt with the greyhounds of the
Touaricks. The Rais has taken away all our victuals." The poor Arab went
his way very queer and crestfallen.

Speaking to a Moor of The Sahara, I said, "The Sahara is always healthy:
look at these Touaricks, they are the children of The Desert." He
replied, "The Sahara is the sea _on land_, and, like sea, is always more
healthy than cultivated spots of the earth. These Touaricks are chiefly
strong and powerful from drinking camels' milk[52]. They drink it for
months together, often for four or five months, not eating or drinking
anything else. After they have drank it some time, they have no
evacuations for four or five days, and these are as white as my bornouse.
It is the camels' milk which makes the Touaricks like lions. A boy shoots
up to manhood in few years; and there's nothing in the world so
nourishing as camel's milk." Caillié mentions that the chief of the
Braknas lived for several months on nothing but milk; but it was cow's
milk. Many of the Saharan tribes are supported for six months out of
twelve on milk.

The Moors seem to have a secret dislike for women, as well as a most
obstinate desire to tyrannize over them. There is a lurking desire of
this sort in the men-sex of all countries. Are we not the Lords of
Creation? I actually get afraid of avowing to them that the supreme ruler
of England is _a woman_, they are so confoundedly annoyed at the
circumstance. The first questions of their surprise are, "How? Why?" &c.
My taleb is very fond of supporting the doctrine of a woman having only a
_fifth_ of her father's property. I annoy him by telling him it's a bad
law, and that the daughter should have an equal share with the son. Lady
Morgan is sadly wanted here; she would find ample additional materials
for a second edition of "Woman and her Master."

FOOTNOTES:

[48] _Bazeen_, ‮بزين‬, called also _Aseedah_, ‮عصيدة‬.

[49] Some have endeavoured to distinguish in English the mausoleum
    in which a dead saint is laid by the term Mara_bet_, though in
    Arabic both the dead and living saint, and the cupola house in
    which the dead saint is laid, are all called Mara_bout_. When a
    village or town, is built round the mausoleum of a saint, it is
    also called after the saint, as in the instance now related.

[50] "We (God) created you, and afterwards formed you (mankind);
    and then said unto the angels, _Worship_ Adam; and they worshipped
    him, except Eblis (The Devil), who was not one of those who
    worshipped. God said unto him, What hindered thee from worshipping
    Adam, since I had commanded thee? He answered, I am more excellent
    than he: thou hast created me of fire, and has created him of
    clay. God said, Get thee down therefore from Paradise; for it is
    not fit that thou behave thyself _proudly_ therein: get thee
    hence; thou shalt be one of the contemptible."--_Surat_ vii.
    _Intitled Al-Araf._

[51] The words in the _Cross_, which Constantine is reported to
    have seen in the heavens.

[52] When the milk is fresh it is called by the Arabs ‮حليب‬, when
    sour, ‮لبن‬.




CHAPTER XI.

CONTINUED RESIDENCE IN GHADAMES.

     Gaiety of the Black Dervish.--Walking Dance of the Slaves.--The
     Fullans or Fellatahs.--_Shoushoua_, or scarifying the face of
     Negroes.--Terms used in connexion with Slaves.--The _Razzia_.--A
     Souafee Politician.--Parallel Customs between The East and The
     Sahara.--The mercenary Blood-letter.--Indifference to the
     sufferings of the Arab Troops.--Colour of the people in
     Paradise.--Excellent Government of the Fullanee Nations.--Moors
     do not fondle their Children.--Administering Physic to
     Camels.--Simplicity of Touarick manners.--Knocked down by a Pinch
     of Snuff.--Departure of the Tibboo alone to Ghat.--Blood in White
     Sugar, and Anecdote of Colonel Warrington and Yousef Bashaw about
     collecting old Bones.--Colonel Warrington compared to the late
     Mr. Hay.--Said, a subject of Anti-Slavery discussion.--Specimen
     of Desert Arab freedom.


_18th._--WITH the full moon the cold has regularly set in. Good-bye flies
and good-bye scorpions. Can now write with my door open, without being
covered with flies. Can also sleep without waking up at midnight to kill
scorpions running over the mattresses. The mad black dervish is always in
motion, and full of gaiety. People are so fond of him that they think he
is inspired. When all the Moors are in solemn vacant thought, or brooding
over their griefs, or dreaming in broad day of their being marabouts or
sultans, the poor witless thing runs in amongst them, shaking hands with
the first he meets with, and bursts out a-laughing. He usually succeeds
in infusing a little of his cheerfulness into these equally _mad_ people,
but more sober in their method of madness. Yesterday the slaves had
another feast _for the dead_. The Moors allow their slaves the liberty of
blending the two religions, as Rome has allowed the blending of
Christianity and paganism. And when questioned about it they say; "Oh,
the slaves know only a little of Allah, and are not much better than
donkeys in their understandings." The slaves assembled to the number of
some fifty in the Souk. Here they performed a species of walking dance,
in two right lines, very slow and very stiff and measured, having
attached to it some mysterious meaning. They were gaily dressed, attended
with a drum and iron castanets, making melodious noises. Each had a
matchlock slung at his back. The women carried a chafing-dish of incense,
as if about to raise some spirit or ghost. A crowd was around them; but
they performed nothing but this slow-marching dance, and then retired to
the tombs. The dervish, poor fellow, mingled in the gay throng,
shouldering a stick for a gun.

Received many little presents from people lately. Sheikh Makouran brought
me himself a small basket of very fine dates. My taleb afterwards brought
me some _gharghoush_, or small cakes, made of flour, honey, sugar, and
milk. They are extremely pleasant eating and a little _acid_, which adds
greatly to their flavour. There are but few things acid in this country;
of sour things there is an abundance.

Heard a great deal about the Foullans, Foulahs, and Fellatahs, the
predominant race in Soudan. _Foullan_ (‮فلّان فلّانين
فلّاني‬) is the Soudanic term, _Fellatah_ the Bornouese, and
_Foulah_ what is used to denominate them among the Mandingoes. According to
information here, they were once the most miserable race of _Arab_
wanderers in The Desert. But at last they settled down as neighbours
to the Negroes, some 700 years since. They continued to increase in
numbers and importance, abandoning tents and building villages and
towns, and intermixing with the Negroes, till about forty-five (and
others thirty-five) years ago, when they expanded their ideas to
conquest and renown. About this time they made the conquest of
Kanou, Succatou, and the other large cities of Housa. Never a people
rose to greater fame and power. They were assisted, like the
Saracens before them, by religious fanaticism, and so far
corresponded with them, in extending the boundaries of Islamism.
They went on conquering and to conquer till within the present year,
when their power received some check by the daring exploits of the
Tibboo prince of Zinder, a vassal of Bornou. This prince has taken
from them a few towns. The complexion of the ordinary Fullanee is a
deep olive, with pleasing features, not much Negro, and long hair.

[Illustration]

Negroes in Nigritia are known by the _Shoushoua_ (‮شوشوا‬), or
scarifying. Generally in Negro countries, which profess the Mohammedan
religion, the _Shoushoua_ is abandoned as _haram_ or prohibited. It is
mostly the sign of paganism. The operation is performed by a sharp cutting
instrument, and is never _effaced_ from the face during life. The annexed
drawing presents the _Shoushoua_ of the Negroes of Tombo, near Jinnee,
who are pagans. Whenever the slaves see these marks they know the country
of the other slaves who bear them. Formerly it could be ascertained whether
a slave was born on the coast, or brought from the interior, by the
presence or absence of the _Shoushoua_. Now it cannot, because the
practice is discontinued in countries subject to Moslem rule, whence
slaves are sometimes brought. In Ghadames a freed slave is called
_mâtouk_ (‮معتوق‬) or _horr_ (‮حرّ‬). The terms _waseef_
(‮وسيف‬) and sometimes _mamlouk_ (‮مملوك‬) are employed
for a single slave, and _âbeed_ (‮عبيد‬) for many. The Arabic
terms ‮قايد الوصفان‬ "the chief of slaves," are used to
denote the person who is responsible for the conduct of slaves, or the
"Sheikh of the slaves." The word RAZZIA, which the French are said
to have invented, and which has acquired such a _triste_ celebrity
by their butcheries of the Arabs in Algeria, is derived from the
same word as designates a Slave-hunt (_ghazah_)[53] amongst our
Saharan people. The verb is ‮غَزَا‬ _ghaza_, "petivit," which in
the second conjugation means, "expeditione bellica petivit hostem," and
the noun in use is ‮غَزَاة‬ _ghazah_, "expeditione bellica." The
Bornouese word to denote a slave-hunt, as carried on by the
Touaricks, is DIN, applied to private kidnapping expeditions, and
means, I think, simply "theft," showing that not by war, as
captives, but by "theft," "stealing," the "man-stealing" of the
Apostle Paul, are slaves generally procured in Central Africa. It is
only just that _razzia_ and _ghazah_, the same words, should be so
closely allied in application to their different actions. The
French, to do the thing properly, and in their usual style, should
erect a monument upon the "Place" of the city of Algiers, to the new
invention RAZZIA, with its derivations from _ghazah_, "a
slave-hunt." A prize essay might also be proposed to the Oriental
Chair of Paris, and its various students, now looking for
distinction as interpreters in the land of RAZZIAS or "butcheries,"
for the best derivation and historical progress of the term RAZZIA,
as used by Christian and civilized nations, in relation to infidel
and Mohammedan barbarians. At the bottom of the monument erected by
the French to the DEMON RAZZIA, may be appended the following
veracious words, copied from the late proclamation of the Duc
d'Aumale, on his assumption of the high post of Governor-General of
Algeria (_Moniteur Algérien_, October 20, 1847):--"You have learned
by experience, O Mussulmans! how just and clement is the Government
of France." The Duke unpardonably forgets to cite one of the last
proofs of this just and clement Government, the roasting of a tribe
of Arabs, men, women and children in the caverns of the Atlas! . . . . Will
not the Lying Bulletin (native of France) be proclaimed till
doomsday?

This morning the merchants asked me why the English did not drive
out the French from Algeria. They had often badgered me with this
subject. I thought it better to speak plainly at once, and for all.
I began by asking, why should the English drive out the French? and
continued, "France and England are now at peace. They don't wish to
make war at all, and England does not consider Algeria of such
importance as to go to war about it. England did not derive much
benefit from Algeria when Mussulmans ruled there; besides the
Algerines were always sea-robbers. The English were obliged to go
and chastise them several times before the French captured their
country. And do not think, that if war did take place between
England and France, and the English should drive the French out of
Algeria, the country would therefore be given up to the Sultan and
the Mussulmans. The English might wish to rule there themselves.
Upon no account wish for war in Algeria, for the miseries of the war
would chiefly fall upon you, Mussulmans." This completely settled
them, and exasperated them, as well it might; they said no more. The
Mussulmans always have in their memories the conduct of the English
when they drove out the French from Egypt, and discussing this kind
of politics, it is quite natural.

Afterwards I heard a Souafee holding forth to another group. His
theme was, the Shânbah, Warklah, Touaricks, Tugurt, Souf, and
Ghadames, and it was evident to him that besides the people now
enumerated there were no others in the world. A respectable Moor
observed at the time, "That Souafee is a rascal. He's as great a
robber as a Shânbah bandit. Mussulmans are not like Christians. The
Christians have but one word, and are brothers. The Mussulmans have
a thousand and ten thousand words, they don't speak the truth, and
they are enemies to one another." The ingenuous Moor knew little of
the history of Europe and America. I did not disabuse him of his
good opinion of us. He was a Ben Wezeet, and complained that now the
_Nāther_ (‮ناظر‬), or native overseer of the city, and the Kady or
judge, and some of the richest merchants belonged to the Ben Weleed,
and added mournfully, with a sigh, "It was not so in my father's
time. But the world has changed, and this is the new world."

In reading the Arabic Testament, I have noticed several parallel customs
or habits between The East and North Africa. Take this:

"But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote upon the ground."
(John viii. 6.)

People of Ghadames are writing daily with their fingers on the ground.
They are also wont, with fancy ornamental sticks, which they usually
carry, to illustrate their ideas on the sand or dust of the streets, by
drawing figures. In speaking with them on geography, they sketch shapes
of countries. They cast up all their ordinary accounts by writing figures
on the sand. They have also certain games which they play by the use of
sand. Sand is their paper, their ledger, their boards of account, their
pavement, and their auxiliary in a thousand things. It is said in the
Gospels, that The Saviour escaped to the mountains[54], either from the
pressure of the people, or from the persecutions of his enemies. Persons
are accustomed to escape to the mountains in Barbary, more particularly
in Morocco and Algeria; but also in this country. Our Saviour, besides,
gives the same advice to his disciples: "Let them which are in Judea
_flee to the mountains_." (Luke xxi. 21.) It has always been difficult to
apprehend fugitives in the mountains, especially in ancient times, when a
good police did not exist. The conqueror has always had great difficulty,
and exposed his conquests to imminent risk, by pursuing the conquered in
mountainous districts. Such are the instincts and habits of men in all
ages. The Desert has, besides, afforded an asylum to the fugitive and
unfortunate, as well as the persecuted. Our Saviour was wont to retire to
desert places. In this country, the discomfited defenders of their
country's liberties have invariably escaped to The Sahara. How many times
has Abd-el-Kader escaped to the mountains of Rif, or the solitudes of The
Sahara? But it is unnecessary to pursue this obvious idea farther,
otherwise it also will escape to The Mountains or The Desert.

The "five _barley_ loaves," (John vi. 9,) reminds me of the _barley_
bread of these countries, more frequent than any other sort of bread.
Wheaten bread is rarely eaten by the lower classes.

It is needless to cite all the passages of Scripture where the people in
the towns and villages are represented as bringing out their sick of
every kind and description. (Matt. xiv. 14, 35, 36.) So it is in North
Africa. Whenever an European visits these countries with any pretensions
to medical skill, all the sick of the place are brought out to him. When
I see the sick daily brought to me--as also when I was in The
Mountains--I cannot help thinking of those affecting pictures of disease
and misery which were providentially exhibited to demonstrate the divine
skill of the Great Physician of mind and body.

Salt is procured in a few hours' journey beyond _Sidi Mâbed_, and is
considered superior to that procured at the _Salinæ_ of the coast. This
Saharan salt is only obtained after there has been some rain, the earth
being impregnated with it, and the water washing away the earthy
particles. It is gathered in the dry season.

_19th._--Amuse myself with Arabic reading and philological studies. The
mornings continue cool. Administer now little medicine, for I have but
little left. Ordered an Arab to be bled by the old Moor, who possesses a
good lancet. The big hulking Arab proved a greater coward than a child.
How sickness unnerves a man, the hardiest and strongest of men! I once
took a passage from Algeria to Marseilles in a French transport of
convalescents. There I saw the brave and brilliant French troops cry and
whine like children under the influence of fever. When the old Moor had
bled the soldier, he said to me, "Where's the money?" This shows that,
though they rarely think of remunerating the services of the Christian
Tabeeb, they have a perfectly clear conception of what is due to the
labour and skill of a doctor when the case refers to themselves. Some
time after, I went to the old Moor again, and asked him to bleed another
soldier attacked with fever. He refused to bleed him, alleging that he
must be paid. "He will die," I said. "Let him die," returned the
unfeeling old blood-letter; "why do they bring soldiers here, we don't
want them?" This afternoon I visited the barrack, where several Arab
soldiers were laid up with the fever, which they had caught at Emjessem.
One was very bad. The Arabs said to me, "You must give him money to buy
some bread, and a little meat to make some broth." I told them they must
go the Rais; it was his business to look after his troops. It is
distressing to witness the condition of these wretched Arabs. At
different times I have given them a little meat, and bread, and oil; but
now my stock of provisions is getting down, and the communication between
Tripoli and Ghadames is very precarious. In the evening I saw the
_Nāther_, and said to him--expecting he would mention it to the Rais,
"See that soldier lying on the stone-bench; he is sick, and has nothing
to eat."

_The Nāther._--"Yes, he is ill."

_I._--"But he has nothing to eat; can't you get him something to eat?"

_The Nāther,_--"Pooh, he must die."

The other Moors present laughed at my simplicity in begging something to
eat for a fever-worn, emaciated wretch of a soldier. The matter of fact
is, these poor fellows are detested by the inhabitants, and starved to
death by the Government. The soldier had caught the fever of Derge,
whilst sent there on business, which is a bad tertian fever, prevalent in
some oases of The Sahara.

Lately, as my turjeman and Said, with several negroes, were
chatting, and saying people would have husbands and wives in the
next world, I asked, in the manner of the Sadducees, "If a woman had
three husbands in this world, whose wife would she be in the next?"
They all answered, "_The wife of the last_." As some of the group of
these theologians and diviners of the future state were negroes, I
asked, "What _colour_ will people be in the next world?" They
replied, "_All white_, and alike; and not only will their skins be
white, but all their clothing will be _white_." White, indeed, is
the favourite colour of Mussulmans; and a sooty-black Mohammedan
negro will set off his face with a white turban, as our Christian
niggers do their _japan_ with a lily-white neckcloth. But _white_ is
the colour of purity, of religion in North Africa and The
East, as in _Biblical_ times.--περιβεβλημένους ἐν
ἱματίοις λευχοῖς. (Rev. iv. 4.)

_20th._--Weather continues fine and cool. Less meat to be had; nothing
decided about the new levy of money, except that the people will not or
cannot pay. The Sheikh Makouran tells me he is greatly in debt to Messrs.
Silva and Laby, and so are all Ghadamsee merchants. The money now
employed in commerce is chiefly that of European and other merchants of
Tripoli and Tunis. "We have no money," says Makouran, "we cannot pay any
new levies. If Rais persists, he must collect our money at the edge of
the sword; and this can't last, for we shall all soon die of hunger."
These continual complaints make me melancholy, and added to my impatience
"to be up and doing," make me very peevish. O Dio! but such is the lot of
man, to suffer always, either in mind or body. Much annoyed at my taleb
for eating Said's dinner, even before my face. These Moors, at least some
of them, have neither honour nor conscience. I suppose the taleb is
pinching his belly to pay his portion of the new contribution. To punish
the taleb, I give Said coffee before him, without asking him to take any.
I may observe, the Moors don't like to see me treat the poor blacks and
slaves as their equals. I frequently give the negroes tea and coffee
before I serve them, to show I despise such distinctions, although,
perhaps, against propriety.

The taleb began boasting about Soudan, and he has much reason to
boast of it, if we compare what Mohammedans have there done with
what Christians have done on the Western Coast of Africa. He said,
"There's no _gomerick_ (Custom-house), no oppression, for the people
are Mussulmans." Such were the reasons for their not being
oppressive. It is a great question how far a country may be
civilized, and in how short a time, without actual conquest?
Civilization has progressed in Central Africa with the spread of
Islamism. When it reaches the point of Mahometan civilization it
will stop. The question with us is, "Whether we shall civilize the
Mohammedans, and so work on Central Africa, or reconquer their
conquests?" There appears very little chance of civilizing Africa
without arms and conquest. Bornou, Soudan, and its numerous
cities, Timbuctoo and Jinnee, formerly all governed by the
_Kohlan_--‮كحلان‬, or "blacks," are now governed by strangers,
either Arabs (pure) or Touaricks or Fullans. These are the present
most important kingdoms of the ancient Nigritia, and include a
population of some millions. I continue to pursue my inquiries
respecting the Fullans. All agree in representing them as originally
_Arab_, but now greatly mixed, of very dark colour, some being
nearly black, others, and most of them, a dark brown and yellow red,
and some nearly white. The fortunes of the Fullans, emerging
filthily from the dregs and offscouring of The Sahara, have become
as great as the old Romans formerly in Europe, but they will always
have powerful and vindictive rivals in the Touarghee and pure Arab
and Berber races. The Revd. Mr. Schön has given a too unfavourable
report of the Fullans, in his Notes and Journal of the Niger
Expedition, biassed against them in his Missionary zeal, simply
because they are Mahometans. It is true that the Fullans are great
slave-dealers, but so are nearly all the princes of Africa. The mild
and equitable administration of the kingdoms of Kanou, Succatou,
Kashna, and other immense centres of population, as carried on by
the Fullans, is notorious throughout The Great Desert. No people of
Nigritian Africa has so profoundly excited my best sympathies as the
Fullanee races[55].

The Moors do not fondle and dandle their children on their knees, as
parents are accustomed in Europe; and when grown up, the children appear
as distant from their parents as strangers. This arises from the absolute
authority assumed by parents over children during their minority. I have
often been angry to see some of the lower people here teaching the
children to call me _Kafer_ ("infidel") as a sort of religious duty,
lest, I imagine, the children should see at last that there is no very
great difference between a _Kafer_ and a Moslemite.

Was much amused this afternoon in seeing physic administered to camels.
The camel is made to lie down, and its knee joints are tied round so that
it cannot get up. One person then seizes hold of the skin and cartilage
of the nose, and that of the under jaw, and wrests with all his force the
mouth wide open, whilst another seizes hold of the tongue and pulls it
over one side of the mouth; this done, another pours the medicine down
the throat of the animal, and, when the mouth is too full, they shut the
jaws and rub and work the medicine down its throat. The disease was the
falling off of the hair; and the medicine consisted of the stones of
dates split into pieces and mixed with dried herbs, simple hay or grass
herbs, powdered as small as snuff, the mixture being made with water.
People told me it would fatten the camel as well as restore its hair.
Camels frequently have the mange, and then they are tarred over. For
unknown incomprehensible diseases, the Moors burn the camel on the head
with hot irons, and call this physic. Men are treated in the same way,
and the Moors are very fond of these analogies between men and brutes.
What is good for a camel is good for a man, and what is good for man is
good for a camel. Whilst the camel was being drugged, a Touarick came up
and said, "_Salām âleikom_" to me. They always use this primitive mode of
salutation. When they swear oaths they also say, "_Allah Akbar_," (God is
Greatest!) the famous war-cry of the Saracennic conquerors of olden
times. They are primitive in all their ideas and words; their manners are
equally stiff, and slow or courtly, "stately and dignified;" they fully
understand the doctrine that, "Great bodies move slow."

A man is said sometimes not to be worth "a pinch of snuff;" and yet
a pinch of snuff will knock a man down, as it knocked me down this
evening. My value then does not quite reach to a pinch of snuff
standard. To come to explanation: a merchant offered me a pinch of
snuff, and to please him, I took a large pinch, pushing a portion of
it up my nostrils. Immediately I fell dizzy and sick, and in a short
time, vomited violently. The people stared at me with astonishment,
and were terrified out of their wits, and thought I was about to
give up the ghost. They never saw snuff before produce such terrible
effects. After some time, I got a little better and returned home.
This snuff was that from Souf, and what people call _wâr_
("difficult"). I had been warned of it, and therefore richly paid
for my folly. Moreover, it was a violation of my usual abstinence
from this not very elegant habit. The Souf snuff is extremely
powerful; it is constantly imported here, and for the satisfaction
of snuff-takers and snuff-taking tourists, I am bound to inform them
that they will find snuff much cheaper in Ghadames than in Tripoli.
People call snuff hot and cold, according to its stimulating,
irritating, and tickling power. It is prohibited to drink wine and
spirits amongst Moslemites, but, nevertheless, many of them do not
fail to intoxicate themselves with everything besides which comes in
their way: they snuff most horribly all the live-long day. In the
season the Arabs drink their _leghma_, and the Mahometan Negroes
their _bouza_, the Soudanic merchants chew their _ghour_, nuts, and
_kouda_, as our jolly tars their tobacco, and others munch the
_trona_. My taleb came to me to see if I were dead. He had heard
such a horrible report in the town. I embraced the opportunity of
lecturing him upon the absurdity of the prohibition from drinking
wine, when he and others intoxicated themselves with snuff. But man
will have _his_ stimulant, and the tee-totaller, who protests
against all stimulants, seeks his in his tea and coffee. There is no
harm in this, and the question only remains to seek as harmless a
stimulant, as consistent with health as possible. In justice to the
Marabout city of Ghadames, I must mention that some of the more
strict Mohammedans consider snuffing, as well as smoking, prohibited by
their religion, and opium (‮ععيون‬), and _keef_, an intoxicating
herb, sometimes called _takrounee_, ‮تكروني‬, are not smoked
in this place. In general, few of the Moors of this place smoke at all.

_21st._--Weather fine, no rain. The merchants begin to bake biscuits for
their journey to Ghat, which looks like preparation. My friend Abu Beker
called and gave me two letters written to him from Timbuctoo by his
brother, who is established there. Since my return, I have given one of
these letters to the Royal Asiatic Society, and the other to the British
Museum, considering them a great curiosity, so long as this city shall
remain separated from us Europeans by such impassable barriers.

The following is the translation of the letter presented to the Royal
Asiatic Society:--

LETTER FROM A BROTHER IN TIMBUCTOO TO A BROTHER IN GHADAMES.

"From the poor servant of his Lord, Muhammad ben Ali ben Talib, to our
respected brethren, Abu Bekr and Muhammad, and Abdallah, and Fatimah, and
Ayshah, and our Aunt Aminah; God prosper their conditions, Amen!

"After a thousand salutations and respects to you, and the mercy of
God, and his blessings on you, should you indeed inquire concerning
us, we are well, and you, please God, are so likewise; and we desire
no further favour from God than the sight of your precious
countenance; may God unite us with you before long, for He is the
Hearer (of petitions)! As to this country there is in it neither
buying nor selling. By G--d, O my brother! this day we are six
months in Timbuctoo, and truly in the whole time I have received but
15 mithcals. There is not a single farthing (or kirat) in this town,
nor commerce at all, except in salt, &c., (_some other commodities,
whose names I cannot discover_.) And our minds are in continual fear
here from the scarcity of the times. I am desirous of going to
Arawan, if we can find something to sell there, when the people of
Kiblah (_the South_) come; but they are not yet arrived, up to the
present moment, and we do not think they will come. And thou, O my
brother, beware of sending us any thing! as in this country there is
no commerce, (neither buying nor selling); and whatever has been
sent us, we have received for it neither far nor near. And truly,
from the day in which we entered Timbuctoo, we have given 600 louats
(some measure) to the Touaricks and the Fullans. But do you pray
with us that we may be delivered from this land; and we have no more
news after the letter which we have written to you. Convey our
salutation to our aunt and to our brothers, many thousand
salutations; and to Muhammad ben al Tayil, and his brother and his
sons, many thousand salutations; and to Muhammad Ibn Ibrahim
Taraki, many thousand salutations. Salute also the Hajj al Beshir,
and his brother the Hajj Yusuff, if he is arrived; and salute also
Hajj Abdallah. The people (caravan) of Touat have not yet come to
us. Our salutation to Al Mustafa and his brother Abdal Cadir, and
tell the Hajj al Behir, for God's sake not to send us any thing. Of
a truth, we sincerely hope to fulfil your commissions, but in this
land there is neither buying nor selling. By G--d, neither in Arawan
nor in Timbuctoo, have we seen any one who will buy of you for a
mithcal, nor for a kirat. Tell the Hajj al Beshir, the Sheikh has
not yet arrived. And of all the (----?) I brought to Timbuctoo, I
have not sold a single thing, and I sent them back to Arawan. Know,
that there is no dealing here except by cowries, and the cowrie is
3,500 to a mithcal. Convey my salutation to the Hajj Abdal Kerim Ben
Aun Allah, and his brother Abdarrahman, and to their sons; many
thousand salutations, and say to them, For God's sake take care how
you send us any thing, for this land is a vexation to us. May God
not visit you with vexation, and may he open to us a way of
deliverance! And our salutation to the Hajj Muhammad Sahh, if he is
arrived, and tell him not to forget us in the Fátihah (1st. chap. of
the Koran, used in prayer,) and in the prayer called Salihah (the
Beneficial.) And also to his son and to his mother, many thousand
salutations. And our salutation to the Hajj Muhammad ben Ali, and
his brother, and their father, many thousand salutations. And
salutation to our cousin (the daughter of our uncle) Miriam, many
thousand salutations, and to our aunt Sultánah, and to her brothers,
and to (some other female name) and her sons, many thousand
salutations. And our salutation to our cousins (the children of our
uncle) and say to them, For God's sake do not forget us in the
Fátihah and the prayer Salihah, that God may deliver us from this
land; and the people ("or caravan") of Touat are not yet come to us.
O my brethren! we anxiously and most earnestly do desire news of
you; the Lord give us news of your welfare before long. And do thou,
O my brother! send us some cinnamon and some black pepper, and some
grains of ‮جلاو‬. And when thou writest, give us all the news, and
take care not to leave your letter unclosed, for the people here
read it, and be sure to seal it. Salute the inhabitants of our
street, all of them, without exception, each one by name.

"And so farewell: at the date of Rajab the 25th, in the year 1246; and
again farewell, from this poor (servant of God,) and many thousand
salutations, as also from Ibrahim and from the Hajj al Mansur and the
Hajj al Mansur's son, who is still with him. Farewell.

"(Postscript below.)--Convey our salutation to Hajj Hamad, and tell him
Muhammad ben Canab is doing well, and he is in Arawan; and in like manner
salute from us his brother Ali.

"(2nd Postscript at the side.)--Salutation also to our uncle, and
say to him, that among the people of the Sheikh (‮اهل الشيخ‬)
we obtain nothing, except what the Lord has brought us (a proverbial
expression of the Moors, signifying nothing at all.) So farewell!

ADDRESS.

"To the hand of our esteemed brethren Abu Bekr, and Muhammad and
Abdullah ben Ali Ibn Talib; may God amend their condition, amen!

"(With Solomon's seal, and a rude commencement of another; the name
of Ben Talib, and the mystical words ‮طه‬ and ‮بسم‬ the first
of which is prefixed to the xxth chapter of the Koran, and the other
probably intended for ‮طسم‬, heading the xxvith, and xxviiith; or
for ‮يس‬ xxxvi.)"

Obs.--This letter is written within and without, and on every fold of it.
The advice to seal the letter to prevent it from being "Grahamized" is
curious. I have seen a hundred letters in The Desert _un_sealed, and it
is only in case of suspicion, that the Saharan merchants seal their
letters. Such is their confidence in each other's honour and good faith,
that it is an insult to seal a letter when put into the hands of a
friend. It would appear, from this letter, that some twenty years ago the
commerce of Timbuctoo was in the most languishing deplorable state; but
as far as I can judge, from the present operations of the merchants in
Ghadames, the trade of Timbuctoo has in a measure revived. The letter
itself is a most admirable specimen of the epistolary style of the
Saharan Moors, and in this respect alone is of considerable value.

When walking out this morning, an impudent young dog came running after
me and shouted, "There is no God but God, and Mahomet is the Prophet of
God;" whilst another cried out, "You Kafer!" Judging it necessary to put
a stop to this, I gave each little imp for his pains a hard rap of the
head with my fly-flapper, which greatly surprised them, and sent them off
yelping. Some of the boys, however, are very friendly, and come running
after me and take hold of my hand. A day or two afterwards these young
rascals came running after me again in the same way; but they were chased
by an adult Moor, who gave them a good thrashing.

_22nd._--Weather fine. Nothing new. Bought Said a new pair of Morocco
shoes, and made him happy for a day or two. He begins to sulk about going
amongst the Touaricks. To my great joy, the _Shantah_ from Tripoli has
arrived, bringing letters from Colonel Warrington, and Mr. Francovich,
which latter has remitted to me 125 mahboubs. Two Touaricks have also
arrived from Touat. The road is open. Rain has fallen in many places of
The Desert in copious showers, which has buoyed up the hopes of the
camel-graziers. Rumours of fighting between the Shânbah and Touaricks are
prevalent.

The Tibboo left during the night for Ghat--ALONE! riding on a single
camel. His conduct has astonished everybody. Some say "he's mad," and
some say "he's a bandit." He had with him a small quantity of light
goods, and about 300 dollars in cash. I asked the Rais about him. He
observed, "That Tibboo has no wit. Many people die on the routes, the
camels running away whilst they sleep. What can he do alone!" I asked the
people, all of whom replied, "The Tibboo is a wonderful fellow!" One
said, "Ah, that's a man, Yâkob. No Christian like the Tibboo." But
another said, "Without doubt he's a cut-throat, that is the reason he
goes alone. Even the Touaricks are afraid of him; and when they brought
him here he quarrelled with them several times. Besides, a few days ago
he was going to knock down the toll-taker at the gate." After this
display of personal daring, I shall never have a contemptible idea of a
Negro. The free, independent, and enlightened gentleman slave-driver of
Yankee Land, armed with that symbol of order and good government, the
bowie-knife! would find his match in this his brother Tibboo
slave-driver. The Tibboo has done what no man of this city would have
dared to do, in undertaking a journey of some twenty days over The Desert
alone. What is very extraordinary, he never travelled the route but once
before, that is, when he came here. They say he will arrive at Ghat in
twelve days. He took the precaution of purchasing a good pair of
horse-pistols before he left. I may add, he arrived safe and sound at
Ghat.

_23rd._--This morning exceedingly cold. In going out, a man said to
me, "Where are you going this cold morning?" People were all
shivering, or wrapped up in their burnouses. Said is attacked with
ophthalmia. Received a visit from an old Arab doctor. He says cattle
are attacked with the plague, as well as men. He wrote me a receipt
for the cure of _night_-blindness, which would cure it in one night.
He says, in the neighbouring desert, towards the west, there is a
small oasis of Arabs, who are called _El-Hawamad_--‮الحومد‬--who
are always afflicted by night-blindness, which singular affection is
called by them _Juhur_ (‮جُهُر‬). Mr. Jackson, in his Morocco,
calls this strange disease _butelleese_. The Arabs of _El-Hawamad_ see
perfectly well in the day-time. But I must mention, that I received
an application for medicine from a person who is affected with the
same strange kind of malady. The European physicians call this
disease _Nyctalopia_ (Νυκταλωπια). I recently myself met with a
case in London. But what is equally extraordinary, Captain Lyon (I
think) mentions a case which he met with in The Desert, of a person
who could see in the night-time but not in the day-time--a human
owl. We conversed about other diseases in Ghadames. The principal,
as before-mentioned, are ophthalmia and diarrhœa. There are two
lepers; a few dropsical people; and, occasionally, small-pox and
syphilitic diseases. There are, besides, various cutaneous
affections. Dogs are known to go mad amongst the Arabs, but not very
often. When mad, they are called _makloub_. The remedy is, when they
bite people, the hair of the mad dog himself, rubbing it over the
part bitten. Mussulmans are fond of this antagonistic idea, of the
bane and the antidote being one and the same thing, for they
preserve the dead scorpions to be applied to the sting of the living
ones, and they aver it to be a certain cure. Quackery is the native
growth of the ingenious as well as the whimsical and hypochondriacal
ideas of men. In dropsy the native doctors cut the body to let out
the water, as we do.

       *       *       *       *       *

Wrote letters to Mr. Alsager, Colonel Warrington, and others. People
grumbling about their letters being too high charged. Formerly letters
went free to Tripoli. The Turkish post-office and policy never fail to
make things worse. Treating some Moors with coffee and loaf-sugar, one
asked me if there were blood in sugar, for so he had heard from some
Europeans in Tripoli. I told him in loaf sugar. "What, the blood of
pigs?" one cried. "How do I know?" I rejoined; "if the refiner has no
bullock's blood, why not use that of pigs?" This frightened them all out
of their senses. They will not eat loaf-sugar again in a hurry. A most
ludicrous anecdote of the old Bashaw of Tripoli here occurs to me. Old
Yousef one day sent for Colonel Warrington, with a message that the
Consul's presence was very particularly required. The Consul, putting on
his best Consular uniform, and taking with him his Vice-Consul, his
Chancellor, and his Dragoman, immediately waited upon His Highness. The
Consul found His Highness sitting in full Divan, surrounded with all his
high functionaries. Approaching the Bashaw, the Consul was begged to take
a seat. His Highness then opened business, and, drawing a very long and
solemn face, requested to know, "If the Christians were carrying away all
the bones from the country?" assuring the Consul that such he heard was
the case from his people, adding, that even the graveyards were ransacked
for bones. The Consul, nothing blinking, or disquieted, congratulated His
Highness upon bringing such an important subject before his notice, and
observed, "It is very improper for the Christians to be ransacking the
tombs for old bones to ship off for Europe." "Improper!" exclaimed the
Bashaw, "why the man who does so ought to be beheaded!" "Yes, yes,"
replied the Consul, coaxingly, "he ought, your Highness; I quite agree
with you." The Bashaw then got a little more calm, and begged of the
Consul, as a favour, to tell him what the Christians did with all these
old bones. The Consul, now assuming a magnificent air, deigned to reply,
"Now, your Highness, you must be cool. You drink coffee?" "Yes." "You put
sugar in it?" "Yes" (impatiently). "You use white sugar?" "Yes, yes,"
said the Bashaw, half amazed, half trembling, wondering what would come
next. "Then," cried the Consul triumphantly, "I beg most submissively to
inform your Highness, hoping that your Highness will not be angry, but
thank me for the information, that the old bones are used to make white
sugar with." Hereupon was an awful explosion of _Allahs!_--beginning with
His Highness the Bashaw, and going round the whole assembled Divan, in
such serious and perplexed conclave now met. Then followed _harams!_--in
the midst of which Colonel Warrington graciously and elegantly backed
himself out of the Divan, smiling and bowing, bowing and smiling, to the
utter horror of all present. Next day His Highness made a proclamation
forbidding any of his subjects from exporting old bones on pain of death.
On his part, the Consul issued a notice calling upon all British subjects
not to be such barbarians as to violate the tombs of pious Mussulmans, at
the same time threatening them with the full weight of the Consular
displeasure. I am assured that Yousef Bashaw never ate white sugar
afterwards.

       *       *       *       *       *

The liberties which Colonel Warrington was wont to take with old Yousef
Bashaw, of the Caramanly dynasty, could not now be, in these days of
Ottoman politeness, at all tolerated. For a long series of years, and
especially during the French war, the Colonel was the virtual Bashaw of
Tripoli. I shall only give another of a thousand incidents in which the
British Consul showed himself the master, and the Bashaw the slave,
instead of the Sovereign of his own country. One day the Bashaw had done
something to offend the Consul. Colonel Warrington, hearing of it whilst
riding out, immediately rides off to the Castle, and rushes, whip in
hand, into the presence of the Bashaw, producing consternation through
the whole Court. An Italian, having at the time an audience with His
Highness, demanded, "_Che cosa vuole Signore Consule?_" seeing the Consul
frustrated in his rage for want of an interpreter. "_Tell him_ (the
Bashaw) _he's a rascal!_" roared the Consul, almost shaking his whip over
the head of His Highness. But the Italian was just as far off, not
knowing English, and fortunately could not interpret this elegant
compliment. The very next day, the Consul and the Bashaw dined together
at the British Garden, the Colonel slapping the old gentleman over his
shoulder, and drinking wine with him, like two jolly chums. In this way,
Colonel Warrington managed to be, what he was called in Malta, "_Bashaw
of Tripoli_." Now that Colonel Warrington, during the time these pages
have been going through the press, has left us for another and a better
world, we may for a moment compare his Consular system with that which
was pursued by the late Mr. Hay, Consul-General of Morocco. The
difference is striking, if not remarkable. Colonel Warrington boasted of
being able to do anything and everything in Tripoli; Mr. Hay boasted of
being able to do nothing in Morocco. The former had the Bashaw under his
thumb, or hooked by the nose; the latter stood at an awful distance from
the Shereefian Presence. Colonel Warrington underrated the difficulties
and dangers of travelling in Tripoli and Central Africa, making the route
from Tripoli to Bornou as safe as the road from London to Paris; Mr. Hay,
exaggerating every obstacle, represented it as unsafe to walk in the
environs of Tangier, under its very walls, and even boasted of himself
being shot at in the interior of Morocco, on a Government mission, and
whilst attended by an escort of the Emperor's troops. With Colonel
Warrington, a mission of science or philanthropy had a real chance of
success; with Mr. Hay, no mission could possibly succeed--failure was
certain. And so I might continue the opposite parallels. But in justice
to these late functionaries and their friends, I must observe, that both
were zealous servants of Government and their country. They exerted
themselves diligently and conscientiously to protect and advance the
interests of their countrymen, who had relations with Tripoli or Morocco,
according to their peculiar temperaments and circumstances. No doubt they
gave Government at home an immense deal of unnecessary trouble, and
sometimes even annoyance; but so long as each public functionary abroad
thinks the affairs of his own particular post of more importance than
those of anybody else, this inconvenience will always happen, in a lesser
or greater degree.

Said furnishes me with a continual anti-slavery text against the
slave-trade. Everybody asks me if Said is a slave. I reply, "Slavery is a
great sin amongst the English. We cannot have slaves, or make slaves of
our fellow-creatures." Then follow discussions, in which I damnify the
traffick in human beings as much as possible.

Today witnessed a good specimen of Arab Desert freedom. I was conversing
quietly with the Governor, seated beside him on his ottoman, a privilege
granted only to me, the Nather (_native_ governor) and the Kady, when
rushed into the apartment a Souafee Arab, exclaiming to the Rais, "How
are you?" and seizing hold of his hands, knocked his fly-flap down on the
floor. His Excellency was shocked at this rudeness, and I myself was a
little startled. The conversation which followed, if such it may be
called, is characteristic of the bold Arab, and the haughty Turk.

_The Souafee._--"The Shânbah are coming to Ghadames."

_The Governor._--"I don't know; God knows."

_The Souafee._--"My brothers write to me and tell me so."

_The Governor._--"I don't know."

_The Souafee._--"Give me money, and I'll go and look after them."

_The Governor._--"I have no money."

_The Souafee._--"Make haste, give me money."

_The Governor._--"Have none."

_The Souafee._--"Where's the money?"

_The Governor._--"Go to the Ghadamseeah."

_The Souafee._--"They tell me you have all their money."

_The Governor._--"Go to them."

_The Souafee._--"I'm going, _Bislamah_ (good bye.)"

_The Governor._--"Bislamah."

As the Souafee left the threshold of the apartment, his Excellency turned
to me, and raising his right hand underneath his chin, drew its back
jerkingly forwards, making the sign of the well-known expression of
contempt in North Africa. He then said to me:--"See what a life I lead,
what insults I am obliged to put up with! what beasts are these Arabs!"
The Souafah are, indeed, the type of the genuine Desert Arab. They have
no foreign master, and manage all their affairs by their own Sheikhs and
Kadys. The immense waste of sand lying between Ghadames and Southern
Tunis and Algeria, is their absolute domain, in the arid and thirsty
bosom of which are planted, as marvels of nature, their oases of palms.
The Shânbah bandits, who plunder every body, and brave heaven and earth,
nevertheless dare not lay a finger on them. I cannot better represent the
feelings of the Souf Arab, nor the "wild and burning range" of his
country, than by quoting the lines of Eliza Cook:

  "Through the desert, through the desert, where the Arab takes his course,
  With none to bear him company, except his gallant horse;
  Where none can question will or right, where landmarks ne'er impede,
  But all is wide and limitless to rider and to steed.

  No purling streamlet murmurs there, no chequer'd shadows fall;
  'Tis torrid, waste and desolate, but free to each and all.
  Through the desert, through the desert! Oh, the Arab would no change,
  For purple robes or olive-trees, his wild and burning range."

FOOTNOTES:

[53] It is now the fashion in French writers to represent the
    Arabic ‮غ‬ by the Roman R, as _R_'dames for _Gh_adames.

[54] ‮هرب الي الجبل‬

[55] _Fullans._--Mungo Park says: "The Foulahs are chiefly of a
    tawny complexion, with silky hair, and pleasing features."--M.
    D'Avezac says: "In the midst of the Negro races, there stands out
    a _métive_ (_mezzo-termino_?) population, of tawny or copper
    colour, prominent nose, small mouth, and oval face, which ranks
    itself amongst the white races, and asserts itself to be descended
    from Arab fathers, and Tawrode(?) mothers. Their crisped hair, and
    even woolly though long, justifies their classification among the
    _oulotric_ (woolly-haired) populations; but neither the traits of
    their features, nor the colour of their skin, allow them to be
    confounded with Negroes, however great the fusion of the two types
    may be." Major Rennell calls them the "Leucœthiopes of Ptolemy and
    Pliny." Mr. D'Eichthal thinks them to be of _Malay_ origin, on
    account of their language; but Dr. Pritchard considers them to be
    a genuine African race.




CHAPTER XII.

PREPARATIONS FOR GOING TO SOUDAN.

     His Excellency the Rais questions me on my rumoured Journey to
     Soudan.--The Devil has in safe keeping all who are not
     Mahometans.--I am wearing to a Skeleton.--A Caravan of
     Women.--Predestination.--The Shânbah begin their Foray.--The
     Gardens and their Products.--Varieties of the
     Date-Palm.--Locusts.--Brigands spare the Property of the Marabout
     Merchants of Ghadames.--Agricultural Implements in The
     Desert.--Violent capture of a Souf Caravan by the Governor.--Uses
     of the Date-Palm.--The Touarghee Bandit's opinion as to Killing
     Christians.--Combat between an Ant and a Fly.--Loose Phraseology
     in The Mediterranean.--Harsh Hospitality of the Souafah, and
     Usurpation over their Oases by the French.--Money disappearing
     from Ghadames.--The Affair of Messrs. Silva and Levi, and their
     connexion with Ghadamsee Slave-Dealers.--Visit, with his
     Excellency the Governor, the Ruins of _Kesar-el-Ensara_ "the
     Castle of the Christians."--Antiquity of Ghadames, and Account of
     it by Leo Africanus.


THE 23rd, 24th, and 25th, employed in writing letters. On one of these
days the Rais called me to him and asked, "Whether I really intended to
go to Soudan, as the people had reported to him?" I told him Yes, and
that I was already making preparations. His Excellency affected great
amazement, and looked exceedingly mysterious, but did not know what to
reply. At last he observed, "I must write to Ahmed Effendi of The
Mountains, and if he says you may go, all well, if not, you must not go."
I then asked the Rais, what I was to do in Ghadames? His Excellency said
anxiously, "Stay with me to keep me company. I am surrounded with
barbarians. I am weary of my life here." As the Rais spoke what I knew to
be the truth, I pitied him and said nothing, although I could not
understand this asking of permission from Ahmed Effendi, whom I knew to
be a queer customer to deal with. However, I interpreted the sense of
Colonel Warrington's letter to Rais, viz., "If I had friends I might
venture further into the interior, if not, stay where I was until I made
friends." I believe the sympathy of the Rais _sincere_, which is a great
deal for a Turk, or even any body else in this insincere and lying world.
He is a timid man, and is afraid the Touaricks will make an end of me.
What the Rais says is reasonable enough: "Bring me a Ghadamsee, or a
respectable Arab merchant whom I know, and who will take you with him,
and be answerable for your head (safety), and will protect you equally
with himself, then I have no fears for your safety." I took my friend
Zaleâ to the Rais, who is a native of Seenawan, and much respected by
all. The camels of the giant left to-day for Ghat, his giantship himself
waits to be conducteur of our caravan.

In replying to an observation about another increase of taxes of which
the people bitterly complained, I said, "The Mahometan princes are now
the greatest oppressors of the people, whilst the Christian kings are
more tolerant, and people enjoyed more security under our Governments."
My taleb replied, "Yes, it is the truth, Yâkob, and this is the reason.
The Devil knows that all the Christians, and Jews, and black _kafers_,
belong to him. So he troubles them not, they are his safe property and
sure possession. But he is always stirring up amongst us Mussulmans evil
passions, and leading our sovereigns to oppress the people, and one
Mussulman to oppress another." Such is the reasoning of a bigoted
Moslemite, and with him and others it has considerable force. Indeed, a
Christian stands a very poor chance with these subtle orthodox doctors.

_26th._--The mornings grow colder and colder. I feel the change
sensitively, more so than the natives; am exceedingly chilly. I perceive
the hot weather has dried up or torn off the flesh from my bones, and my
feet are very skinny. Attribute this a good deal to the water. Rais is
almost worn to a skeleton. This morning he called his servants to attest,
how stout he was when he first came here. But as the heat is gone, I
shall not now drink so much water. The more malicious, in revenge for
Turkish oppression here, hope and pray the Rais will die of the climate,
and every Turk who succeeds him.

To-day the Touarick _women_ leave for Ghat. No men go with them, only
some of their little sons. About ten women form this caravan. They have
camels to carry their water, and ride on occasionally when they are
fatigued. I asked a Ghadamsee whether these women were not afraid to go
by themselves, particularly now as banditti are reported to be in the
routes. He replied, "These Touarick women are a host of witches and
she-devils. No men will dare to touch them." This ghafalah of women is a
perfectly new idea to me. Some of the women are quite young and pretty,
and delicate, and don't appear as if they could bear twenty days'
desert-travelling. One said to me, "If you will go with us women, we will
take better care of you than the men can do."

_27th._--Occupied in writing. Rais paid me a visit in the afternoon. Gave
one of the slaves who came with him a pill-box, which highly delighted
the boy. I found when I visited Rais again, that his Excellency himself
had become so enamoured with the pill-box, as to purchase it from his
slave. Said continues bad with ophthalmia. The disease seems to attack
mostly people of this country, and not strangers. At any rate it would
seem that we require to be acclimated to catch these diseases, as well as
acclimated to resist them. Rais took it into his head to preach to me
about the decrees of Heaven. "You and I," said his Excellency, "were
great fools to come to this country; I to leave Constantinople, you to
leave London. But it was the decree of God that we should come to this
horrible country." The decrees of Heaven, or the acknowledgment of such,
are the _bonâ fide_ religion of Ghadames. "What do the people eat?" I
said to a man. He replied, "What is decreed!" Another interposed, "Don't
be afraid of the Touaricks; you will not die before the time which is
decreed by Heaven for you to die." Such is consolation in man's misery.
Are we to believe this? or why not believe it?

_28th_, _29th_, and _30th._--Employed in preparing routes of The Desert.
This evening the Governor received a letter from his spies in Souf, which
reports that the Shânbah had left their country four days before they
wrote, which is now fifteen days. It is not known whether the banditti
have taken the route to Ghat or Ghadames. His Excellency has taken
precautionary measures, and sent soldiers to look out in the routes near
our city. He has also sent to bring back a merchant who started yesterday
to Touat, and another to Derge. The freebooters are 100 horse, and 400
camels strong. The Giant Touarick taking the alarm, and mounting his
strongest and fleetest Maharee, has gone off to protect his family and
country. He was one of the expedition last year, and slew a dozen Shânbah
with his own hand. In the meanwhile _caravaning_ to all quarters is to be
stopped.

_31st._--Purchased an outfit for Said. Afterwards he would put them on,
and walked all over the town, and left me to cook the dinner myself. I
said nothing to him, humouring his vanity. No people are so fond of new
and fine clothes as Negroes.

_1st November._--A strong wind blowing from the south-east, or nearly
east. Not very cold, clouds thick and dark, and no sun. The music of the
wind in the date-palms is very agreeable, and tunes my soul to a quiet
sadness. The Ghadamsee merchant who was overtaken on his road to Tourat,
refuses to come back, and says he trusts in God against the Shânbah. Some
Souf Arabs have come in to-day, giving out that the French wish to assume
the sovereignty over their country. The able-bodied men of the united
oases are calculated at 2,000.

Visited the gardens with my taleb as _cicerone_. Was much gratified
with the rural ramble, although there is nothing remarkable to be
seen. The three principal productions are dates, of which there is a
great variety, some thirty or forty different sorts[56]; barley and
_ghusub_[57]. The ghusub is grown in the Autumn and the barley in
the Spring; in this way two crops of corn are reaped in the year. A
little wheat is now and then grown, but does not thrive. The native
date is the _madghou_ (‮مدغو‬) which is also common in Seenawan
and Derge. It is small and filbert-shaped, of a black colour, very
pleasant when fresh, but when dry very indifferent. I saw no black
dates in any other parts of The Sahara. The gardens furnish besides
a few vegetables and fruits, such as pomegranates, apricots,
peaches, almonds, olives, melons, pumpkins, tomatas, onions, and
peppers, a few grape-trees and fig-trees in the choicest gardens,
but all in small quantities. There is scarcely a flower or fancy
tree but the _tout_. No person of my acquaintance, except my
turjeman, showed much fancy for botany. He had brought an aloe from
Tripoli, and planted it in his garden. It is the only one. He has
another tree or two besides, which nobody else has. The merchants
have brought the varieties of the date-palm from the different oases
of The Sahara. Nearly every householder has a garden, and some
several. Sometimes a date plantation is divided between two or three
families, each cultivating and gathering the fruits of his pet
choice palm. Herbage is grown in the gardens for fattening the
sheep. Pounded date-stones both fatten sheep and camels. In summer
the gardens are intolerable, but in winter deliriously pleasant.
Sheikh Makouran is the largest landed-proprietor. He has seventeen
gardens; "nearly half the country," as a person observed. So Europe
is not the only place in the world where there is such an unequal
division of the land. The gardens are small, and the whole number is
some two hundred and odd, only the half of which are regularly
watered from the Great Spring. As the people can never depend upon
rain, the whole culture is conducted on irrigation. The Ghadamsee
garden-gate, of all the absurdities of inconvenience is the greatest
I ever met with. It is scarcely large enough for a small sheep to
enter. Every person entering a garden must not only stoop but crawl
through the gate. It is fortunate there are no lusty people here,
all being bony and wiry like the Arabs. Not being dependant on rain,
the gardens only suffer from the locusts, and now and then a
blighting wind. In the Spring of this year these insect marauders
passed over the oasis and made a pillage of the date blossoms for
thirty days, besides doing much damage to the barley. I encountered
a flight of the same horde, which emerged from The Desert and then
took to sea, and were scattered over to Malta and Sicily by the
wind, when I was travelling from Tunis to the isle of Jerbah late in
the Spring. From Ghadames they proceeded _en masse_ to Tripoli and
Ghabs, inflicting great damage. When they passed near the gardens of
Ghabs, the people climbed up the fruit-trees and made a great noise,
screaming and shouting, which kept them from settling in masses on
the fruit-trees and vegetables. They also kindled a fire and tried
to smoke them away. Many of those which did settle were gathered,
cooked, and eaten with great _gusto_ by the people. I met them
myself on the immense plains of Solyman; they were the first flight
of locusts I ever saw. I had seen locusts on the hills near Mogador,
where they are bred in great numbers. Millions of small green things
were just starting into being. The locust is a somewhat
disproportioned insect, the wings are too fine for the bulk and
weight of the body, which explains why they are unable to struggle
against the wind; as it is said in the Scriptures, "and when it was
morning the east wind brought the locusts." (Exod. x. 13.) They do
not fly high, and when they settle on the ground they roll over very
clumsily. A flight at a distance looks like falling flakes of snow
in a snow-storm. They are mostly of a reddish colour, with
lead-coloured bodies, and some of a glaring yellow. The yellow ones
are said to be the males, and are not so good eating as the others.
The locust tastes very much like a dry shrimp when roasted. They are
from an inch and a half to two and a half long. The head is large
and square, and very formidable. Hence the Scripture allusion: "and
on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces
were as the faces of men." (Rev. ix. 7.) But the prophecy gives them
a superadded power which they do not possess, "and unto them was
given power as the scorpions of the earth have power;" (v. 3.) for
when you catch the locust it makes little resistance and does not
bite. Few of these were eating, and most of them were either flying
or lay motionless basking in the sun, grouped in hundreds round
tufts of long coarse grass. My Moorish fellow-travellers didn't like
their appearance. They said the locusts are bad things, and came
from the hot country to devour their harvest. It was indeed, an
unpleasant sight, this horde of insect marauders, and soon lost the
charm of novelty. But the world is made up of the elements of
destruction and reproduction. Such is the eternal order of
Providence, and we must bear the evil and the good. I do not think
that they come far south or from the inner Desert, for they could
not be bred in regions of desolation, where there is no green thing.
Yet these flights were from the south of Ghadames, and at any rate
they are bred in the Saharan districts, from the banks of the Nile
to the shores of the Atlantic. The world is full of impostors. One
of these went once upon a time to Morocco, and endeavoured to
persuade the people he could destroy all the locusts by some
chemical process. I believe he was a French adventurer.

_2nd._--Occupied in taking notes of routes. The whole day overcast but no
rain. Rais alternately laughs and admires the Ghadamsee people. He was
endeavouring to prove to me what profound respect the bandits of The
Desert entertain for these Marabout people, and said, "If a camel of the
Ghadamseeah falls down in The Desert and dies, and no person present has
a camel to lend them, they leave the goods or the load of the camel on
the high road until they fetch one. Should a bandit pass by in the
meanwhile and see the goods, and recognize them to belong to an
inhabitant of Ghadames, he does not even touch them, but passes by and
calls for the blessing of Heaven upon the Holy City of The Desert." This,
one would say, is too good to be true, at the same time, I have no doubt
the banditti of The Desert have a species of religious respect for these
pacific-minded, unresisting merchants. I took an opportunity of asking
Rais about the use and value of his charms. His Excellency replied, "They
are to protect me when exposed to robbers like the Shânbah, or to other
evils. These charms will then render me great assistance." I I have
already said Rais is as big a ninny in these superstitious matters as any
of his Maraboutish subjects.

_3rd._--Am still in great doubt as to the route I shall take for the
interior. Every route has its separate advantages, and separate dangers.
In this perplexity what can I do but wait the turn of events? . . . . .
Another overcast morning, as dull and foggy as Old England's November. A
perfect Thames-London fog. I was accustomed to think that in the bright
sky of an African desert such a mass of cloud and haziness was
impossible. Still, though gloomy and drear, there is more boldness and
definiteness of outline than in England. After a person has been living
long under the bright skies of the Mediterranean, he may mistake a clear
winter's day on Blackheath, as I have done, for a moonlight, owing to the
want of those sharp angles by which nature draws her landscapes in
Southern Europe. To-day the face of the heavens has cast its shadows upon
the countenance of the population, for all is dull in business. Every one
is awaiting the result of the skirmishes between the Touaricks and the
Shânbah.

_4th._--A fine morning, and not very cold. No patients, everybody
apparently in health. My old friend Berka, the liberated slave, is now
occupied in turning or digging, or hoeing up a whole garden of good size,
about two days and a half's labour, for which he will receive one
Tunisian piastre! (Seven pence English money.) This is free labour. I am
sure the slave labour, the principal here, cannot be cheaper. The
implements of agriculture are few and simple in The Desert. Friend Berka
had but a small hoe, which is well described by Caillié, who saw it used
near Jinnee, and indeed it seems to be used throughout Central Africa.
This hoe is about a foot long, and eight inches broad; the handle, which
is some sixteen inches in length, slants very much. With this hoe they
turn up the earth instead of the plough, and prepare and open and shut
the squares of irrigated fields. For reaping they make use of a small
sickle without teeth. The caravans usually have a supply of these sickles
for cutting up Desert provender for the camels. The use of the hoe
requires constant stooping to the ground and is consequently laborious,
but the Saharan fields are very limited, and are soon hoed up. The
smallness of space is compensated by a redundant fertility, and double
and even treble crops in the course of the year. Passing by a group of
gossipping slaves to-day, one came running up to me and said, "Buy me,
buy me, and I will go with you to Ghat. I shall only cost you 100
mahboubs." This is humiliating enough, but those who offer their services
for sale, like hundreds in the metropolis of London, to write up a bad
cause and write down a good one, or to--

        "Make the worse appear
      The better reason--"

    "With words cloth'd in reason's garb--"

certainly perform a greater act of degradation than these poor debased
bondsmen.

A few evenings ago intelligence arrived that a Souf caravan of eight
camels and five persons were seen about a day and a half from this city,
proceeding in the route of Ghat. This gave rise to suspicions that the
news about the Shânbah and Touaricks was a hoax of the Souafah, in order
to frighten the people of Ghadames, and allow them (the Souafah) to get
first to the market of Ghat, and buy slaves cheaper. So reason the
merchants with the usual jealousy of such people. Rais, on receipt of
the above, summoned his Divan, and it was debated, "Whether the Souafah
should not be brought in here by force?" The question was decided in the
affirmative, and late at night, fourteen Arab soldiers, two Arabs of
Seenawan, intimately acquainted with the routes, and an official of the
Rais, went off to seize the caravan. This bold measure may bring us
unpleasant consequences. First of all, the Governor has no right to seize
a caravan in a district where the Sultan, his master, has no authority,
decidedly neutral ground, especially a caravan of strangers. Then the
Souafah, in revenge, may attack the caravans of Ghadames. Again, it is a
question whether the caravan will come in without fighting, for the
Souafah are tough men to deal with. It will be a poor excuse for the
Governor to plead before the Pasha, that the caravan was guilty of this
hoax, supposing it so, and giving this as the reason for seizing the
peaceable caravan of an independent state. Indeed, who shall decide that
they gave false intelligence of the Shânbah? And if they did, should this
be the punishment for spreading a false report? Many other disagreeable
thoughts occur. It is clear there is a violent infraction of
international law committed on our neighbour's (the Touarick's)
territory.

Talking with a gossip about the character of Moors, and he saying they
were "_friends of flous_ (money,)" _i. e._ mercenary, and adding that the
Touattee was the best fellow amongst them. Said, who was present, said to
me, "Yes, it is so, and because he is a black man." Said often repeats to
me, "In Soudan it will cost you nothing to live; being a stranger,
everybody will feed you in our country." Another free black took upon
himself to ridicule the constitution of the white man. "Ah," he cried,
"what is a white man! a poor weak creature; he can't bear Soudan heat; he
gets the fever, and dies. No, it is the black man that is strong, strong
always. He never droops or sinks! Look at the strength of my limbs." Such
are the traits of character of coloured men in this Saharan world. I add
another anecdote. Speaking to Berka one day, I said, "I shall have that
Tibboo himself sold as a slave; what right has he to bring people here as
slaves and sell them?" Berka mistook my meaning, thinking that, because
the Tibboo was black, I wished to have him sold and punished, and not for
being a slave-dealer, and the old gentleman got into a great passion,
sharply reprimanding me in this style: "Yes, Christian! drop that
language; when you get to Soudan you will find everybody black. Drop that
language; don't fancy, because the Tibboo is black, you can sell him.
Drop that language, for all are black there."

_7th._--This morning, after a pursuit of three days, our soldiers brought
in the Souf Arabs, which has made a great clamour in the town, as it
always happens in disputed cases, the people arranging themselves on
different sides as partisans, some for the Rais and others for the
Souafah. Called upon the Governor and told him I hoped he would not take
the _gomerick_ ("duties") for the goods of the caravan, as the people
were brought here against their will. His Excellency said he would not,
but merely reprimand them for spreading false news. It appears there is
some slight evidence of a hoax, but nothing to justify such a violent
measure. The Governor wants to make it out that they might have been
Shânbah, when it was well known before their capture they were Souafah.

Every part of the date-palm is turned to account. The fibrous net-work,
which surrounds the ends of the branches where they attach themselves to
the trunk, is woven into very strong and tough ropes, with which the legs
of camels are tied, and horses picketed. The very stones are split and
pounded, to fatten all animals here. The branches make baskets of every
kind; the dried leaves are burned, and the trunk builds the houses,
supplying all the beams and rafters. One day, on looking up to some palm
wood-work, the old men present said, "How old do you think that wood is,
Yâkob?" "I can't tell," I replied. They observed, "That wood is upwards
of three hundred years old. Indeed, we can't tell how long it has been
there. Our grandfathers found it there, and it looked just the same then
as now." It was large beams of the trunk of the tree, with platted thin
pieces of the boughs across them, forming a fantastic zig-zag joice of
wood ceiling. The fruit of the date-palm supports man, in many oases,
nine months out of twelve. In Fezzan, all the domestic animals, including
dogs, and horses, and fowls, eat dates. Such are some of the various and
important uses to which this noble tree is turned. The Saharan tribes,
likewise, are wont to live for several months of the year upon two other
products, viz., milk and gum. Milk I have mentioned as supporting the
Touaricks exclusively six or more months in the year. Gum, also, in the
Western Sahara, furnishes tribes with an exclusive sustenance for many
months. Even the prickly-pear, or fruit of the cactus, will support a
Barbary village for three months. It is, therefore, not surprising the
Irish peasant may live on potatoes and milk the greater part of the year.
The bead on the date-stone is the part (vital) whence commences
germination, and sprouts the new shoots of the palm. New shoots spring up
all over the oases, but particularly in those places where water is
abundant, and within and about the ducts of irrigation. These shoots are
collected for the new plantations, and the female plants carefully
separated from the males, and these latter destroyed. Only a few male
plants are kept for impregnation.

_8th._--Warm this morning, the cold weather gone apparently for a short
time. No patients. The long-expected ghafalah from Tripoli has arrived by
the way of Derge, avoiding the more dangerous route of Seenawan, by which
latter I came here. No mail. All the people now in a hurry to be off to
Ghat, as their goods have arrived. I begin to feel extremely irritable
and irresolute at the prospect of the new unknown Desert journey. The old
bandit called, and asked, "Well, are you going?" I answered, "Yes, very
soon, but I must first have a letter of permission from the Pasha of
Tripoli, so the Rais says, for the Pasha is greatly afraid you Touaricks
will cut my throat." "God! God! God!" exclaimed the bandit; "I'll risk my
head that you'll go on safe to Ghat and Aheer. But, as for those
villains, the Touaricks of Timbuctoo, those, I'll grant you, are
cut-throats." As I was about to take leave of the old brigand, I gave him
a piastre, and said, "Now tell me fairly, and as an honest man, what is
the reason that the Touaricks kill Christians, and why did they kill the
English officer who went to Timbuctoo?" "Stop, stop," the brigand
replied, very pleased with the piastre, "I'll tell you. There are three
reasons. First (scratching with his spear on the ground), the Christians
will not say that Mahomet is the prophet of God. Second (again scratching
with his spear on the ground), the Christians are the brothers of
Pharaoh, and have plenty of money; we are poor, we kill you for your
money. Third (again scratching), you wish to take our country. You have
nearly all the world; you have robbed us of Algeria, and Andalous. Why
don't you stop in the sea, where you are? We shall not come to you. We
don't like the sea." Seeing I could make nothing of the old sinner, so
cunning was he, I gave him a piece of sugar for his little son, and he
went away. I thought often of the words which I had recently read in the
Arabic, "The time will come when those who kill you will think that they
render service to God," (John xvi. 2,) when discussing so repeatedly this
question of the killing of Christians by the Touaricks with the Rais,
with the people of Ghadames, and with the Touaricks themselves. But has
this principle alone reference to the wild tribes of The Sahara? Has it
not had a pointed application in all the authenticated annals of the
world? Take our own era. The Jew thought he did service to God by killing
those who confessed Christ. Then the Imperial Roman, he immolated the
Christian who worshipped not the image of Cæsar. Then the Roman Christian
killed the heretic Donatist, lighting up the flames of persecution in
this Africa. Then the Catholic killed the Protestant, and deluged Europe
with a sea of blood. Thus in England we enacted our penal laws against
Catholics and Protestant Dissenters, some of which, to our shame, still
exist on the statute book. What a horrid heritage of murder for
conscience' sake has been transmitted to us in this nineteenth century?
And is the present fratricidal war in Switzerland unconnected with this
principle of blood and persecution! No; and again, no! How, then, can we
find fault with the barbarians of the Great Desert? Nay, contrarily,
those who follow me through The Desert, will find the Saharan Barbarians
infinitely more tolerant than the mild, and the gentle, and the polished,
and the educated, and the civilized, and the Christianized professors of
religion in our own great Europe!

This afternoon the first portion of the Ghadamsee Soudanic caravan left
for Ghat, consisting of about twenty-five camels, and some ten merchants
and traders. This is merely a detachment. The larger portion of the
population went to see them off, and several families were dressed in
their best clothes, as on festas. It is the usual custom on the departure
and return of caravans. Two or three mounted on saddled Maharees
accompanied the caravan a day's journey. I have many offers of the
people, as in The Mountains, to accompany me to Ghat: a strange
infatuation for such rigid Moslems as the Ghadamseeah!

To-day I witnessed in my court-yard or _patio_ a tremendous struggle
between an ant and a fly: both species of insects are very numerous in
Ghadames, and there is a great number of various coloured ants. The ant
got hold of the muzzle of the fly, or its neck, and there grasped it with
as firm a grasp as it is possible to conceive of one animal grasping
another. In vain the fly struggled and flapped its wings; over and over
again the combatants rolled as these weak defences beat the air: and yet
they must have had great force in them, for they flung over the ant, of a
good size, some hundred times. The struggle continued a full half hour. I
once or twice took them up on a piece of straw, but the ant never let go
its hold on the fly, and paid no attention to me. At last, the fly was
exhausted, and ceased to flap its tiny wings. The sanguinary ant
strangled the poor silly fly, as some sharper strangles or ruins his poor
dupe. After death, the ant seemed busy at sucking its blood. Satiated
with this, the ant attempted to convey the fly away, dead as it was, but
thinking better of the matter, the carcase was abandoned. I observed that
the combat went on in the midst of a thousand flies, but alas! these
rendered their fellow, in this his death-struggle, against a common foe,
no assistance. Such is the way the tyrants of the earth succeed! They
strike down the friends of freedom one by one, and the people, as silly
as the flies, leave their champions to struggle alone against the common
oppressor of mankind, only thinking of what they shall eat and drink, in
which fashion adorn themselves, and how they shall fill up sufficiently
the measure of their idle days of folly.

The whole phraseology of the Mediterranean is very loose in the
designation of persons and objects. The Italians call every
Mussulman _un Turco_, "a Turk." The French of Algeria call every
Mohammedan resident amongst them "_un Arab_." So the Moors and Arabs
here call all people who are not Mussulmans _Ensara_, ‮الانصرا‬,
"Christians," whether Pagans, Idolaters, or what not. I was writing
some information from the mouth of a Moor, and got into a scrape. He
told me there were plenty of _Ensara_ in Soudan, and I thought
these might be Abyssinian Christians, until I reflected that it was
merely the ordinary denomination of those who are not Moslemites.

_9th._--Slept very little during the past night; always dreaming of
Timbuctoo. The further an object is from you the nearer it is to your
thoughts. The morning broke with a violent wind from the south-east,
which is exceedingly disagreeable. Rais continues very gracious, and
sends me constantly cakes, being a portion of what he receives as
presents from the people.

I omit a great deal about Souf politics, not being anxious to worry the
reader with French and Tuniseen Saharan diplomacy. But a Souafee's notion
of hospitality is rather, I should think, rigid. I said to a Souafee,
whose acquaintance I have made, "I shall come to your country, and write
all about it."

"If you dare," he replied, "by G--d, the people will immediately cut your
throat."

_I._--"I will get an _amer_ ('order') from the Bey of Tunis, which will
protect me."

"No, no," rejoined the Souafee, "the people will tear the amer to pieces,
and set the Bey, the French, and all Christians, at defiance."

No doubt the Souafah, the most interesting Arabs of all this region, are
very fierce of their independence, which explains their jealousy of the
French, and their determinedly withholding any mark of sovereignty, in
the way of tribute, from the Bey of Tunis. It appears, however, two or
three of the small districts have really consented to pay a tribute to
the French, an act of decided usurpation on the part of France, as the
Souf oases "formerly did acknowledge" the sovereignty of Tunis. It is,
nevertheless, a pleasing trait in the character of the Souafah, that they
have permitted some thirty families of Jews to settle amongst them, a
concession not yet made by the Marabouts of Ghadames.

Within my couple of months' residence here, how rapid has been the
impoverishment of the country! Everything gets worse and worse. Now, it
is almost impossible to get change for a Tunisian piastre. I've been two
days trying to get change, and have not yet succeeded. The money in
circulation is principally Tunisian piastres; but since the Turks have
come, Turkish money also passes. There are, besides, a quantity of
Spanish dollars and five-franc pieces. Apparently, all the money has left
the country, or is hidden by the people. A good deal, I have no doubt,
has been hidden within a few weeks. The Governor himself laments that he
changed a dollar yesterday for two karoubs (two pence) less than its
current value in Tripoli. His Excellency is very low-spirited, and very
sick. His Excellency prays that the Pasha will allow him to return to
Tripoli a few months. Being a good man, the system of extortion which he
is obliged to put in practice to meet the demands of the Pasha, makes his
heart sick. His Excellency assured me, that if the Souf Arabs had not
lately brought some money, with which they purchased slaves for the
markets of Algeria, there would have been no money left in the country.
The merchants say their affairs must now be transacted in the way of
barter, as in Soudan. I am particular in noticing these things, and the
cause of the impoverishment of these unhappy people, as showing the curse
of the Turkish system on the transactions of commerce.

My taleb wrote in my journal this splendid Arabic proverb:

الرجال سناديق مغلقة ومفاتحها التجريب صدور الرجال
    سنادق الاسرار

"Men are locked-up boxes--experience opens them; the bosom of man is a
box of secrets."

_10th._--To-day I ran about town to tire myself, in order to sleep at
nights. This morning, one of the two expected ghafalahs of Tripoli,
consisting of 117 camels and twenty traders of Ghadames, arrived; the
other ghafalah will arrive in a few days. The ghafalah has brought goods
only for the interior. The merchants just come report in town, "That
Yâkob (myself) has written to the English Consul of Tripoli, informing
him how _Aaron_ (_Signor Silva_) lends money and goods to the merchants
of Ghadames, with which goods and money to go into the interior, and
traffick in slaves." This is substantially correct; but it was written in
confidence to Colonel Warrington, and to no other person in Tripoli. I
expressly begged Colonel Warrington not to divulge the fact, or my
mention of such a matter, until I was out of the lion's mouth of the
slave-dealing interests of this part of North Africa. The Consul,
however, deemed it his duty to disregard my request, and to divulge or
violate this confidence, and posted up a placard on the door of the
Tripoline Consulate, stating, "That certain merchants, under British
protection, were accused of slave-dealing with the merchants of Ghadames,
and calling upon them to clear themselves from such an imputation." Of
course, as there was nobody else likely to make such an accusation but
myself, being well known as an anti-slavery man in Tripoli, the public
attention was at once directed to me as the accuser. The other merchant
alluded to is Mr. Laby (Levi), a Barbary Jew, and the head of a house in
Tripoli. Mr. Silva is also a Jew, but from Europe. This report,
circulating from mouth to mouth, has created a tremendous sensation in
Ghadames; and the people fancy they see in it not only a blow aimed at
them and the slave-trade, but the final ruin of their commerce, already
sufficiently crippled by the oppression of the Turks. I am, therefore,
obliged to Colonel Warrington, not so much for facilitating my progress
in the interior, as for increasing my difficulties a hundred-fold. I was
astonished that a high functionary, of thirty-three years' experience in
these countries, should have committed such an act of egregious
indiscretion, exposing the life of a fellow countryman to such increased
danger, who was already without any kind of guaranteed protection. If I
had been murdered in The Desert tract from Ghadames to Ghat, it would
have most justly been attributed to the placard placed on the doors of
the Consulate at Tripoli. Justice requires from me, however, that I
should state an indiscretion also on my part. I wrote to the Consul that
I had communicated the charge against Messrs. Silva and Levi to the
Secretary of the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, and did not
add, as I ought perhaps to have done, that I had likewise begged of Mr.
Scoble not to make the charge public for the present. Colonel Warrington
was afraid the charge would be known in London before he had reported
upon it, and in this way his Consulate might suffer in the eyes of
Government. Now I shall not trouble the reader with the proof of the
charge. It must already have been seen, that as the merchants of Ghadames
are drained of all their capital by the Turkish Government, they, the
merchants of Ghadames, are obliged to fall back upon the merchants of
Tripoli, who will give them credit, some of which latter are under
British protection. So Sheikh Makouran complained to me he could not now
trade without the credit of Silva, so the people told me the house of
Ettanee, the other great mercantile firm of this country, had received
several thousand dollars' worth of goods on credit from the Messrs. Laby,
and so the Rais frequently has told me, the money of the merchants of
Ghadames is in the holding of those of Tripoli, who are mostly under
European protection. The question is, whether such a state of things can
be brought under the provision of Lord Brougham's Act, for preventing
British merchants from trading in slaves, or aiding others to trade in
slaves, in foreign countries. It is a very delicate subject, because the
modes of evading the Act, by private and secret contracts, are
innumerable. British juries are also unwilling to convict parties under
this Act, and the case of Zulueta failed not so much from the want of
evidence as from the unwillingness of the jury to come to an impartial
decision on the evidence.

Whilst reflecting upon my very critical position, my poor Said came in
from the streets very much cast down, and very sulky.

"What's the matter?" I asked.

"Oh!" blubbered Said, "the people are all talking about your telling the
Consul that the Jews lend them goods to trade in slaves. They hate you
now."

"Never mind," I returned, "it will pass away soon."

Said had already become a staunch abolitionist, both from principle and
circumstances, and often asked me, "When the English would put down the
slave-trade in Tripoli?" Said is by no means so stupid as I first took
him to be. I immediately determined not to go out for two or three days
until the excitement had somewhat abated. In the evening I had many
visitors, who all spoke of my accusation against Levi and Silva. I met
the accusations by a deprecatory proposal of this kind: "Would the
Ghadamsee merchants consent to abandon the traffic in slaves, on the
conditions that some English merchants would furnish them with goods on
credit at a lower rate than that which they obtained them from Levi and
Silva: if so, I would write about it to the Consul? And, likewise, I
would ask the Consul to get their Soudan goods charged only five per
cent. importation, which was the sum paid for European goods coming into
Tripoli; thereby equalizing the per centage of the imports and exports."
My merchant friends received this proposal very favourably, and swore
there was no profit in slaves, and declared themselves ready to give up
the traffic. Some proposed that they should try the gold trade of
Timbuctoo, and leave the Soudan trade altogether. The traffic to Soudan
is two-thirds in slaves or more. I knew, however, that to expect such a
thing from the Turks, was all but hopeless,--their grand maxim of
Government being to depress and to destroy, not to help and build
up,--and I made to them the proposition chiefly with the object of
diverting the odium of the accusation from myself. But yet, who does not
see that the proposal is well worthy the attention of any Government
that wishes to establish in Africa a legitimate commerce, a system of
trade which a good man and a good Government may approve of and support?

Sixty Arab soldiers came yesterday from The Mountains to protect the
people whilst they are building the caravansary of Emjessem. A merchant
made a present to-day of some slave neck-irons and leg-irons to the Rais.
His Excellency said to me, "I had none before, it was necessary to have
some of these things, in case they should be wanted for the banditti who
might be captured." A person justly observed, "Before the _Truk_ (Turks)
we had no need of these things, except for runaway slaves, and we seldom
used them." The Irishman who discovered himself to be in a civilized
country from the erection of a gallows, might have equally proved the
advance of civilization in The Sahara from this fact.

_11th._--Feel greatly discomposed on account of the news which has
transpired respecting the joint dealings of Silva and Levi with our
Ghadamsee merchants. One trouble succeeds another, as the angry waves
beating on the rocky shore. First the pain of delay, then sickness, now
other matters, then the prospect of a dangerous journey through The
Desert, with a people who may look upon me with dislike, distrust, and
every kind of suspicion. . . . . . In the past night, blew a gale from
the north-west. Slept very little. Also troubled with a large boil.
Received a visit from some of my old Arab friends of the Rujban
Mountains, who regaled themselves with bread and dates. Called on the
Rais, who was as friendly as ever. If his Excellency have heard the
report, he has the delicacy to say nothing about it. His Excellency told
me he had dispatched ninety-two _shatahs_, or mails, during the fifteen
months which he has been in Ghadames. It is reported in town, that Signor
Silva is in a great fright, and fears being arrested by the British
Consul at the order of the Queen. A notary visited me to-day, laughed at
the news of Silva, and was very friendly; he protested the people got
nothing by slave-dealing. Begin to feel relieved, but I see clearly some
discouraging circumstances. My taleb comes in as usual, but the turjeman
is frightened and keeps away. Several of the merchants positively affirm,
that now, since the market of Tunis is shut, and the Pasha takes ten
dollars duty on each slave, there is no profit in slave-dealing. However,
news has arrived from Ghat that a great many slaves are coming with the
next caravan from Soudan.

This evening was glad to go with the Rais to see the ruins of
_Kesar-El-Ensara_, ‮قصر الانصرا‬, "The Castle of the
Christians," although I had seen them often before. It was a great
relief to me. The Rais put his head down to the vaults under the
ruins to listen to the conversation of the _Jenoun_, or "Demons."
His Excellency said he thought he heard the Demons talking. The
ruins are situate about half a mile from the walls of the city S.SW.
All the piles have a small vault under them, apparently for water,
but it might have been an excavated tomb. The people pretend that
these ruins are four thousand years of age. A son of the late Yousef
Bashaw, on a visit to Ghadames, about thirty years ago, to amuse
himself and frighten the demons, blew up a large portion of the
ruins with gunpowder. Previously the ruins were much more perfect
and imposing. I have made a sketch of what remains of these ancient
buildings. The style of the buildings can be easily distinguished
from the modern by its being composed of a very white cement and
small stones, half the size of ordinary paving stones, the cement
being in a large proportion. My turjeman once pointed out to me a
piece of the ancient walls of the city, still remaining, exactly
corresponding to these ruins. I have seen frequent ruins of ancient
Roman walls, representing the same kind of building in North Africa.
This Kesar-El-Ensara, together with the bas-relief, and the Latin
inscription, copied by a Moor from a tomb-stone, beginning with the
words "_Diis Manibus_," are more than sufficient evidence to prove
that Ghadames was "colonized," as it was called, by the Romans, and
probably earlier by the Greeks and Carthaginians. The same Moorish
prince who blew up the ruins, carried away also to Tripoli the
tomb-stone, from which a Moor copied the inscription, and which
transcript I brought with me from Ghadames. The copyist of this
inscription says, he affixed the Arabic letters in order that the
Mussulman might compare them with the Christian letters and find out
their sense, but he himself did not know what were their meaning. On
returning from Kesar-El-Ensara, we looked around and were painfully
impressed with the appalling barrenness of The Sahara. The Rais
said, "Ah, these people, little know they what a garden is my
country compared to this!" The Rais then stumbled over a small
solitary herb and exclaimed instinctively, _Hamdullah_, "Praise to
God," picking it up. What attracted our attention was the almost
infinite number of small serpentine camel-tracks, wriggling
endlessly through the wastes of The Sahara. The Rais said, "Those
Touaricks are incarnate Genii! they know all these paths:" pointing
south towards Ghat.

[Illustration]

Ghadames, ‮غدامس‬, is the ancient _Cydamus_, the name being
precisely the same. In the year 19 before our era, it was subjugated
by Cornelius Balbus, being at that period in the possession of a
people called Garamtes. The Romans are said to have embellished it,
and probably built the fortifications whose ruins have been just
described. In an ancient itinerary, from Tunis to Ghadames, we find
the following names of stations, viz., Berezeos, Ausilincli, Agma,
Augemmi, Tabalata, Thebelami and Tillibari. Leo Africanus, gives the
subjoined account of Ghadames:

GADEMES, ABITAZIONE.--Gademes è una grande abitazione, dove sono molti
castelli e popolosi casali, discosti dal mare Mediterraneo, verso
mezzogiorno, circa a trecento miglia. Gli abitatori sono ricchi di
possessioni di datteri, e di danari, perciocchè sogliono mercatantare nel
paese de' Negri: e si reggono da lor medesimi, e pagano tributo agli
Arabi; ma prima erano sotto il re di Tunis, cioè il luogotenente di
Tripoli. E vero che quivi il grano e la carne sono molto cari.--(Part
vi., chap. Lii.)

FOOTNOTES:

[56] In the Tunisian Jereed there are more than two hundred
    different varieties. Some thrive in one kind of soil, and some in
    another. At first it is difficult for a stranger to distinguish
    these varieties, but when his eye becomes practised, he can easily
    do so at a great distance.

[57] _Ghusub_, ‮قسب‬, a species of millet. _Pennisetum Tyhoideum._
    Rich. It is called _drâ_ in Tunis and _bishma_ in Tripoli.




CHAPTER XIII.

PREPARATIONS FOR GOING TO SOUDAN.

     Weariness and Exhaustion in Preparating and Waiting to
     Depart.--Cold intensely set in.--Excitement of the Messrs. Silva
     and Levi affair subsiding.--Suffer from Bad Health.--Pet
     Ostrich.--Longevity in The Desert.--Mahometan Doctrine of
     Judicial Blindness.--Custom of Dipping and Sopping in
     Meats.--Mahometan Propositional Form of Doctrine.--The Wild-Ox,
     or _Bughar Wahoush_.--Salting and Drying Meat for
     Preservation.--My Friend, the Arab Doctor.--Ravages of Shânbah
     Brigandage.--The Immemorial Character of the Arab.--Excess of
     Transit Duties.--Person and Character of Rais
     Mustapha.--Character of Sheikh Makouran.--Testimonial of the
     People of Ghadames in my Favour.--Personal Character of my Taleb
     and Turjeman.--Quarrel with a Wahabite.--Said gets Saucy and
     Unruly, and development of his Character.--Purchase my _Nagah_ or
     she-Camel.--Departure from Ghadames, and False Report of the
     appearance of the Shânbah.


_12th._--SLEPT little during the night. Sorry I can't read during the
nights on account of my eyes. But somewhat improved in health. Saw
several merchants who say nothing of the Levi and Silva business. I'm in
hopes this subject will not be agitated during the few days I have to
remain in Ghadames. The second ghafalah has arrived but brings me
nothing, not even the medicines ordered from Tripoli. Patience! What can
be done? The Governor affected this evening to be very indignant against
the son of Yousef Bashaw for destroying the ruins of Kesar-El-Ensarah.
The Turks are becoming antiquaries, and, perhaps, begin to see the
uselessness and folly of destroying ancient buildings for the sake of
destroying them, even though they belong to an infidel age. To their
credit, the Moors themselves are fond of antiquity in churches, and will
patch up a marabet or mosque as long as they can. The Rais, still
frightened, suggests that I should return to Tripoli. But I cannot now, I
will not. I ought not, for I have acted over all the pains and perils of
the journey to Soudan many days and nights, and exhausted myself with
expectations, casualties, probabilities and conceivabilities, &c., &c. I
am now, in truth, suffering all sorts of maladies, mental and bodily.
Such is the wretched existence we are doomed to sustain! And yet is not
this our mortal existence a still greater curse to the man, who lives
without an object and without an aim?

_13th._--Talk of heat and the burning desert, I had last night an attack
of cold, which I shall not forget to the latest day of my life! My limbs
all shrunk together, my teeth chattered, and I did not know what pains or
disease was about to come upon me. This happened whilst undressing. I
immediately dressed myself in all my thickest heaviest clothes, lay down,
and in twenty minutes happily recovered from the attack. But scarcely
slept all night, got a few winks of sleep this morning. I attribute all
this to the nervous agitation of advancing into The Desert without a
guide or friend, on whom I can rely, combined with the severity of the
season fast setting in. Glad to see the sensation of the Silva business
dying away. People begin to laugh at me about it, and call the Consul
_Sheytan_ for disclosing the purport of a letter written confidentially
to him. However, I cannot conceive that Colonel Warrington was influenced
by any other feelings than those which resulted from a strict sense of
duty. Apparently zealous in the performance of his public avocations, he
was determined to discharge them at any cost, even at the sacrifice of
the life of a fellow-countryman. This is all I can now say about the
matter. Fortunately I was well known here, and the people could not
believe that it was from any ill-will to them that I denounced the
parties, which I hope the reader will give me credit for; nor, indeed,
could I have any hostile feelings against the Tripoline merchants. What I
wish, and I imagine every friend of Africa does the same, is to see a
legitimate commerce established in The Desert. It is curious to hear the
Touatee. He says he is sure I never wrote the letter at all, although I
tell him I did, and believes it an invention of people in Tripoli. He
won't believe his friend Yâkob would breathe a syllable against the
people of Ghadames.

_14th._--Slept very little during the night and cannot. Am really reduced
to very low disagreeable feelings. Have an immense boil on my back, and
another on my arm, which I attribute to the effect of the climate on my
constitution, or to drinking Ghadames water.

News have come of the Shânbah having left their sandy wilds on a
free-booting expedition, leaving only the old men, women, and children
behind, for these banditti propagate through all time a race of Saharan
robbers, the scourge of The Desert. Five weeks ago they took their
departure towards Ghat, and it is thought they wish to intercept our
caravan now leaving. Also a skirmish has taken place between some Souafah
banditti and Arabs of Algeria. These banditti were routed, leaving
eighteen dead on the field and many camels.

An ostrich, caught at Seenawan, has been brought in here and presented
to the Rais. His Excellency promised to give him to me if I will return
from Soudan _viâ_ Ghadames. He is a young bird and amuses us much,
running about the streets, picking up things in character of scavenger.
People are trying to make him lie down at the word of command. "Kaed,
(lie down)," cries one, "Kaed," another; at length the stunned and
stupefied bird lies down.

_16th._--Occupied 13th, 14th, and 15th in writing letters. Received a
letter from Dr. Dickson, of Tripoli, expressing friendly feelings. He has
prepared some more medicines, packed them up, and charged them to me.
Received a very friendly letter also from Colli, Sardinian Consul at
Tripoli. Mr. Colli is a fine classical scholar, and the only consul I
have met with in North Africa who pays any attention to classical
literature. The late Mr. Hay of Tangier, had the reputation amongst some
people of being a classical scholar.

Continue unwell and in low spirits, or as the Negroes say, am possessed
by the _Boree_ ("blue devils.") Days are short, and nights tedious and
painful to me, as I cannot use my eyes by lamp-light, on account of a
slight continued ophthalmia. Nothing remarkable to-day. If you want to
feel alone in the world, which at times has its advantages, go into The
Desert.

_17th._--To my great satisfaction the mail arrived this morning, bringing
letters and newspapers. The Governor is very friendly and is in better
health. Quarrelled with Ben Mousa, my taleb, for eating Said's dinner
when I was out of the way; to-day Said got him reconciled to me. Haj
Mansour's family consists of thirty-two persons, all living in one house.
This is the great _quasi_ negro-merchant before mentioned. His father
died a Saharan veteran of the age of one hundred and one. He had been
more than a hundred times over The Desert trading. Yesterday died a man
at the age of ninety-six. There are several women now living more than
eighty. How long these poor creatures survive their feminine charms! A
woman in The Desert gets old after thirty. I think, from what I have
heard, people live to a great age in this and other oases--if not to a
good and happy old age. Some remarkable cases of longevity in The Desert
have been narrated by Captain Riley. Said says the people rob us
desperately when they make our bread. We usually buy the wheat and have
it ground and made into bread at the same time. I tell Said we must
expect this sort of pilfering where there are so many hungry people.

My taleb began his interminable discussions on religion. He said he had
hoped that I should have recognized Mahomet as the prophet of God, being
acquainted as I was with Arabic, the language of truth and unmatched by
any language in the world[58]. I replied language was not enough, other
things were necessary; besides, indeed, some of the Mussulman doctors had
said the Koran could be imitated and even excelled. The taleb replied, "A
lie! the doctors were heretics and infidels, it is impossible to imitate
the Koran's beautiful language," citing the well-known words of
Mahomet:--

"_Answer._--Bring therefore a chapter like unto it; and call whom you
may to your assistance, besides God, if ye speak the truth."--(Surat ii.,
entitled "Jonas.")

The taleb then turned to my turjeman, who was present, and cited another
passage, thinking I did not understand what it was. The passage quoted
was the famous anathema of judicial blindness denounced against
infidels:--

"As to the unbelievers, it will be equal to them whether thou admonish
them, or do not admonish them; they will not believe. God hath sealed up
their hearts and their hearing; a dimness covereth their sight, and they
shall suffer a grievous punishment."--(Surat ii., entitled "the Cow.")

This is evidently an imitation[59] of our Scriptural passages, of which
there are several:

"Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,
saying, Go unto this people and say, Hearing ye shall hear and shall not
understand, and seeing ye shall see and not perceive. For the heart of
this people has waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and
their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and
hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be
converted, and I should heal them."--(Acts xxviii. 25, 26, 27.) So we
have in John x. 26:--"But you believe not because you are not of my
sheep."

Besides these imitations, Mahomet has made differences for the sake of
differences. So the Sabbath of the Moslemites is on the Friday, because
that of the Christians and Jews is on the Saturday and Sunday. I taxed my
taleb with his quotation. He did not flinch or blink a hair of the
eyelid, but said, "You Christians cannot believe if you would, because
God has blinded your eyes and hardened your hearts." "Why do you complain
of us?" I remonstrated. "I do not complain," he rejoined, "it is all
destined." I then related a story of predestination which I had heard, of
one man asking another, "If all things were predestined?" and he
replying, "Yes;" the questioner immediately threw him out of the window,
saying, "Well, that is also predestined." An old Moor sitting by, very
attentively listening, exclaimed immediately, "Well, even that throwing
out of the window, Yâkob, was also predestined." Said then brought in
some stewed meat. I gave my theological disputants, reasoning--

    "Of Providence, foreknowledge, will and fate,
     Fix'd fate, free will, foreknowledge absolute,
     And found no end, in wandering mazes lost,"

some bread, and they began breaking it and dipping it in the gravy of the
meat, the invariable custom here. Spoons they abominate, it is either
their fingers, or sopping. The Biblical reader will easily recognize the
custom. I took the Testament and read to the taleb this passage:--"And,"
said Jesus, "He it is to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it;
and he took a sop and gave it to Judas Simon Iscariot."--(John xiii. 26.)

The taleb was greatly delighted, and said, "Yes, so it was in all times
before the infidels introduced knives and forks and spoons to eat with."
I observed it was much more cleanly to eat with knives and forks than
with one's fingers, but it was useless. He only replied, "There's water
always to wash your hands." The sop mentioned in the passage cited might
consist of a piece of bread dipped into a dish of fat or broth. So all
Ghadames people eat, dipping pieces of bread, as they break them from a
loaf, into fat or broth, or other dishes of this sort. We shall find, for
what cause I cannot tell, the Touaricks using spoons, and spoons which
are made in Central Africa, and distributed throughout The Sahara amongst
the Touarghee tribes. This little circumstance would seem to be an
argument against the Oriental origin of the Touaricks, for, eternally
dipping and sopping, and sopping and dipping with the fingers, is
coextensive with the migrations of the Arabs and other tribes from the
East. Jews were the first to introduce knives and forks into Mogador,
because they have not the same religious scruples on this head as
Mohammedans. Barbary Jews do it in imitation of their European brethren.
I shall trouble the reader with another display of the sectarian zeal of
my taleb.

To make a proposition, or a double proposition, of a form of the orthodox
Christian faith, I had constructed the following, in imitation of the
double proposition of the Mahometans, (that is--

     ‮لا لله الّا الله ومحمّد رسول الله‬
    "There is one God, and Mahomet is the prophet of God,")

     ‮لا لله الّا الله ويسوع ابن الله‬
    "There is one God, and Jesus is the son of God."

The first proposition is seen to be the same; whilst the divine
nature of the Saviour, which is the distinguishing feature of the
Christian religion as looked upon by Mussulmans, is added in the words
‮ابن الله‬. The number of syllables is precisely the same, the
‮و‬ being merely considered as the connecting link of the two
propositions. But the term ‮عيسي‬ would be much preferable to
‮يسوع‬, being the classic Arabic term. In teaching Christian
doctrine to Mussulmans, and, indeed, to all people, it is necessary
to adapt our style and language to their style and language and mode
of conception. The Catholics, however, carried the adaptation too
far when they turned the statues of Jupiter and the Emperors into
those of the Apostles and Saints. For the Jews, the proposition
could be made thus:--

     ‮لا لله الّا الله ويسوع هو المسيح‬
    "There is one God, and Jesus is the Messiah;"

or as we find the proposition in the first verse of the first chapter of
St. Mark,

     ‮[لا لله الّا الله]  ويسوع المسيح ابن الله‬
    "There is one God, and Jesus, the Messiah, is the Son of God."

This, being more full of doctrine, including both the divinity
and Messiahship of The Saviour, would, perhaps, be the preferable
form of the latter proposition. I showed the taleb these
propositions, and he was greatly exasperated, adding it was
blasphemy to connect Christian and Jewish ideas with "the Word of God"
(‮كلام الله‬). He added, oddly enough, "Such impious things
had never been before done in this holy place, this sacred Ghadames."

_18th._--The Rais makes a last effort to persuade me to return to The
Mountains, and take the route of Fezzan, adding as a reason, which
tourists would very properly consider an objection, "that I knew now the
route to The Mountains." I rejoined, "From what I have seen of the people
of Ghadames, and even the Touaricks, I think I may trust them as well as
the people of Tripoli." _The Rais_: "Well, you are your own master; the
Pasha says you may go if you like. The Ghadamseeah and Touaricks are one
people; make friends with them. But I'm sorry, after you have seen all my
kindness to you, my advice is nevertheless rejected." The Rais now saw I
was inexorable, and left off advising.

To-day some wild-ox, _bughar wahoush_[60],--‮بقر وحوش‬ was
brought in from The Desert. This is the hunting time, which lasts three
months, and the flesh of this animal supplies a very good substitute
for beef. Indeed, the animal is a species of buffalo, but very
small, sometimes not much larger than a good-sized English sheep.
They are hunted in the sands to the north-west by Souf Arabs, who
are excellent hunters, and pursue the chase twenty days together
through the sandy regions. People pretend the bughar wahoush does
not drink; perhaps they don't drink much. But both the wild ox and
the aoudad are occasionally caught near the wells, a sufficient
proof they sometimes drink water. I cooked some, and found it of
excellent flavour. People call this animal also medicine. I
purchased half of one to salt for my journey to Ghat, but spoilt it
by too much salting. The salt ate away all the flesh from the bones.
I neglected the advice of Said, who assured me people salt meat very
little in Soudan. Indeed, they frequently cut the meat into strips
and dry it in the sun without salting. In this way caravans are
provisioned over The Desert. I ate some, and found it very good. My
Arab friend, the old doctor, brought me a small prickly shrub, which
he calls _El-Had_, ‮الحد‬, and says it has powerful purgative
qualities, purging even the camels. It abounds in The Sahara.

We, The Desert Quack and English Quack, bandy compliments together.

_Desert Quack._--"Whilst you are here, you are the Sublime Doctor
(Ettabeeb Elâttheem)." [As much as to say, "When you are not here, I am
The Sublime Doctor."]

_English Quack._--"How? No, you are always The Sublime Doctor. I am at
your disposal. I am your slave."

_Desert Quack._--"Impossible! Haram, it is prohibited. You are the wise
doctor, you know all things."

_English Quack._--"How many people have you killed by your physic?"

_Desert Quack_ [surprised at this abrupt and impertinent question].--"God
forefend that I should kill any one! But sometimes _Rubbee_ (God) takes
away my patients, and sometimes they get better. But whether they die or
live, people always say, 'It is written (predestined).'"

I then related the story of Gil Blas, who bled to death the rich lady,
under the precepts of Dr. San Grado, and was challenged in mortal combat
by the suitor of the fair dame. On which he observed, "Gil Blas was a
dog. I trust the other man killed him. Here we bleed, but we always know
when blood enough is left in a man to keep him alive."

"How do you know that?" I replied.

_The Taleb._--"1st. I see if he sinks down. 2nd. I ask Rubbee. 3rd.
Sometimes the Jenoun (demons) tell me. 4th. If he dies, what matter? Is
it not the will of God?"

_19th._--Great preparations are now going on for the departure of the
ghafalah to Ghat and Soudan. An order has come from the Pasha, that the
Rais may take 2,500 instead of 3,250, less 750. This the people must pay.
And I hear the poor wretches have at last consented to swallow the bitter
pill. Every man, having a small property, or a householder, will pay each
five mahboubs; the merchants considerably more. A little by little, till
the vitals of this once flourishing oasis are torn out, and it becomes as
dead as The Desert around it.

_20th._--This morning a slave ghafalah arrives from Ghat with forty
slaves. Two escaped _en route_. What could the poor creatures do in
The Desert? They must have perished very soon. The ghafalah brings
important news. The Shânbah, 700 strong, had been ravaging the
country of the Ghat Touaricks, and had murdered thirty-seven people.
The Touaricks were arming, and in pursuit of the Shânbah assassins.
Besides this, the Shânbah have captured a Ghadamsee ghafalah,
escorted by Touaricks, not respecting a jot the Maraboutish
character of this city. It consisted of thirty camels, laden mostly
with the property of our merchants. Sheikh Makouran himself lost
2,000 mahboubs. Total loss for the merchants here is about 15,000
dollars. It is the caravan which left these two months ago, and took
a letter for me to the Governor of Ain Salah. Both letters have been
unlucky; the one sent to Ghat could not be delivered because the
Governor was changed; and this one, I imagine, has fallen into the
hands of the Shânbah. Two slaves escaped with a water-skin. They
then fell in with some Touaricks, who gave them a little bread, and
in this dreadful plight they got to Ghat. One died after his
arrival. What became of the Touaricks is not yet known. They are
probably massacred. I made the acquaintance of these luckless
Touaricks, and gave them some medicine to take to Touat. In this
foray the Shânbah killed a little child of three years old. When
they struck down a man, they ripped open his belly and left him.
These Shânbah banditti (who, to my surprise, are lauded in the
French works published by the Minister of War, as the most
enterprising camel-drivers and merchants in The Sahara,) are,
without doubt, what the people say here, the vilest and most
bloodthirsty miscreants in The Desert. How strange it is they are
Arabs! It is always the Arab, who is the most thorough-going,
hereditary, eternal robber of The Desert! Is it because we read,
"And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and
every man's hand against him?" The disposition for brigandage in
the soul of the Arab was a proverb of Jewish antiquity. So we have,
‮כַּעֳרָבִי בַּמִּדְבַּר‬, "As the Arabian in the Wilderness." My
Arabic translation, which was done by the Missionaries of the Roman
Church, follows some of the ancient versions, and renders it ‮مثل
اللّص‬ "like the thief in the Desert" (See Jeremiah iii. 2.) Still,
Mr. D'Israeli thinks there's nothing like Arab blood, if we read
aright his "Tancred," and would have us regenerate the old effete
race of Europe by this fiery and bloodthirsty Oriental barbarian, as
the Arabian stallion improves our dull race of horses. It is
reported, in town, "When the Shânbah cut to pieces the thirty-seven
Touaricks, one man was left untouched amidst the slaughter, owing
his safety to his _Ajab_, ‮عجب‬ (amulets), which he wore in great
profusion." This lucky charm-clad fellow saw the whole business from
first to last, unmoved amidst the commingled cries of the victims
and their slaughterers, and made a full report to the Touarghee
chiefs. Talking to Rais about this slaughter, his Excellency
observed, in the spirit of true Turkish policy, "So much the better.
Let the Touaricks and Shânbah slaughter one another, as long as we
are left unharmed. The less of them the better for us." So the Turks
have always dealt with the quarrels of the Arab tribes in Barbary,
rather blowing up the flames of their discord than pacifying them.
The Shânbah drove away a thousand camels, besides sheep and oxen,
from the Touarick districts. The merchants are all frightened
enough, and our departure is deferred, notwithstanding that the
slave caravan met with no accident. The Shânbah have now got their
booty and revenge, and will probably decamp and leave the route
clear for us. Common misfortunes often make friends of enemies. I
saw Sheikh Makouran and Mohammed Ben Mousa Ettanee, the two
principal merchants representing the factions of Weleed and Wezeet,
very busy in conversation upon the neutral ground of the
market-place, talking over their mutual losses. Both have lost
property to a great amount by this Shânbah irruption.

_21st._--The departure of the ghafalah is deferred to the 24th. Rais is
busy in comparing the papers of the merchants with the goods arrived from
Tripoli. These ill-used merchants pay 13 per cent. for exporting their
goods from Tripoli to the interior. The same goods have already paid 5
per cent. when imported into Tripoli by the European merchants. There is
then the profit of our Ghadamsee merchants, and the profit of native
merchants, and the merchants and the manufacturers in Europe. At what
price, then, above their intrinsic value, are those goods sold to the
merchants of Central Africa? A hideous thing is this system of transit
duties!

_22nd._--Weather is cold, everybody wraps up. People sit two or three
hours together out of doors in the morning before they'll stir. I ask
them, "Why don't you move about,--you would be then warm?" They answer,
"_Măzāl shemtz_" (no sun yet). Rais is excessively gracious: he gave me a
small loaf of white sugar. I had none left, and the gift came in the nick
of time when required. I have said so much about Rais Mustapha, that I
must now give a personal description of his Excellency, before I take
leave of him and of Ghadames. First of all, Rais is not a military man;
he is a civil servant of the Porte, and receives his pay direct from the
Sultan. The Turks often employ a civil servant where we should expect to
see a military man, as in this distant Saharan post, and find it to their
advantage. The Governor for military advice usually writes to the
Commandant of The Mountains. His Excellency rarely reads, but writes
constantly, and is very expert in accounts, his principal occupation
being the collecting of small monies. His Excellency is also fond of
collecting coins of different Mussulman States. The reader has seen that
he is very attentive to his religious duties, and is quite, if not
superior "marabout odour." His Excellency scarcely ever punishes anybody,
beats his slaves seldom, but can be very despotic when he pleases. Like
most Turks, he has a smack of bad faith in him, and made the Souf Arabs
pay the duty on the goods in their possession, though he promised people
he would not. We may suppose he is very badly off for money; perhaps his
own salary is not very regularly paid. His Excellency always behaved very
well when I purchased any corn of him. He is generally esteemed by the
people. In person the Rais is exceeding tall, above a convenient height;
he is about forty years of age, with strongly-marked Turkish features,
and a large aquiline nose. His limbs are heavy and large, but since his
residence here he has lost all his flesh. He dresses in the common dress
of Ottoman functionaries. I often found him chatty and facetious, but
sometimes he was sulky and morose, and would not speak for hours
together. He had a fine horse, but rarely could be prevailed upon to go
out and ride for his health. Every great man has his shadow, his echo,
the expression of himself more or less in his fellow men. The Rais's
shadow is one Abd Errahman, a small merchant. His sons call their father
_souwa-souwa_ ("like-like") with the Rais. Abd Errahman knew the Rais's
most secret thoughts, and he was the only Ghadamsee in whom the Rais
could entirely confide. Abd Errahman swore by the Governor's head, and
was his most obedient humble servant.

Sheikh Makouran is occupied in purchasing me an outfit of Moorish costume
for the The Desert. He is very slow, but he gets them cheaper than if I
bought them myself. He purchases one thing one day, and another thing the
next day, and all from different persons. This is the way here. Attempted
myself to purchase two turbans, one for myself and one for Said, but I
found it no easy matter. The owner asked three dollars each, alleging
that the turbans had been "blessed at Mecca[61]." I refused to give this
price, and it was agreed to wait till the Sheikh came. This was decided
by a council of the people, against the wish of the owner, who objected
to waiting. At length the Sheikh made his appearance. Nothing was said
about the price, for every one knew they must abide by the Sheikh's
decision. The Sheikh after examining the turbans, said to the seller,
"Let them be sold for one dollar each." The owner began to exclaim
against this decision, but the Sheikh stopped his mouth!--"This is our
friend (_habeebna_). Do you wish to rob him? Is this your kindness to a
stranger, who has lived with us so long, and whom we all love?" These
words were uttered with the greatest energy, and silenced every
objection. I paid the money, and a quarter of a dollar more for mine.
Without exception, the Sheikh was the most just and kindest man I met
with in Ghadames, and yet he had the reputation of being close-fisted in
money matters. He refused to receive any rent for his house in which I
lived, and when I left he ordered a quantity of cakes to be made for me,
which he brought me himself. They were very nice, made of butter, and
honey, and dates, and lasted me all the way to Ghat. Makouran pressed the
Rais to write for me to the Touarick authorities of Ghat; but his
Excellency could not without an order from Tripoli. I am under very great
obligations to the Sheikh, who behaved like a father to me in a land of
strangers. His brother was kindness itself, but had not the spirit of the
Sheikh. His eldest son, Haj Besheer, was also a very kind and upright
young man. Haj Besheer has immense influence with the Touaricks, and if
he had gone with me to Ghat, nothing would have happened. His principal
connexions are in Touat, and I really think that an European, going with
letters from him to one of his Touarghee friends, might make the journey
to Timbuctoo in safety. Sheikh Makouran took me to-day before the Rais
and Kady, and in their presence a long "Testimonial" of the people of
Ghadames was drawn out in Arabic, stating that during the time I had
resided in Ghadames I had conducted myself well, and given no offence to
any one. This was signed by the Kady, on behalf of all the people, in
presence of the Rais and the Nather and several other officers. I was
requested to countersign it, which I did with these words: "I have
remained three months in Ghadames, and now leave it with great personal
satisfaction to myself, and in peace with all the inhabitants." A copy of
this I made for the Kady to keep in Ghadames. The "Testimonial" itself
was sent to Colonel Warrington, through the Pasha, who either did not
forward it to the Colonel, or it has been mislaid or lost, for it cannot
now be found in the Consulate Archives. The people of Ghadames were
determined to give me this testimonial in order that the Turkish
authorities should not hereafter bring any accusation against me. It was
dated the 24th, or the day fixed for departure.

The Rais astonished me to-day, by telling me, he had bastinadoed twice my
taleb, Ben Mousa, for dishonesty. I absolutely thought the Rais was
joking, for the Rais and the taleb seemed always pretty good friends. I
knew Ben Mousa was not extremely delicate, and would sometimes sit down
with Said and eat his dinner away from him. I inquired of the turjeman
about it, who assured me it was no joke, and that Ben Mousa had been
twice bastinadoed for borrowing things and not returning them. I was
extremely sorry to hear this, for I had been greatly assisted by the
taleb in obtaining information, and we had passed many long hours
together. The taleb is a man of about fifty, extremely clever, and a
pretty good scholar, and had formerly kept a school. Now he did nothing
but calculate the water distribution or irrigation of the gardens. He
wished to come with me to England, to work at translations and get a
little fortune for his family. But whenever I told him that there were
very learned Arabic scholars in England and France, he always answered,
"They are concealed Moslems;" that is to say, afraid to confess Mahomet
before the Christians, or seeking to convert Christians. From time to
time I gave the taleb a few presents and a little money, as also the
turjeman. This latter was a very different character. He mended skin bags
for water, made shoes, white-washed houses, worked in the gardens, and
made himself generally useful. He had some property, and his garden, the
heritage of his ancestors, was one of the finest in the country. He was
honest, but his defect was want of moral courage. The turjeman had lived
a good while in Tunis, with some French, where he learned his Italian,
and a few French words. He always said, "When I lived with the
Christians, I drank wine like them." Some of the people, in a joke, would
call him a Christian. He was a bad scholar, and very bitter against the
Wahabites, whom he delighted to picture to himself in the pleasing
predicament of carrying the Jews to hellfire on their backs. I myself one
day had a quarrel with a Wahabite. The Wahabite called me a kafer. I
retorted, "Why, what are you? You are nothing but a Wahabite." He was so
angry that he was about to draw his knife at me, when the people seized
hold of him, and one of my friends knocked him down.

Rais heard of the affair, and said as he was a foreign Arab he should
leave the oasis. He came afterwards to me to beg my pardon, and I gave
him some coffee to make him merry. He then told me all about the
Wahabites, not forgetting to abuse all the other sects. He said the Arabs
of his mountain had no objection to the Turks if they would become
Wahabites. He was also of the Abadeeah, "white-caps," and declaimed
against the "red"-capped Wahabites. The controversy is as nearly as
possible the same as that of our white and black-gowned clergy of the
Established Church, introduced by the Puseyites.

Begin now to have some trouble with Said. He gets sulky and saucy, and
sometimes says he will stop in Ghadames and eat dates. I am obliged to
box his ears. Then he gets very frightened at the Touaricks, and begins
to blubber, "I shall be made a slave again, and you yourself will be
killed." Then he would complain that the Rais's servants and slaves had
better clothes than himself. I always found it was the better way to let
him have a _sfogo_, or "vent," for his temper, and afterwards he was
himself again. He never could keep a _para_ in his pocket, but would give
his money to the first person who would ask him for it. I am obliged to
buy him snuff every week, and a stock for the journey. With this he is
accustomed to treat everybody, and is therefore very popular. Even the
Governor thinks him the best Negro he ever knew. As is natural enough, he
is a great favourite amongst the Negresses, and even amongst the Touarick
ladies. I found him crying one day, and asked,--

"Said, what's the matter?"

"I now recollect my wife whom I left in Jerba," he sighed out.

Before this, I didn't know he was married; he was about thirty years of
age. My turjeman and Said were two great cronies, and they discussed all
the town's affairs in general, and everybody's affairs in particular. At
first, I had not the remotest idea Said had so much wit, and was pleased
to hear his remarks and criticisms. One of these was capital, and had a
particular reference to his own case. He stared at me, observing, "We
can't put the slave-trade down whilst the Jews in Tripoli lend the
merchants here goods to carry it on." He was so fond of the turjeman
that, on leaving Ghadames, he gave him all the money he had, and said to
me when I scolded him, "We don't want any money in The Desert," adding,
"Where are the shops?"

_23rd._--Bought a camel this morning, a _nagah_, ‮ناقه‬, or
"she-camel," for 25 dollars. Rais would have the honour of choosing
the camel, but it was scarcely worth the money. I hired another
camel to carry a portion of the baggage. Rais told me the Pasha had
offered to the Touaricks to equip an expedition, in conjunction with
them, against the Shânbah, but the Touaricks would not accept of the
aid, being determined to fight their own battles in their own way.
They might have thought that after the Pasha had destroyed the
Shânbah, he would have turned his arms against them.

_24th._--We are all confusion in getting off. It is late in the
afternoon. I have loaded the nagah, and disposed of my baggage; I have
bid a hundred people farewell, shaking them by the hands. We are
surrounded with the whole male population of the city, and half-caste
women. Rais is galloping about to see the people off. But a group of
people is now seen forming rapidly round a man and a boy, and a camel
just come in from The Desert with a load of wood, "What's the matter?"
"The Shânbah! the Shânbah!" people shout from detachment to detachment of
the ghafalah. The confusion of parting is succeeded by the terror and
rushing back of the people. The advanced party abruptly returns upon the
party immediately behind it, and all rush back to the gates of the city,
one running over the other. Rais appears amongst them to calm the
consternation. "What's the matter?" His Excellency is too much agitated
to answer the question. I find Sheik Makouran. "What's the matter?" "The
man and the boy just come in saw twenty-five Shânbah mounted on camels,
and the ghafalah cannot go. Rais is going to send out a scout, a
_Senawanee_, to see if it be the Shânbah, and then all the people are to
arm and go out against the robbers." A pretty kettle of fish, thought I.
The Governor then sent a man down to me, to come and sleep for the night
in his house. All the merchants return, but the camels and a few men
remain outside, close by the gate. A number of soldiers are sent round
the city, and the _Senawanee_ mounted on a maharee, goes off in the
direction where the Shânbah had been seen, the Rais accompanying him a
short distance. On his return, the Rais bitterly complained of the
merchants not furnishing him immediately with camels. It was some time
before he could get the scout off. I went up a mound outside of the city
to see the scout "out of sight." As the white form of the maharee was
disappearing in the glare of the sand, I admired the bravery of the
Senawanee, who thus defied single-handed a troop of robbers, bearding
them in their very ambush.

We waited with intense anxiety the return of the scout. Many people got
upon the walls to look out. At length, at noon the 25th, a single camel
was descried on the dull red glare of the Saharan horizon. This was the
Senawanee. A number of people ran to him. "Where are the Shânbah?"
"Where?" "Shânbah?" The messenger said nothing--he was dumb. A crowd
gets round him--he's still dumb. He enters the Rais's hall of conference,
and squats down in the presence of his Excellency. He speaks now, and
calls for coffee. The Rais gets furiously agitated at the moment of
breaking silence. The scout very calmly sips off his coffee, and strokes
down his beard, and then deigned to satisfy Governor, Kady, officers, and
the men, women, and children, who were now pressing upon him with
dreadful agitation. "Oh, Bey! (raising himself from the floor, fixing his
eyes now on the Bey, and now on the people, and putting his fore-finger
of the right hand on the thumb of the left)--I went to the sand. I got
there when the sun was gone down. The camel lay down, and so did I lay
down on the sand. We watched all night. I fear no one but God!--(Here was
a general hum of approbation.)--Two hours before the _fidger_, (break of
day) I looked up and saw pass by me, at a distance of from here to The
Spring, nine _Bughar_ (wild-bullocks). They came and went, and went and
came, snuffing up the sand and bellowing. The man and the boy, who cut
the wood yesterday, saw the _Bughar_. But the wild oxen are not the
Shânbah!" As soon as he mentioned the _Bughar_, the people rushing out of
the Bey's apartment, ran away, and before I could get my dinner, a
portion of the ghafalah was on the move. The Rais said to me, "Get off,
make haste--make haste." I then went down to load the nagah again, but
found it very difficult; seeing the other camels passing on, she would
not stop to be laden. At length my turjeman came and arranged all. Said
observed that the obstinacy of the nagah was a bad omen. His Excellency
the Governor came to see me off, and gave me an affectionate shake of the
hands. I then met his confidential man Abd-Errahman, who said to me,
"Rais has given you in charge of all the people of the ghafalah, (about
sixty persons"). This was kind of the Governor, and better, perhaps, than
being in the charge of one individual. But still I couldn't help
thinking, that what is many persons' business is nobody's business. The
turjeman accompanied us some distance, chatting with Said. He carried
with him a quantity of date-tree fibrous netting, and was twisting bands
as he followed us. We soon parted. I then passed my old friend the
good-natured Arab doctor. His parting blessing spoke the native goodness
of his heart: "Day cool, route wide, route Fezzan, ghafalah large,
Shânbah there are none--God bless you, farewell!"

I began to breathe at once the free air of the open Desert. As is my
wont, I now committed my spirit to the care of God Almighty, leaving my
body to the care of the wild tribes of these inhospitable wastes. And why
not? Why distrust them? Have not the people hitherto treated me with
great and unexpected kindness? And is it not the first step to make
strangers your enemies, to distrust them?

FOOTNOTES:

[58] They call all other languages in the world _Ajem_--‮عجم‬--a
    distinction like that of Jew and Gentile, only applied to language
    instead of persons.

[59] Sale says:--"Mahomet here and elsewhere frequently imitates
    the truly inspired writers, in making God to operate on the minds
    of reprobates, to prevent their conversion." Impostors in all ages
    have charged the inefficacy of their novel mysteries upon the will
    of God. But these passages have had their use and humanity effects
    in the strife of contending religions. A Mahometan bigot, with
    sword in one hand and victim in the other, has often spared his
    life and his conversion by recollecting, "_God had sealed up his
    heart and his hearing_," so that he could not believe. The pride
    of the Moslem has also thus been content to leave matters in the
    hands of a predestinating deity.

[60] "Wild bullock:" The _Bos Brachyceras_, Gray.

[61] Turbans are sent to Mecca to be blest there, and by this
    blessing of course their value is greatly enhanced amongst the
    Moumeneen. Shrouds are also blessed at Mecca; and a rich Mahometan
    endeavours to procure one to wrap up his mortal remains. A
    considerable trade is carried on in blessed garments.




CHAPTER XIV.

FROM GHADAMES TO GHAT.

     Character of the People of Ghadames.--Strength of our
     Caravan.--First features of the new Route.--Well of Maseen.--Rate
     of Travelling.--Our Ghafalah divides in two on account of the
     difficulty of obtaining Water for so large a
     Caravan.--_Es-Sărāb_, or _The Mirage_.--_Gobemouche_
     Politicians.--Camels, fond of dry Bones.--Geological Features of
     Plateau.--Desert Tombs and _Tumuli_ Directors.--Intense cold of
     The Desert.--Well of Nather.--Savage Disposition of Camels.--Mr.
     Fletcher's advice to Desert Tourists.--No scientific instruments
     with me.--False alarm of Banditti, and meet a Caravan of
     Slaves.--Sight of the first tree after seven days' Desert.--Wells
     of Mislah in a region of Sand.--Vulgar error of Sand-storms
     overwhelming Caravans with billows of Sand.


MOUNTED on my camel, pressing on through The Desert, my thoughts still
lag behind, and as I turn often to look back upon The City of Merchants
and Marabouts, its palms being only now visible in the dingy red of the
setting sun, I endeavour to form a correct opinion of its singular
inhabitants. I see in them the mixture of the religious and commercial
character, blended in a most extraordinary manner and degree, for here
the possession of wealth scarcely interferes with the highest state of
ascetic devotion. To a religious scrupulousness, which is alarmed at a
drop of medicine that is prohibited falling upon their clothes, they add
the most enterprising and determined spirit of commercial enterprise,
plunging into The Desert, often in companies of only two or three, when
infested with bandits and cut-throats, their journies the meanwhile
extending from the shores of the Mediterranean to the banks of the Niger,
as low down to the Western Coast as Noufee and Rabbah. But their
resignation to the will of heaven is without a parallel. No murmur
escapes them under the severest domestic affliction; whilst prayer is
their daily bread. Besides five times a day, they never omit the
extraordinary occasions. The aspirations of the older and retired men
continue all the live-long day; this incense of the soul, rising before
the altar of the Eternal, is a fire which is never extinguished in
Ghadames! Their commercial habits naturally beget caution, if not fear.
In The Desert, though armed, they have no courage to fight. Their arms
are their mysterious playthings. Their genius is pacific and to make
peace--they are the peacemakers of The Desert--and they always travel
under the intrepid escort of their warlike Touarick friends and
neighbours. Intelligent, instructed and industrious, they are the
greatest friends of civilization in North Africa and the Great Desert.
But upon such a people, falls as a blast of lightning, rending and
shivering the fairest palm of the oasis, the curse of Turkish rule.

The force of our caravan consists of about eighty people, including
strangers, and two hundred laden camels. Nearly all the people are armed,
and some single individuals have two or three matchlocks, besides pistols
and daggers. The character of the people are petty traders, commission
agents, camel-drivers, and slaves. There are several Arabs, natives of
Ghadames, Seenawan, and Derge, and five strangers from Souf. We have with
us also three Touaricks. There may be half-a-dozen low women and female
slaves distributed amongst the ghafalah. Respectable females scarcely
ever travel in The Desert. I have only with me my negro servant Said. My
large trunk and tent are conveyed by another camel; the nagah carries me,
the provisions, and the rest of the baggage, going extremely well. Said
walks with the servants, slaves, and camel-drivers. Two-thirds of the
people are on foot. Started in tolerably good health and spirits, and
increase my appetite every mile I ride. Feel no fatigue, of course,
to-day, and trust I shall soon forget I'm travelling in The Sahara. There
are many routes from Ghadames to Ghat, no less than four or five
well-travelled desert tracts. Our present one is the more easterly, being
skirted by the oasisian districts of Fezzan. None of these routes have
been travelled before by an European. Our course to-day is directly east.
We are now encamping at sun-set, and we have just lost sight of the palms
of Ghadames. Alas! this will, I fear, be an everlasting farewell to the
beautiful oasis, and the holy city of merchants.

_26th._--Rose before sunrise. Morning cool and refreshing. We are to
continue ten days in the route of Fezzan, then turn into that of Ghat,
thus describing a sort of semicircle to get out of the forays of the
Shânbah.

Course south-east. On the right ranges of low dull hills, with the same
on the left, but at a greater distance. The road very good, fit for
carriages, through the broad bed of a valley. Two great blocks of rock
stand out on the surface which we traverse, one an oblong square, the
other sugar-loaf, but flattened at the top.

_Camel-drivers._--"Look at these brothers" (the two rocks.)

_Myself._--"How! Are these brothers? They are not much like."

_Camel-drivers._--"Yâkob, don't you know that one brother is born like
the father, and the other like the mother?"

These huge blocks we had long in view, and approached and passed them
just as a ship passes rocks on the sea-coast. So steady is our progress,
so level our route. Ground strewn over with small flints and other sharp
chips of stone. Saw nothing alive in The Desert but one solitary bird,
which seemed lost in the illimitable waste. Passed the grave of one who
had died in open desert, a small tumulus of stones marked the sad spot;
passed also a few white-bleached camel's bones. Very cold, wind from
north-east. Feel it more than the keenest winter's blast of Old England.
Feel glad I took the advice of the Governor of Ghadames, and purchased a
quantity of warm woollen clothing, heik, bornouse, and jibbah. "That
route (Ghat) kills people with the cold," his Excellency observed.

_27th._--Arrived at the well of Maseen, at 4 P.M. Much the same scenery
as yesterday. The road good, not quite so stony as yesterday, and
scattered over with pieces of very fine quartz and shining felspar. No
sand in quantity, and a little herbage for camels. Wind as yesterday, but
more of it. Maseen is a tolerably deep well, but the water is not very
sweet. About it there are three or four stunted date-palms, and several
shrubby sprouts, pointing the Saharan wayfarer to the well's site. One
of the trees bore fruit this year, but the palm rarely bears fruit in
open desert. No bird or animal of any sort seen to-day. The camels crop
herbage _en route_ as usual. On the whole, however, we proceed pretty
quickly. I imagine about three miles the hour, for a man must walk a
sharp pace to keep up well with the camels. Our people eat nothing in the
morning; two or three, perhaps, may eat a cake and a few dates. They
literally fast all day long and take their _one_ meal at about seven in
the evening. I can't support this, and take tea in the morning, besides
munching dates at intervals through the day. Nay, I feel ravenous, under
the influence of the bleak air of The Desert. About an hour before
sunrise all the people get up and make large fires, warming their feet
and legs, for these are mostly bare and are very sensible to the cold.
I'm sorry I've been obliged to scold Said twice, once for running away
from my camel after other people's, and once for rough and saucy
language. But I must make the best of him; might easily get a worse
servant. Glad the eldest son of the Sheikh Makouran has joined the
caravan; he came riding after us this evening, attended with a Touarick,
both mounted on maharees, well equipped and capable of scouring The
Desert.

_28th._--Some time before we got off this morning, on account of the
difficulty of watering the camels. My nagah started off on the route
of Fezzan about a mile and a half, and Said went another way in
search of her. I was, therefore, obliged to fetch her myself, which
was a considerable run through a hilly region. I found her alone
wandering about. The she-camel strays more than the male-camel, and
is more restless. As soon as I called to her she stopped, stood
stock-still, and looked at me. Before the camels were all watered,
the well of Mazeen was nearly dry and the water muddy. This is the
reason large caravans have such difficulty in traversing The Desert,
it often requiring several days to water a thousand camels. Here I
recollected the justness of Napoleon's observation cited by French
writers,--"That if Africa is to be invaded and conquered _viâ_ The
Great Desert, it must be done by small detached parties." For it is
not that the wells do not afford a sufficiency of water for large
caravans, but that they do not yield an immediate supply for
numerous bodies, so as to enable their people to march in one
compact whole. Here we were obliged to leave half the caravan,
waiting for the running of the water, thus miserably dividing our
strength in case of attack. Noticed one of the camels laden with a
bale of goods, on which were European writing, viz., I. A. N. 6. The
great merchants usually write the name of their firm under the
designation of _Oulad_ (‮اولاد‬) "sons," for example, _Oulad
Makouran_, "Sons of Makouran."

The advanced party, of which I was, unexpectedly left the route of
Fezzan to the east, and turned sharp round to the south, through the
gorge of a low mountain range, which we had had all along to the
right. In this defile we proceeded an hour, but it had no natural
opening at the end. We came at last to a very abrupt ascent of some
hundred feet high, and mounted an elevated plateau. Once on the
plateau, all was plain as far as the eye could see. The defile was
tertiary formation, mere dull crumbling limestone; nothing in the
shape and consistence of granite. We are now on the highway for
Ghat, and it is said we shall arrive in fifteen days from the
plateau. Saw on the plateau, for the first time of my life, the
celebrated mirage, which our people call _Watta_, but the classic
Arabic is _Es-Sarab_ (‮السّرب‬). At first sight, I thought it was
salt, for it flamed in the sun white, like a salt-pit, or lagoon.
There appeared some low hills in the midst of the white lake. As we
proceeded, I saw what appeared like white foam running from east to
west, as the sea-surf chafing the shore. It then occurred to me that
this might be the mirage; and so it turned out, for as we approached
the phenomenon, it retired and disappeared. The character of the
mirage was evidently affected by the wind, for the foam appeared to
run from east to west with the wind. In some of the white flaming
lakes, shrubs and reeds stood out, as we find in shallow pools. Some
high hills appeared suspended in the air, veritable "castles in the
air." The weather was dull, the sun sometimes hidden, and it was
noon when the phenomena were most observable. At Mazeen a few small
birds were hopping and chirping, and two large crows followed us
upon the plateau; also a butterfly and a few flies. These are the
living creatures noticed to-day.

The plateau, where I now write, is either covered with very small stones,
some quite black, and others calcined or burnt, like brick-bats thrown
from a kiln, or is altogether hardened and black earthy soil. The latter
assists the mirage, for the phenomenon appears mostly on the earthy
tracts of ground. In some parts is herbage for the camels. On the plateau
we saw several small mounds of soft brown stone, crumbling to earth,
which looked like Arab hovels at a distance. I went up to undeceive
myself. These curious mounds have yet to crumble away before the plateau
is a perfect plane. Course to-day mostly south, with a leaning to the
west. Wind cold S.E. and E. The day as dull and dreary as in England. Our
people occasionally mount the maharees, which look very haughty and
imposing. A maharee would be a noble present for the Sultan of the
Touaricks to send to the Queen.

Was surprised this morning at a question, as "To whom Tripoli belonged?"
to the English or the Sultan (of Constantinople). I find there is a vague
notion amongst our ghafalah that Tripoli is either really the property of
the English, or under the immediate protection of England. "Just the
same," say the people. They prefer the late tyrant Bashaw, Asker Ali, to
the present Mehemet, because Asker Ali, they say, did not fleece them so
much or so plunder them of their money. 'Tis natural enough. One of the
lower fellows had the impudence to say, "The English Consul receives
bribes from Mehemet Pasha to let him remain in Tripoli." These people are
great gobemouches; they always report the most incredible things. A
trader said to me, "When you get to Soudan you must marry two wives; this
is our custom." I replied, "I never do anything out of my country, and
apart from my countrymen, which I should be ashamed to do at home in
their presence." Some of these Desert louts are very familiar and
insolent, and require sharp answers to keep them at a distance. I must
not forget to mention, the Rais put my passport _en règle_ for Soudan. A
more monstrous piece of absurdity could not be attempted against the
virtue of the free and simple-minded children of The Desert. Such
documents are only fit for our elevated Christian civilization, for
countries like Naples, France, and Austria, the hot-beds of spies and
police. When I showed my passport to the Touaricks, and explained to them
what it was for, they very indignantly (and properly so) spat on it.

_29th._--Not a living creature was met with to-day. Our camels found the
"dry bones" of camels perished in The Desert; they munched them with
gusto, a piece of cannibalism on the part of these melancholy creatures
which I was not prepared for. Dr. Oudney remarks, "The latter (camels)
are very fond of chewing dried bones." In some parts of the routes,
mostly where the water-stations are distant, and where they drop from
exhaustion before reaching the wells, camels' bones lie in such heaps as
to suggest, the Vision of the Dry Bones of Ezekiel.

We started with the rising sun and continued till four o'clock P.M.
A strong S. and S.E. wind blew all day, and very cold, parching my
lips and mouth. This wind would have a veritable burning simoon in
the summer! We traversed all day the plateau, now become an
immeasurable plain. It slightly undulates in parts, but I think we
continued to ascend. Some of the surface is wholly naked, having
neither herbage or stones scattered about, being of a softish clayey
soil, and printed in little diamond squares, like the dry bottom of
a small lake on the sea-shore. This, I doubt not, is the action of
the rain, which falls at long intervals. Other parts presented the
usual black calcined stones, and sometimes pieces of the common
limestone and pebbles, but not very round. The track was in some
places well-defined, in others the earth so hard as not to admit of
the impression of the camel's foot. Passed by several tumuli of
stones, said by the people to mark the route, and called
_âlam_--‮علم‬--directors. Passed also a conspicuous tomb of some
distinguished individual, who had died in the open Desert. There was
no writing or ornament, only a higher heap of stones, and piled in
the shape of an oblong square. As soon as a traveller dies he is
buried, if he have companions; the body is never brought to the
neighbouring oases. My friend Haj-el-Besheer, to my regret, has
disappeared with the Touarick.

Nothing possibly could be more horrible and dreary, exhibiting the very
"palpable obscure," than our course of to-day. As far as the eye can
stretch on every side is one vast, solitary, lifeless, treeless expanse
of desert earth! It is a--

        "Dreary [plain] forlorn and wild,
    The seat of desolation."

A Derge Arab said to me this evening, "The English will never come to
Derge, wherever else they may go. The climate will kill them; in three
days you will die of fever." The love of discussion, as well as their
complaints against the Turkish Government, follow our people through The
Desert. They are trying to make me turn Mohammedan, as far as disputing
goes, and I have enough to do to get rid of their importunities.
Sometimes I get the conversation turned by telling them, if I turn
Mussulman I shall offend my Sultan. They reply, "Oh! you can confess with
your lips, that you are a Christian, whilst you remain a Mussulman in
your heart." One fellow got saucy, and said, turning up the fire with a
stick, "The Jews and Christians will have this (fire) for ever."
Threatening to report him to the Rais of Ghadames, he exclaimed, "The dog
Rais has no rule in The Sahara." The other people made him hold his
tongue. Felt the cold last night but especially this morning. It nips me
up severely. Sleep in the clothes I wear during the day, and have
additional covering of a thick rug and a cloak. We pitch no tents. Very
little water is now drunk. Our people seem to shun it as mad dogs. As to
the morning, no one drinks water this time of the day. How different to
the summer! when a drink of water is sometimes reckoned a great favour,
an immense boon, a heaven's best gift.

_30th._--A fine morning; the dawn almost cloudless. Not so
yesterday, volumes of cloud on cloud inflamed with purple stretched
over all the east, not unlike an English summer's dawn, but the
colours more vivid. But this was succeeded by the dreariest of days.
In summer, the Saharan dawn is usually cloudless, and offers no
beautiful variety of colours. The cloud of yesterday was surcharged
with wind, which we soon felt to our annoyance. In The Desert the
wind generally rises in the morning and falls in the evening. We
continued our course over the vast plain all the morning, but at
midday it broke into wide shallow valleys, and in the evening it was cut
across by a large broad valley, or wady, as the Moors called it, stretching
east and west. In this wady lies the well of _Năthār_ or _Năjār_,
some spelling the name with the ‮ز‬--‮النزار‬. Here we
encamp. We had come a very long weary day. Begin to feel very
sensibly the hardships of Desert travelling. The length of a day's
journey depends upon whether water is near or far off, and also upon
there being fodder for camels. Our Arabs are obliged to look out
lest they encamp upon an arid spot where the poor camel cannot crop
a single herb. Mostly in the beds--dry beds of these wadys--there is
some herbage and brushwood. The well of Nathar is very deep, and cut
through rock as well as earth, but its water is extremely sweet and
delicious. We usually find the best water running through rocky
soil. _En route_, I observed no living creature, save a grasshopper,
which had managed to get into existence amidst these herbless wilds.
Think I also saw an ant near the foot of the camel. A few flies
still follow our caravan, which we brought from Ghadames. These
witless things have wisdom enough not to remain behind and perish in
The Desert. Passed by two dead camels, fast decomposing into bones.
Road all small stones sprinkled over an earthy soil, or altogether
earth. Mirage again seen, with similar phenomena. Small islets in
the midst of lakes, and white foam running on the ground as on the
sea-shore. Our course S. and S.E.

_1st December._--A fine mild morning, but intensely cold during the past
night. Here we took fresh water enough for four days, the time required
to arrive at the next well. Started about 11 A.M., and continued only
three hours and a half, when we came to another wady, where we stopped in
order to let the camels have their fill of the rich fodder with which the
wady is covered. The plateau is now apparently disappearing, for it is
broken into deep and broad valleys, from the sides of which rise in
groups, and at various distances, low ranges of Saharan hills, and on one
side, is a range very high, having very wild mountainous features. We
have now travelled nearly six days, and have not yet met with fifty yards
of sandy route. So much for the sandy Desert! All is either earth,
sometimes as hard-baked as stone, or large blocks of stone, but chiefly
very small chips of stone covering the entire surface. Our Arabs ask me,
"Whether I prefer travelling by land or sea?" They imagine Christians,
when they travel, necessarily travel by sea. They are also greatly
astonished when I tell them we have no Sahara in England, and cannot
credit the idea of a country being full of cultivated fields and gardens.
The rest of our ghafalah, consisting of more than a third, is not yet
come up, but Haj-el-Besheer and the Touarick Ali have joined us again and
report them to be at the well of Nather.

Two or three birds were seen this morning about the wells. They were
excessively familiar, and knew instinctively how to estimate the sight of
a caravan for the crumbs and grains it might leave behind. They seemed
also quite at home at the well. Still one would think they were birds of
passage, like ourselves, for there are no trees or bushes for them to
build in, and little to eat. Saw also a single lizard. I believe lizards
abound in every part of The Sahara, but the cold now keeps them in their
holes.

Three or four of our party have left us, mounted on maharees, for Ghat.
They say they shall arrive in six or seven days. They will soon see if
banditti are before us, and will return to let us know. Thought I should
escape the orthodox _body_-guard. But it seems not. Where every person is
obliged to accept of this guard, _bon gré, malgré_, it seems I must
submit. However, I shall do without their services if possible. I
offended a Moor by telling him that Christians do not require it, and
have not this guard: it is only "peculiar to Mussulmans." A necessary
part of the occupation of a ghafalah when it reaches a well is collecting
and cracking the vermin. The camels are terrible things for straying. If
they are surrounded with immense patches of the most choice herbage, even
which is their delicium, they still keep on straying the more over it
miles and miles. As to our nagah, we are obliged to tie her fore-feet,
which prevents the camel from getting at a very great distance from the
encampment. The camels are sly, unimpassioned, and deliberately savage,
one to another, more especially the males. At times they go steadily, and
even slowly, behind one another, and turning the neck and head sideways,
deliberately bite one another's haunches most ferociously. The drivers
immediately separate them, for the bite is dangerous to their health, and
often attended with serious mischief to the animal bitten. But I have
never yet seen a camel kick or attack a man. They invariably grumble and
growl, sometimes most piteously, when they are being loaded, as if
deprecating the heavy burden about to be placed upon them, and appealing
to the mercy of their masters. The merchants pay 13½ Tunisian piastres
per cantar for goods now conveyed from Ghadames to Ghat. The Touaricks
carry goods cheaper, but they are now gone after the Shânbah. The Arabs
asked 25, but the Rais of Ghadames fixed it at 13½. A camel carries from
2 to 3½ cantars[62]. I confess I was sorry to see these apparently so
quiet and melancholy creatures ferocious to one another; but I
recollected that all animals, even doves, quarrel and fight, and
particularly males, where females are concerned.

To-day took out of my trunk Mr. Fletcher's note to me, to read over,
which I had received from Malta during the time of my being in The
Desert. The advice to travellers which it contains in a very few words,
is so good, so excellent, that I shall take the liberty of transcribing
it here, for the benefit of all future tourists in The Desert.

1st. "Keep a sharp look out about you, and pick up information."

2nd. "Keep with Sheiks, Religionists, (he means I suppose, Marabouts,)
and Chieftains, for these are the only people who can give you
protection."

3rd. "Expose yourself to no unnecessary risks and dangers."

4th. "Conciliate!"

Mr. Fletcher adds, "The white man is at the mercy of every tenant of The
Desert, and though we would, one cannot be all things to all men."
Nevertheless, I do think, _poverty_ is my great protection in travelling
in these countries. My fellow-travellers, up to the present time, are
civil and assist me. It is necessary to mention here, I have neither
compass nor thermometer, nor measure of any kind, nor maps, nor watch, so
that I'm afraid my journal will sound ill to scientific ears. This was
very bad management. Still we shall see what a man can do without the
ordinary and most common scientific instruments of travelling. I have,
however, an hour-glass, which embraces four hours in the time of
emptying, and which I found useful in Ghadames, but make no use of it _en
route_. I consider the objects of my tour _moral_, a random effort to
maim, or kill, or cripple the Monster Slavery, a small rough stone picked
up casually from the burnt and arid face of The Desert, but with
dauntless hand thrown at this Titanian fabric of crime and wickedness.
However, as my friend Mr. Fletcher advises, it does not prevent me from
"picking up information," any how and everywhere, which I trust the
reader will have already perceived. As a person who loses one sense
acquires more intensity in others, so I, having no artificial means for
procuring information with me, must do all by the ordinary senses of
observation, common to the civilized man and the savage.

The mirage was very abundant to-day, producing a variety of splendid
phenomena, "_Castelli in Spagna_," running streams, and silvery lakes,
and a thousand things of water, and air, and landscape, just types of
those pleasures and delights which we seek, and when grasping them, they
slip from between our fingers.

Whilst we were encamped, two hours before sun-set, we were suddenly
alarmed by the cries of banditti and Shânbah, and all were called upon to
arm. At the same time people were sent off to bring up the camels which
were grazing and straying at a distance. I was amusing myself with
cooking the supper, and started up, not knowing what to make of it; I
couldn't however help laughing at the queer predicament in which the
supper looked, and thought I had been making it for the Shânbah. Running
forward to see the cause of the alarm, I saw in the south, dimly at a
distance, a small caravan approaching us. There were three or four
camels, and several persons on foot. I then thought I must look about
for a weapon of some sort. A man gave me a huge horse-pistol, and with
this I sallied forth to take part in the common defence. Seeing an Arab
far in advance, and alone, I went after him, who turned out to be one of
the Souafah, whose acquaintance I had already made. This Arab certainly
showed considerable bravery, and took up a reconnoitring position on a
rising ground, looking with a steady and determined eye upon the
approaching caravan. He turned to me and said bluffly, "It must be a
Touarick ghafalah." Meanwhile, about forty people all armed, assembled
_pêle-mêle_ on the opposite side of the route, on a hill behind, uttering
wild cries, and throwing up their matchlocks into the air. The cries now
ceased, and was succeeded by a most anxious silence, all waiting a closer
observation. At length, the experienced eye of our people discovered what
was considered a troop of bandits on foot, to be a caravan of slaves. And
immediately a number of the people ran off violently to meet the
slave-caravan, which was escorted by our own Touaricks, the slaves being
the property of our people. Our surprise was the greater when we found
Haj-el-Besheer, and his companion the Touarick, returning with the
caravan, which had brought letters for all the people. So the bandits
turned out to be our friends and neighbours; and so burst this bubble of
alarm. I observed two persons with long staffs lagging behind, and
imagined them old men labouring along the route. What was my astonishment
to find, as they approached, these old men gradually transformed into
poor little children--child-slaves--crawling over the ground, scarcely
able to move. Oh, what a curse is slavery! how full of hard-heartedness
and cruelty! As soon as the poor slaves arrived, they set to work and
made a fire. Some of them were laden with wood when they came up. The
fire was their only protection from the cold, the raw bitter cold of the
night, for they were nearly naked. I require as much as three ordinary
great coats, besides the usual clothing of the day, to keep me warm in
the night; these poor things, the chilly children of the tropics, have
only a rag to cover them, and a bit of fire to warm them. I shall never
forget the sparkling eyes of delight of one of the poor little boys, as
he sat down and looked into the crackling glaring fire of desert scrub.
In the evening I noticed the amount of the food which was given as the
one daily meal to these famished creatures, ten in number. Said usually
eats more than the whole of it for his supper. The food was barley-meal
mixed with water. The slaves were children and youths, all males. They
had been already fourteen days _en route_ from Ghat, and would be eight
more before they could reach Ghadames. By that time, like the last slaves
which arrived whilst I was there, they would be simply "living
skeletons." The misery is, these slaves are conducted not by their
masters, but slave-drivers, at so much per head, and consequently the
conductors feed the slaves on as little as possible, to make the most of
their bargain with the owners. The slave-caravan, however, brought us
good news.

The Shânbah, after ravaging the Touarick districts, had fled their own
country, and taken refuge in the Algerian territory--so escaping the
vengeance of the Touaricks. We have, therefore, no enemy _en route_,
thank God, except ourselves, and our own quarrels, which occur but
seldom. The annual winter Soudan caravan had not yet arrived in Ghat, but
was expected every day. It is worth mentioning here, as a remarkable
trait of good faith amongst the Moors and Arabs, that they do not often
seal their letters, but fold them up as we do notes of trifling import.
All the letters brought to-day were unsealed, and did not require
_Grahamizing_. Haj-el-Besheer told me it was _haram_ ("prohibited,") for
strangers to read these unsealed letters. My readers will see that we are
again obliged to go to the barbarians of The Desert to learn the ordinary
practices of good faith and morality. How exceedingly rejoiced would be
the "_Haute Police_" of _civilized_ Europe to have all letters sent
_un_-sealed through the Post Office! What a pity these Mahometan
barbarians are so trusting and simple-minded! What a pity our boasted
religion does not teach us Christians the honesty of barbarians! We wrote
letters to Ghadames and Tripoli over the fire-light. Afterwards my friend
Haj-el-Besheer commenced a sing-song repetition of a Marabout legend,
which he continued all the evening, speaking to no one; even whilst he
was eating he continued his rigmarole story to himself, the people taking
no notice of him. I was greatly amused at this odd singing to one's self.

_2nd._--A very fine morning, and, as I anticipated, it turned out very
hot. Yet whilst the sun scorched my face on one side, the cold wind from
the east blanched my cheek on the other. No living creature seen but a
few insects. Our people fell in with the skeleton of a Touarick ass, and
amused themselves with setting it up upon its legs, as if in the pillory.
I rallied them afterwards as they were in a good humour, on their terror
of banditti yesterday. They replied, "It was the number of people on
foot which alarmed us, banditti generally go on foot with a few camels to
carry provisions and water." We started at sun-rise and encamped an hour
before sun-set, to have light enough to collect firewood, and forage for
the camels. The ground of our course to-day was broken into broad and
long valleys. In the wady where we encamp is herbage for camels. I notice
as a thing most extraordinary, after seven days from Ghadames, two small
trees! the common Desert acacia. Another phenomenon, I see two or three
pretty blue flowers! as I picked one up, I could not help exclaiming,
_Elhamdullah_, ("Praise to God!") for Arabic was growing second-born to
my tongue, and I began to think in it. An Arab said to me, "Yâkob, if we
had a reed and were to make a melodious sound, those flowers, the colour
of heaven, would open and shut their mouths (petals)." This fiction is
extremely poetical. Felt unwell this morning from eating or munching too
many dates; better this evening. All our people well, and no accidents.

_3rd._--Rose at sun-rise and pursued our weary way over broken ground,
now broad valleys, now low hills. Whilst exclaiming that the sandy desert
was all "a report," "a talk," "a fabrication of travellers who wished to
increase and vary the catalogue of Saharan hardships," at noon we came
upon a range of sand-hills. These increased on every side, and at length
we cut right across a group of them. Having left the plateau the mirage
has also disappeared, apparently the only species of desert where it can
be fairly developed. With the sand has appeared a new kind of stone, of a
light-blue slate colour, some of it of as firm a consistence as granite.
Its colour also sometimes varies to a beautiful light green. The Desert
itself only increases and varies in hideousness. And yet in some places
where sand is sprinkled over the hardened earth, a little coarse herbage
springs up. Encamped at night. Cold all day. Felt unwell. To-day and
yesterday course mostly south.

_4th._--Sand-hills increase in number, and find ourselves in the heart of
a region of sand. At noon descended the deepest wady we have yet
encountered. On the big blocks of rock below Arabic and Touarghee letters
were carved. The barbarians, as their civilized brethren, seek in this
way also a bastard immortality for their names. Down in the valley we
passed some human bones; the skull was perfect. Who shall write the
history of these bones? Are they those of one who was murdered, or who
dropped from exhaustion in The Desert? These bones scattered at the
camel's feet made the march of to-day still more melancholy. No herbage
for camels or wood for fire. Gave our nagah barley and dates. It
frequently happens, there is no wood _en route_ (I mean underwood or
scrub), or at the place where we are obliged to stop. This obliges us to
carry it from places where it abounds, as also a little herbage for the
camels. Pitched our camp amidst the sandy waste late at night. Our route
varied between S.W., S., and S.E., but around some huge groups of
sand-hills we were obliged to make a painful circuit. Warmer to-day, and
a little wind, always from the east. No living creature met with! No
sound or voice heard! Felt better to-day.

_5th._--Rose with the sun, as it enflamed the sand-hills, and made them
like burnished heaps of metal. Marched three hours amidst the
sand-hills. Very difficult route for the camels, which frequently upset
their loads in mounting or descending the groups of hills. The Arabs
smooth the abrupt ascents, forming an inclined plane of sand, and then,
in the descents, pull back the camels, swinging with all their might on
the tails of the animals. No herbage--no stone--no earthy ground--all,
everything one wide waste of sand, shining under the fervid sun as bright
as the light, dazzling and blinding the eyes. But Milton's poetic eye,
turning, or in "a fine frenzy rolling" to the ends of the earth,
subjecting all the images and wonders of nature, of all climates and
countries, to the supporting of his majestic verse, glanced also at these
sands of the Lybian Desert--

        "Unnumbered as the sands
    Of Barca or Cyrene's torrid soil."

El-Aïshi, describing the sandy Sahara, says, "There is neither tree, nor
bush, nor herb. The eye sees only clouds of sand, raised by continual
winds, which by their violence efface the marks of the caravan as fast as
men and animals imprint them with their feet. The aspect of this
immensity of sand reminds me of the words, 'Bless our Lord Mahomet as
much as the sand is extended,' and I understood now their full import."

But here in the centre of this wilderness of sand we had an abundant
proof of the goodness of a good God. Whilst mourning over this horrible
scene of monotonous desolation, and wondering why such regions were
created in vain, we came upon _The Wells of Mislah_, where we encamped
for the day. These are not properly wells, for the sand being removed in
various places, about four or five feet below the surface, the water
runs out. Indeed, we were obliged to make our own wells. Each party of
the ghafalah dug a well for itself. Ghafalahs are divided into so many
parties, varying in size from five men and twenty camels, to ten men and
forty camels. Three or four wells were dug out in this way. Some of the
places had been scooped out before. Water may be found through all the
valley of Mislah. A few dwarfish palms are in the valley, but which don't
bear fruit. The camels, finding nothing else to eat, attacked voraciously
their branches. It is surprising the sand is not more scattered over the
wells and trees, for on the south-west is a lofty sand-hill, deserving
the name of a mountain, almost overhanging the pits. Here is a sufficient
proof, at once, that The Desert has no sandy waves like the Desert Ocean
of waters, as poets and credulous or exaggerating writers have been
pleased to inform us. Were this the case, the wells of Mislah would have
been long ago heaped up and over with pile upon pile of sand-hills, and
caravans would have abandoned for ever this line of route. For we can
hardly suppose that one sand-storm would cover the pits of Mislah with a
mountain pile of sand, and the next sand-storm uncover them and lay them
bare to the amazed Saharan traveller. On the contrary, the pits of Mislah
and the stunted palms have every appearance of having remained as they
now are for centuries. The hills are huge groups, some single ones,
glaring in sun above the rest, and others pyramidical. The sand at times
is also very firm to the camel's tread. Shall I say a _terra firma_ in
loose shifting sands? But for the water of Mislah it is extremely
brackish, nay salt. I had observed between the sand-hills small valleys,
or bottoms, covered with, a whitish substance which I now find salt. Both
men and camels are alike condemned to drink this water. I try it with
boiling and tea and find it worse, and cannot drink it, so I'm obliged to
beg of our people the remaining sweet water of Nather, left in the skins.
Our people confess themselves, in summer when this water gets hot they
can scarcely drink it, being veritable brine. An European travelling this
route should always provide himself with water enough at the well of
Nather to last him from six to eight days. My skin-bags have got out of
order, and I did not make inquiries of the people about this well. At one
well a traveller should always make inquiry about the water of the next
well. This is indispensable if an European tourist would have water fit
to drink. The Mislah water is full of saline particles, and is purging
every body. The valley of Mislah, over which we are encamped, is not more
than twenty minutes' walking in length, and half this in breadth. In many
parts the sand is encrusted with a beautiful white salt. One of the Arabs
of Souf said to me, "See, Yâkob, this is our country, all Souf is like
this." So it appears an oasis may exist in a region of _shifting_ (?)
sands. Are these the shifting sands which bury whole caravans beneath
their sandy billows, when lashed up by the Desert tempest[63]?

[Illustration]

This reminds me of what Colonel Warrington told me of some tourist, who
describes himself as killing a camel to procure the water from its
stomach, when within a couple days from Tripoli, and on a spot where
there was a splendid spring of never-failing water. I often asked the
Arabs, if they ever killed the camel to get the water from its stomach?
They replied, "They had often heard of such things." A merchant of
Ghadames made, however, an apposite observation: "This is our sea, here
we travel as you in your sea, bringing our provisions and water with us."

These pits are considered the half-way house or station to Ghat. I'm told
the route from Ghat to Aheer is much more easy and agreeable than this.
Trust I shall find it so if I go. Begin to feel this irksome, and am in
low spirits. People try to amuse me, and I have received many little
presents of date-cakes and bazeen from them. Begin to relish this sort of
food, and The Desert air sharpens the appetite. Yesterday, a slave of the
ghafalah amused us with playing his rude bagpipe through these weary
wastes. We are not very merry. There is very little conversation; we move
on for hours in the most unbroken silence, nothing being said or
whispered, no sound but the dull slow tread of the camel. Sometimes an
Arab strikes up one of his plaintive ditties, and thinks of his green
olive-clad mountain home in the Atlas. Happily there is little or no
quarrelling. I am sure sixty people of all ages and tempers, were they
Europeans, travelling in this region of blank monotony, oppressed with
sombre reflections and without anything to relieve the senses, would not
manage things so smoothly, or without quarrelling, and at times most
desperately. For we are a _bonâ fide_ moving city, and at each well every
body prepares to start afresh. Some mend their torn clothes, others the
broken gear of the camels, others take out the raw materials from their
bags and work up a new supply of provisions. Others wash and shave. Our
Saharan travellers rarely wash themselves except at the wells. Their
religion requires of them to wash their hands at their meals, but this
they evade by rubbing their hands with a little sand, a privilege,
however, Mahomet has only granted them when they can find no water. We
followed the tracks of the few of our party who had preceded us. Here
also the footstep is rigidly observed as in the American wilderness, and
the people pretend to distinguish the foot-print of the bandit on the
sand from that of an honest man. But one night of strong wind usually
covers up the track, and though the sand does not move in billows, it
flies about, first from one side and then the other, and fills up the
foot-prints of men and animals. There is no doubt but it requires the
most practised eye of the camel-driver to find his way through these
regions, and yet, for my life, I could not see that the people
experienced any difficulty. They seemed as much at home in this intricate
waste of creation as in their own dark zigzag streets of Ghadames.

As the sun goes down and night comes on, the sand-hills, from shining
white, look as dark and drear as earth-hills. But how smooth is all! If
they were hills of blown glass they could not be more smooth. In the
sketch of Mislah will be seen a date-tree with part of its branches
depending, forming with the up-rising a curious shape. The under foliage
is dead and dried up, a fit object in the desolate scene. Not a single
living creature about the wells. No bird is here. At Maseen and Nather we
had seen two or three small birds, hopping about the wells, picking up
the crumbs and scattered grain of the passing caravan. Except the little
vegetable life, all else here is "a universe of death!"

FOOTNOTES:

[62] A _cantar_ is about an English hundred-weight.

[63] Oudney says:--"The presence of nothing but deep sand-valleys
    and high sand-hills strikes the mind forcibly. There is something
    of the sublime mixed with the melancholy. Who cannot contemplate
    without admiration masses of loose sand fully four hundred feet
    high, ready to be tossed about by every breeze, and not shudder
    with horror at the idea of the unfortunate traveller being
    entombed in a moment by one of these fatal blasts, _which
    sometimes occur_?" I agree with the Doctor about the sublime and
    melancholy mixed in contemplating these regions of sand. But they
    are by no means dangerous. No people that I heard of had been
    entombed under these fatal blasts. I am almost sorry now that I
    did not pass through the region of Mislah in a Saharan hurricane,
    and then I should have known all.




CHAPTER XV.

FROM GHADAMES TO GHAT.

     End of the Sandy Region.--No Birds of Prey in The
     Sahara.--Progress of the French in the Algerian Oases.--Slave
     Trade of The Desert supported by European Merchants.--Desolations
     of Sahara.--System of Living of our People.--Various Tours
     through Central Africa.--The Desert tenanted by harmless and
     Domesticated Animals.--Horribly dreary Day's March.--A Fall from
     my Camel.--Well of Nijberten, and its delicious Water.--Moral
     Character of the People of our Caravan.--Well of
     Tăbăbothteen.--Camel knocked up and killed.--Mode of Killing
     Camels.--Pretty Aspect of The Sahara.--Some of the Ghafalah go on
     before the rest.--The Plain and Well of Tadoghseen.--Encounter
     and Adventure with the _quasi_ Bandit Sheik, Ouweek.--Enter the
     region of the _Jenoun_ or Genii.--Mountain Range of Wareerat.


_6th._--ROSE at day-break but did not start until after sun-rise.
Continued through the sand. Scenery as yesterday, hills heaped upon
heap, group around group, and sometimes a plain of sand, furrowed in
pretty tesselated squares like the sands of the sea-shore. I walked
about three hours to ease the nagah. The camels continued to
flounder in the sand, throwing over their necks their heavy burdens.
The ascents extremely difficult: people employed in scooping an
inclined path for the animals. But, in the afternoon, about three,
we saw through an opening of the shining heaps, a blue and black
waste of contiguous desert. I could not help crying out for joy,
like a man at the prow who descries the port, after having been
buffeted about many a stormy day by contrary winds and currents.
Much fatigued with the walking over the sands, and sick with
drinking the brackish water of Mislah. Nothing _en route_ to-day
except four crows, and a skeleton of a camel. This is the small crow of
The Sahara (‮غراب الصحرا‬). People pretend it does not drink
water. It may live on the flesh of the few camels which drop down
and die from exhaustion, and on lizards. There are, however, no
vultures and ravenous birds of huge dimensions in this region of
Sahara. So that,

    ‮حيثما يكون الجسد ايضا تجتمع النسور‬

"Where the body is, there also collect the eagles," is not applicable to
this part of The Desert, although the vulture, pouncing voraciously upon
the dead man and dying camel, is an appropriate feature in Saharan
landscapes. The large birds of prey do not find, as the lion, water to
drink in these regions. When we got fairly upon the firm ground of Stony
Sahara, I was refreshed with the sight of seven small acacia trees. This
seems to be the only tree which will not surrender to the iron sceptre of
Saharan desolation, for it strikes its roots into the sterility itself. A
white butterfly also, to my amazement, passed my camel's head! Where does
the little fluttering thing get its food in this region of desolation?

Another of the Souf Arabs said to me this morning, "This sand is the
country of the Souafah and the Shânbah." If so, indeed, it would be a
troublesome country for a military expedition. "However," said a
merchant, "the maharee can pursue the Shânbah to the last heap of their
sands." Speaking of the Shânbah last evening when we were in the midst of
the sands, the Souafah said:--"When the enemy will come, we shall cover
ourselves in the sand, and fire off our matchlocks. They will feel our
bullets, and hear our report, and look about and see no person. We shall
be covered up in the sand." This, the Souf Arab repeated several times,
and the Ghadamsee traders thought it astonishingly clever and courageous.
It is reported five hundred Touaricks are soon to pursue the Shânbah into
the Algerian territory. It is said also, French Arabs will support the
Shânbah bandits against both Touaricks and Souafah. Such is the silly
talk of our caravan. Still the French have got far south, and my Souafah
companions acknowledge that some of their districts pay tribute to the
Algerian authorities. This is something like _progress_, and we ought not
to deceive ourselves about their movements southwards. Nothing is worse
than self-deception. The Romans struggled long before they made any
sensible progress in Africa, nay, several centuries. In fifteen years the
French have induced a whole line of Saharan oases, more or less, to
acknowledge their authority. And the thing is done cleverly enough; they
do not appoint a local governor, or dispatch a single soldier, and yet
they manage to get some money from these distant Saharan oases. However,
this tribute must be very trifling; and were all this line of Algerian
oases to pay their tribute regularly, it would be as a drop in the bucket
compared with the thousands of millions of francs which have been spent,
and will be spent in Algeria. Such a colony as Algeria will not only not
pay, but will ruin the finances of a score of kingdoms as large as
France. The politics of our moving Saharan city are mostly confined to
the Pasha of Tripoli and the French in Algeria. "When will the Pasha go,
soon or late? Will another come after him? Will he be better? Will he
fleece us as this despot, of all our money? Have the French many troops
in Algeria? Have they more than Muley Abd-Errahman? Could they conquer
Morocco? Why don't the English drive out the French from Algeria? The
Mussulmans of Algeria are now corrupted by the money of the Christians.
The Bey of Tunis is the friend of the French. The Sultan of
Constantinople, Mehemet Ali, and the English are against the Bey of Tunis
and the French. Now, the Christians have great power in the world, but
they will soon be cut off, when shall appear the new warrior of the
faithful. Is the Sultan of Stamboul strong? Has he more soldiers than
Moskou (Russia)? Have the French more soldiers than the English? Is
Mehemet Ali to have Tripoli given him, and is he to march on to Tunis and
against the French?" &c. All these, and a thousand other questions and
opinions similar, agitate the sage politicians of our ghafalah: so true
it is, that when we change the heavens above, we do not change our
thoughts on the things below, which are left behind us.

My friend, Zaleâ, of Seenawan, did not come with us, he having contracted
for the building of the caravansary of Emjessem, but his brother, a rough
bold Arab, accompanied us, who assured me to-day,--"That all the goods of
the ghafalah were the property of Christians and Jews in Tripoli, and the
Ghadamseeah merchants were only their commission agents. These goods were
to be exchanged for Soudan merchandise, including slaves, which latter,
after being sold in Tripoli, the money of their sale would be given up to
the merchants under European protection." This is a strong confirmation
of the opinion which I have expressed in my reports, "_That the
slave-traffic of Tripoli is supported by the money and goods of
Europeans_." My informant wished to know and put the question:--"If I
take you (the writer) to Soudan, and bring you back safe, will you get me
free from paying taxes to the Pasha?" Another observed on this,--"That's
ridiculous, Yâkob; if you say that Mahomet is the prophet of God, you can
go safe to Soudan without the protection of any body." I made answer to
this impertinence, that such language was not proper, and if they
continued to pester me with their religion, I should report them to Rais
Mustapha. This at once silenced them.

Felt very sick this evening with drinking the water of Mislah. It is
purging all the people like genuine Epsom.

_7th._--Started a little before sun-rise, when a clear mist was spread
like a mantle of gauze over old Sahara, and lost the sight of the
sand-hills in the course of the morning. I joyfully bid them adieu,
though it may be very fine and Desert-like to talk and write of regions
of sand and sandy billows, furrowing the bosom of Sahara. Winding about,
but always making south. Wind now from the west; the sky mostly overcast,
but no signs of rain. No living things _en route_, but a solitary crow,
and another solitary butterfly. The mirage again visible. Very little
herbage for the camels, and no wood for the fire. On our right long
ranges of low hills, dull and drear outlines of The Desert. In some
masses, the stone and earth and chalk are thrown together in confusion,
as so many materials for creating a new world. Those who traverse these
Saharan desolations, cannot but receive the impression, that old mother
earth, slung on her balance, and revolving on her axis, has performed
eternal cycles of decay and reproduction. Time was, when these heaps of
desolation were fruitful fields of waving corn and smiling meadows, and
fair branching woods, meandered about with running rills of silvery
streams, where cattle pastured lowing, and birds sang on the trees. Now,
heap upon heap, and pile upon pile of the ruins of nature deform the
dreadful landscape, one feature being more hideous to look upon than the
other: and the whole is a mass of blank existence, having no apparent
object but to daunt and terrify the hapless wayfarer, who with his
faithful camel, slowly and mournfully winds his weary way through the
scene of wasteful destruction. . . . . In the sand, the pebbles are as
bright and smooth as those washed by the sea-spray, or chafed by a
running brook.

I have observed minutely the system of living amongst our people, and
really believe they have not enough to eat. When they invite me to
supper, and give me a share of _bazeen_, I always require another supper
on my return, before going to bed. Besides, I always make a slight repast
in the morning, which they do not. Then I eat dates and a piece of cake
during the day's riding, for we never stop during the day's march. They
also munch a few dates themselves. But, altogether, though I'm a moderate
eater, I believe I eat every day twice, and sometimes thrice, as much as
they eat. With respect to clothing, I wear double the quantity they do,
and, nevertheless, feel cold at night. I may say with truth, they are
poorly fed and badly clothed. It is this miserable system of living which
makes them such lanky bare-boned objects. I observe, also, they feel the
fatigue very much, as much as I myself, though unwell with drinking the
water and serving a hard apprenticeship to Desert-travelling.

I believe Europeans, in this season of the year, would travel these
Saharan wilds with less fatigue, and in far superior style. I now walk
two hours first thing every morning. Most of the merchants do the same.
Zaleâ said to me, "Yâkob, we (pointing to three or four of his people)
are the only true men here, and understand affairs; the rest are all
good-for-nothing." Indeed, the Seenawanee Arabs are generally very
excellent camel-drivers, and know the routes perfectly. We have with us a
young Touarick, who never covers his head winter or summer. His hair
grows long, unlike other Mohammedans, who shave the head. This Targhee
tells me he is never unwell. We're encamped in a valley. As the sun sets,
the sky is encharged with clouds. But usually the wind goes down a little
after dark, and rises an hour or two after day-break. Fortunately, this
is not a month of winds, so say the people.

As the camel moves slowly, but surely[64], on to Ghat, I still revolve in
mind the various routes of the interior. I'm still as much at a loss as
ever to determine which route I shall take, and have only Providence for
my guide. There are various routes before me:--

1st.--To go to Soudan, _viâ_ Aheer, and return with the ghafalah of
Ghadames, with which I proceed. This is easy and simple, but does not
offer much variety.

2nd.--To proceed to Soudan, _viâ_ Aheer, as in the first, and return
_viâ_ Bornou and Fezzan. This offers both variety and security.

3rd.--To proceed as before to Soudan, then Bornou, then Darfour,
Kordofan, Nubia, and Egypt. This is various, new, and attended with
danger, but I don't know what extent of danger.

4th.--To proceed to Soudan, Kanou, and Noufee, and then descend the Niger
to the Bight of Benin. This would be a fine journey, and perhaps not
attended with any very great difficulties.

5th.--To proceed to Soudan, as above, thence along the upper banks of the
Niger to Timbuctoo, and return _viâ_ Mogador in Morocco. This I believe
the most perilous of all the routes.

Any of these routes, however, could not fail to be useful to commerce,
geography, and discovery. Those who take the route of descending the
Niger to the ocean, will avoid a three or four months' journey over The
Desert. Noufee, on the Niger, is only fifteen days from Kanou, and seven
to the Atlantic.

To-day passed several tumuli of stones, more than eight feet high,
evidently placed to direct the caravans over the trackless portions of
Sahara. I wonder what the people of Europe will say when I tell them,
that The Desert--pictured in such frightful colours by the ancients, as
teeming with monsters and wild beasts, and every unearthly and uncouth
thing and being, not forgetting the dragons, salamanders, vampyres,
cockatrices, and fiery-flying serpents, and as such believed in these our
enlightened days--is a very harmless place, its menagerie being reduced
to a few small crows, and now and then a stray butterfly, and a few
common house and cheese-and-bacon and fruit flies! these poor little
domestic everyday creatures! Nay, there is not found here the wild ox,
or the oudad, or the antelope, or ostrich, or the wild boar, or any other
animal which inhabit and mark the Saharan regions near the north coast of
Africa. It is, indeed, impossible to conceive of a country so devoid of
living creatures as the route which we have traversed these last twelve
days. To this must be added, that now is the favourable season for
animals, and we should certainly see them if there were any to be seen.

Of the four routes to Ghat, the next to us on the west, is the shortest.
People say the route which we are now travelling is only frequented in
this season, and mostly by large caravans, or scarcely ever in the
summer.

_8th._--Rose at day-break and started at sunrise: as usual, the sky
overcast and in an hour the wind got up and blew a strong gale awhile
from the south-east. To-day Sahara looked unusually dark and drear; night
as a dread pall seemed to hang on the day and all visible things--all
life and animation was extinct but our lone, solitary, melancholy
caravan! We moved on in deep and weary silence, not a noise, a cry, a
murmur, the grumbling of the camels was even hushed. Nothing broke the
horrid silence of The Desert. We wound round long-long winding valleys--

        "Through many a dark and dreary vale
    [We] pass'd, and many a region dolorous--"
            "Where all life dies."

Most of the stone scattered _en route_ was black shingle, and all
the region had a volcanic look. In one wady through which we passed
were found several stones rounded into (shall I call them?)
cannon-balls, scattered about, and some were of prodigious size.
They were as round as if artificially made. There were also a great
many halves, or half balls. Our people to divert their minds from
the gloom hanging around them dismounted and amused themselves with
these cannon-balls of nature. Some would say that nature furnishes a
type of every thing in art. Our Touaricks assured us, "These balls
were made by the Jenoun, who on occasion of quarrels, pelted one
another with them. A traveller was once killed with some of these
balls during the night, although a friend of the Jenoun." In a
former period, I imagine the action of water produced these
specimens of stony rotundity, for they were embedded in a deep wady.
On leaving this valley, I had also something else to relieve me from
the gloom of this day's march. On mounting a small ridge of rock,
abrupt, and full of sharp stones, I was pitched off in a summerset
style from the back of the camel, and if I had not been caught in my
fall by a slave of the caravan, I should have fallen once and for
ever in this world; as it was, I felt stunned and considerably hurt.
This was my first and last fall from the camel. I learnt caution at
a great risk. The people all crowded round to assist me, terribly
frightened. My thick woollen clothes saved my bones. I could not
help remarking the coincidence of being saved by a slave, for the
benefit of whom I had chiefly undertaken this perilous journey. In
general, the camel goes extremely steady, it is only in mounting and
descending that they become unsteady, unwieldy, and dangerous. At
other times, you may sleep, eat and drink, read and write, on the
back of a camel. But as our days are short and nights long, we require
no sleep, and my eyes are too bad for reading. Our people call camels
by the Arabic term _bâeer_ (‮بعير‬), the male camel is called
_jemel_ (‮جمل‬), and the female _nagah_ (‮ناقه‬). As the
she-camel is most valuable for the sustenance of the tribes, the
Touaricks sometimes call the whole race of camels nagah. "We," say
they, "have nothing but the _nagah_ (she-camel)," thereby meaning,
our property alone consists in camels. But the nagah is a great
favourite with the Mussulmans of all nations. Mahomet mounted a
milk-white nagah, when he ascended to paradise. The camels have all
public and private marks, the former for their country, and the
latter for their owner, and, strange enough, the public mark of the
Ghadames camels is the English broad R. So when a camel is stolen, a
man claims his camel by his mark. The marking is done by branding
with a hot iron.

I can't help observing the habits of the camels, for our continued
marching affords us ample leisure. When these melancholy creatures can
find no other occupation _en route_, or when there is nothing _en route_,
or after a full belly, they set to work, like men, and bite one another.
Often one of the camels falls, or throws its load, in a regular
encounter. The Moors and Arabs are bad loaders of the camels, and there
is always some camel with its load falling off. In fact, the people do
nothing neat and well. Even the little gear required for these animals is
continually breaking and getting out of order. People look to the
immediate hour before them: not excepting even the necessary articles of
fodder and water, and food for themselves, of which they often neglect to
take a sufficient supply. And yet if anything could teach a man to be
provident it is The Desert. If this Saharan travelling were placed under
the management of Europeans, it would be infinitely more secure. Our
camels are nearly all coast-camels, we shall soon have to speak of the
maharee. The Touarghee uses quite a different style of address when he
coaxes along the camels; it is bolder and quicker in its intonations,
suited to the language of the Touaricks. A frequent address of
encouragement is, "_Bok, bok bok, bokka bokka_." The Arabs usually
command the movement of the camels by "Tzâ;" and when they are to stop,
by "Ush;" and, to kneel down, it is a prolonged pronunciation of the
guttural ‮خ‬ or Kh-h-h. We may well suppose, however, that the camels
which travel this route are expert linguists in the Touarghee and Arabic.

We continued all day till the last dull departing solar ray of the west
had left us. A long dark, dismal, dreary day it has been. We encamped
amidst two long ranges of Saharan mountains as a shelter from the wind.
Our people detest the wind, they prefer burning heat to wind. The
mountains only deserve the name from their frightfully gloomy aspect, not
from their consistence or magnitude, for in reality they are so much
stony and earthy rubbish shovelled up into long ridges. There is nothing
in shape or consistence of granite. I picked up several pieces of
petrified wood, but none of them pretty or remarkable. So far as I can
judge, there are no minerals or rare stones to repay the researches of
the geologist in these regions of desolation. Noticed a quantity of soft
grey stone, as also of slate stone: observed some lime-stone gradually
acquiring the consistence and colour of fine streaky marble.

_9th._--Rose as the day broke, and started with the first rays of the
sun. Continued through the same kind of country, with an addition of a
little sand here and there, for five hours, until we arrived at the well
of Nijberten, to our great joy, for it is a well of deliciously sweet
water. Around the well, I was pleased with the sight of several dark
bushes scattered upon the small sand-hills. Anything in the shape of a
tree now gladdens the heart. I observe again, that vegetation often
springs out of the sand in preference to the hard or even softer earth in
The Sahara. A little sand, scattered over the hard earth, and oftener
solid rock, enables vegetation to spring up, when the mould of Sahara
produces nothing. But there is little or no herbage for camels. Give my
nagah the barley which I provided for my own use. People ridicule the
choice of Rais Mustapha in the purchase of the camel, and say she will
never carry me to Soudan.

I'm now writing the journal of yesterday. I can't write every day.
Sometimes several days elapse. Often wonder how Denham could write his
journal every day, as he asserts. The wind is high and is scattering sand
in every direction. Certainly I require no supply of sand when turning
over my sheet wet with the ink.

Before we get to the water, we are obliged to scoop out the sand as at
Mislah. Many pits in Sahara are in this predicament. But we are
infinitely more repaid for our pains, for we find most refreshing
nectar-like water, as good as the last was bad. I imagine I drank off a
full gallon at once. I was praying night and day for this water, and was
obliged to go from tent to tent, begging a drop of the water which was
left of Nather well, until all the skins were empty of that water. Some
of the merchants kept a little in a small skin as a luxury. But I must do
our people justice, for seeing I could not drink the Mislah water, they
gave me often their sweet water and themselves drank the brackish. I must
add, I see no striking moral difference between the people of this Desert
caravan, and the people who fill an English mail-coach or a French
diligence. Mankind are morally much the same everywhere. The last sixteen
centuries have added little or nothing to discovery and amendment in
morals, however orthodox we may all have become. Our Christendom has been
chiefly occupied in resisting the worst features of the Mosaic economy as
engrafted by the corruptions of the Church on the Christian system. The
commission to Moses, "to extirpate the Canaanitish tribes," has been the
universal war-cry of the dominant party in the Church to burn and empale
heretics. There are still many divinity professors who think it right to
kill heretics and infidels. The society of the nineteenth century is
still eaten up by the most rancorous bigotry, and morality is
proportionably at a low ebb. Nevertheless, with all our present Desert
hardships, we are an easy journeying caravan; the patience of no one is
particularly tried, and there is no event to draw out the real passions
of the soul. We are now five days from Ghat; to-morrow being the Ayed
Kebir, we shall make but a short day. Had a little private conversation
with a Souf Arab. There are some fifty families of Jews in Souf, occupied
in commerce. Speaking of the eternal quarrel of the Shânbah and Souafah,
I found him a strong partisan of the Shânbah. "Fine fellows are the
Shânbah, like us the Souafah; one Shânbah would kill five Touaricks," he
exclaimed. Souf is a rich country. This Souf Arab has thirty fine dughla
date-trees, one of finest species. Riches are estimated by the number of
date-trees. He has two brothers now returning from Soudan, bringing
slaves and elephants' teeth for the markets of Algeria.

The notorious Mohammed Sagheer, who slaughtered thirty Frenchmen in cold
blood at Biscara, is now at Tozer, in Tunis. This flight of fugitives
will continue as long as France is in North Africa. It is inevitable.
When a political refugee is quiet his person should be held sacred; and
it was very dastardly on the part of the French to demand to have this
Arab Sheikh given up. But the French mind is incapable of comprehending
what is a political asylum, or even what is constitutional freedom. Local
politics still stick close to our ghafalah, and the people have such
faith in my power and influence, that they really believe I could, if I
would, get Ghadames freed from paying tribute to the Porte. An Arab of
Derge said, "If you return from Soudan, and speak to the English Consul
and English Sultan, you will then serve us in Derge and Ghadames, but if
you don't come back we are all lost." The British Consul of Tripoli
might, indeed, do something for these oppressed people, and save the
Saharan commerce from impending ruin. I quiet the people by telling them,
(and which is the fact,) I have repeatedly written to the English Consul
of Tripoli about their affairs, and to obtain some mitigation of the
oppression of their Government.

The bushes springing out of the sand are but a couple of feet high, and
their dark foliage is covered with crystallized salt. They are a stinted
species of acacia. Nijberten is the first Touarghee name _en route_, and
now we are fairly in the Ghat territory. On our right, a day's journey
over some ranges of hills, are tents and flocks and inhabited districts.
Passed several tumuli of stones raised in the shape of graves. To-day the
stone had a better appearance, a good deal of grey and red marble, and
some isolated blocks of granite. No birds, insects, or animals. Course
south.

_10th._--Strong wind all day, and cold. The Ayed Kebir. But our
travellers only prayed a little longer in the morning. Travellers are
exempt from the ordinary religious ceremonies and festivals. This feast
is usually kept up three days. A camel knocked up to-day, and unloaded
this morning. After two hours and half, passed on the right the well of
_Tăbăbothteen_. People say its water is still sweeter than that of
Nijberten. Indeed, we shall find the Ghat water to be usually sweet and
delicious. Scenery as usual, broken in valleys, hills, and high ground.
Some of the hills, covered partly with sand, looked very pretty at a
distance, shrouded as if in a sheet of snow, and dazzling in the
sun-beams. Encamped early in the afternoon. The knocked-up camel
difficult to be got on. A Divan of camel-drivers was held, and the
question discussed, "Whether the camel should be killed?" It was decided
that it should be doctored and left to graze until a Targhee was sent
from Ghat for it. A most piteous sight it was to look upon the poor
camel, prostrate and moaning, as if pleading the excuse of its malady for
not moving on. I could not stop to look at the wretched animal.
Nevertheless, I returned again, and found the camel tied down, with its
mouth pulled open, and its jaws lashed back with cords, to prevent the
poor creature from groaning too loud. The hot iron was being applied to
the shoulder, where there were some festering or dislocation; meanwhile,
the creature groaned in dreadful but silent agonies. At length, this
doctoring finished, it was left to graze; but being actually nearly burnt
to death, it could not get up, and was killed during the night, _to
prevent it from dying_, in order that our orthodox people might eat the
flesh like good Mussulmans.

Rais Mustapha amused me by telling how that the Arabs watched the signs
of immediate death, and just stuck the camel in the last agony of
dissolution, in order that they might eat the flesh with an orthodox
conscience. Camels are killed differently from other animals. Sheep and
bullocks and fowls have their throats cut from side to side, with
"hideous gash," for they are the most slashing throat-cutters; camels, on
the contrary, are stuck in the throat at the bottom of the neck, and the
top of the chest-bones. Next morning (_11th_), was held a Divan of the
whole ghafalah to decide upon the value of the slaughtered camel, for the
owner was in Ghadames. Its worth was estimated at four dollars. I
purchased a quarter of a dollar's worth. The camel was young, but the
meat not very good. Our people soon devoured the meat.

_11th._--Rose early, but did not start till near noon, to give the camels
more rest. Old Sahara looks absolutely pretty with the dark shrubs
bespotting and besprinkling his white shining sand-hills. The heavens are
strewn with soft flaky light clouds; the blue above is clear and
profound, and what other colours there are, look fresh and fair. Our
people catch the lighter and more exhilarating influence, and are more
talkative to-day. Descending to grosser matters, they are joking about
how much of the camel's meat they are to swallow for supper. A part of
the ghafalah left us, as the main body would not start early, thinking
to arrive a couple of days before us in Ghat. I loaded and wished to go
on with them, despising my friend Fletcher's advice. They insisted I
should not accompany them, but come on with the larger body of people. I
was obliged to return, and it happened for the best. This was a short
day's march, but wrote no journal. The advanced party excused themselves
for not letting me go with them, by saying, "We are going amongst the
Touaricks our friends for a few days, and you will arrive first." I
mentioned this to our party, who say, "_They're liars._ Are you so
foolish, Yâkob, as to believe every thing a _Mussulman_ tells you?"

_12th._--Rose and started with the earliest rays of the Saharan sun.
Scenery as usual; but the ranges of Saharan hills assuming a more
battlemental shape, and darker, blacker colour. Fast approaching the
inhabited districts; saw the traces of a route to Fezzan, on which the
foot-prints of sheep were visible. Saw some inhabited mountains at a
considerable distance, but no peculiar feelings started in the mind, and
I grow weary of the journey. A dull drear and long day. Overtook the
advanced portion of our ghafalah, and had the laugh at them. We asked
them, whether they had seen their good friends the Touaricks? whether
they had brought us fresh eggs, milk, and a whole sheep? We, of course,
begging our portion of the rich spoil. The people now told me to place my
tent within the circle of the encampment, as we were getting near the
inhabited districts. I usually encamped at a short distance from the
centre of confusion in the ghafalah, and found it more quiet. As to
fear, I had none, and slept more soundly in the open Desert than in any
part of the world where I had travelled before.

_13th._--Rose at day-break, and, after a few hours' riding, came in full
view of the Touarick camel-grazing country. We descended into a beautiful
plain. After such Desert, how lovely it was! the plain of the Paradise of
Sahara! This plain afforded many a taste of freshest herbage for the
camels, almost approaching to English grass. They cropped it with
rapacious greediness. Every person's eyes sparkled with delight at seeing
the famished camels devour the herbage. We stopped half an hour to let
them graze. Here were butterflies in quantities fluttering about, in
dress of silver white, and gorgeous hues of rubies, and labouring beetles
and industrious ants covering the small turf-hills, all which were to us
"signs of life," and living in the world. We had already seen, before
entering the fair plain, a small flight of larks, and now we feasted our
eyes on a few swallows skimming this "flowery mead," for here and there
were pretty blue and red and yellow wild flowers. A moment I forgot being
in The Desert. The abundance of the herbage arises from there having
recently fallen copious showers of rain--quite unusual in this thirsty
country. But our route is the worst and most desolate of all the routes
from Ghadames to Ghat. The other parallel routes always afford more
herbage, besides having some inhabited tracts, with flocks of sheep and
herds of camels feeding. Indeed, with the exception of a few people at
the well of _Tadoghseen_, which we shall soon mention, we found no
inhabitants in this the most easterly route. Whilst passing through the
plain I espied a little black something moving about. In getting up to
it, to my astonishment it was a little child stark naked! Our people were
as much amazed as myself. I thought within myself, if this be the way in
which the Touaricks bring up their children, exposed to cold and heat,
rain and wind, in such terrible plight in open desert! no wonder then
they can bear all the hardship of The Sahara, as we a spring-day in
Europe. It is impossible for an European to contend with a nature like
that of the Touarick; we can never expect to adopt their habits of
Saharan travelling. The little wretched urchin had been left by some of
the shepherds, for camels, goats, and donkeys were feeding about. The
child was very merry, but not old enough to speak much. Our people gave
the boy a piece of bread, which he put at once to his mouth, and grinned
"a thank you." From the plain rises a huge block of rock in the shape of
a sugar-loaf, a frequent form of blocks of rock in this desert. As we
neared the well, I was greatly rejoiced at the arrival of two slaves, one
of which had been dispatched by the Sheikh Jabour from Ghat, to tell me,
"I was to come with all confidence to Ghat, to fear nothing; no Touarghee
should say an untoward word to me." I augured well of all things on the
receipt of such news. Our people were as pleased as myself on the arrival
of Jabour's slave. They called out to me to take the handkerchief from
off my face, to let the messenger see "the face of a Christian."

After riding further, three or four Touaricks showed themselves. I
saluted them. They asked our people what I said, and did not seem very
friendly. I began to have suspicions[65]. The advanced portion of the
ghafalah had disposed of their camels and baggage before I got up to the
well. Said and myself went up amongst the people encamping, but, looking
on my left about fifty yards' distant, I saw a group of people and a
quarrel going on between our people, four or five Touaricks, and two
slaves. Our people were violently pulling a slave one way, and Ouweek, a
Touarghee chief, tearing him as savagely the other way. At length the
slave, struggling stoutly, got free, and went further off to a horse.
Ouweek thought the slave intended to mount the horse and ride off to
Ghat; so the chief followed the slave and again seized hold of him, and
unsheathing his sword, began beating him with its sides. The Ghadamsee
people and Arabs again interfered and rescued the slave. In the meanwhile
Haj Mafoul Zuleâ passed me, and said, "Go up, go up." I replied, "Why? I
shall stop here, where I am." He answered something; but, being hard of
hearing, I could not catch what he said. I determined not to move.
Afterwards, thinking that Zuleâ wished me not to be mixed up with the
quarrel, I went further on towards Ghat. I imagined the slave had been
overriding his master's horse, and was being beaten for that. After
staying some time up the road, I returned to my camel, tired of waiting,
and sat down, telling Said to unpack. But it seems Said had heard
something which I had not, and said, "Not yet, not yet." I insisted upon
his unloading the camel, and took out some dates and biscuits, and lay
myself down to eat them. The scuffle and uproar was now going on about a
hundred yards from me, and I saw the sword of Ouweek flourishing and
flashing about. This was succeeded by a calm, and a whole circle of
people squatted down around Ouweek. Meanwhile, the three followers of the
Sheikh went a short distance off, spread their heiks upon the ground with
great and solemn parade, and performed the afternoon prayer, as if about
to sanctify some impending act of their Sheikh. I watched them anxiously.
When I had waited half an hour or so, several of our people, with Zuleâ,
returned, and not a little surprised me by making to me the following
announcement:--"Ouweek, the Touarghee Sheikh of this district, wants to
kill you, because you are a Christian and an infidel. He has just been
beating one of the slaves for going to meet you, accompanying the
messenger of Ghat. He wished you to come up to him, that he might
dispatch you at once." To say the truth, I had such confidence in the
Touaricks of Ghat, and had been so confirmed in my confidence by the
arrival of the messenger from Ghat, that I could not believe this speech
of our people, and was disposed to think it a joke. I was perfectly cool,
and myself. But as they most seriously reiterated this story, and let out
a hint, or I gave the hint, I'm sure I now forget in the confusion, that
perhaps the business could be compromised for money, I said to the
spokesman, Zuleâ, "Oh! for God's sake, go, go; yes, yes, make a bargain."
I noticed poor Said at the time, who was staring at me full in the face,
to see, it would appear, how I was affected by this most unexpected
incident. After a great deal of squabbling and bargaining, in a true
mercantile style, it was finally arranged. Ouweek first fiercely
demanded one thousand dollars! Hereupon all the people cried out that I
had no money. The _quasi_-bandit, nothing receding, "Why, the Christian's
mattress is full of money," pointing to it still on the camel, for he was
very near me, although I could not distinguish his features. The
Touaricks who had come to see me before I arrived at the well, observed,
"He has money on his coat, it is covered with money," alluding to the
buttons. All our people, again, swore solemnly I had no money but paper,
which I should change on my arrival at Ghat. The bandit, drawing in his
horns, "Well, the Christian has a nagah." "No," said the people, "the
camel belongs to us; he hires it." The bandit, giving way, "Well, the
Christian has a slave, there he is," pointing to Said, "I shall have the
slave." "No, no," cried the people, "the English have no slaves. Said is
a free slave." The bandit, now fairly worsted, full of rage, exclaimed,
"What are you going to do with me, am I not to kill this infidel, who has
dared to come to my country without my permission[66]?" Hereat, the
messenger from Ghat, Jabour's slave, of whom the bandit was afraid, and
dared not lay a hand upon, interposed, and, assuming an air of defiance,
said, "I am come from my Sultan, Jabour; if you kill the Christian, you
must kill me first. The order of my Sultan is, No man is to say a word to
the Christian." Our people now took courage from this noble conduct of
the slave, declaring, "If Yâkob is beaten, we will all be beat first; if
Yâkob is to be killed, we will be killed likewise." Ouweek now saw he
must come down in his pretensions. The bargain was struck, after infinite
wrangling, for a houlee and a jibbah, of the value of four dollars[67]! I
did not, therefore, "sell for much," and Christians at four dollars per
head in The Desert must be considered very cheap. It is said, every man
has his price; I had not the honour of fixing my price. This was done for
me, and I ratified the bargain. I made a present of a turban to the brave
messenger, whom the people assured me acted a most noble part. It is
strange that this is the second time I have been preserved from something
like a catastrophe by the interposition of a slave. Did Providence intend
this as any sign of approbation of my anti-slavery labours? We were all
uneasy. Everybody had to supply something; and it was hinted, that I
ought to send them supper. Our people did this, and would not allow me,
saying, that I lived with them and had no provisions of my own. I was
indignant at the conduct of the Souf Arabs, who cowered down before the
Touaricks, and belied all their previous pretensions to courage and
intrepidity. Even a Seenawan Arab was frightened at my coming near his
tent, in dread of another quarrel or attack during the night. All our
people more or less were alarmed and agitated, although we numbered sixty
in the presence of five Touaricks! I thought in myself, What arrant
cowards you are! To cover their cowardice they pretended the Sheikh had
hundreds of people not far off. Zaleâ, and his Arabs, certainly behaved
the best. Zaleâ, in fact, was now the only man of the caravan. He told me
afterwards, the Ghadamsee people had proposed to him, that I should run
away on to Ghat, but he would not sanction such pusillanimity. I confess,
however, when the people described to me the character of Ouweek, I
myself felt considerable alarm. During the succeeding night, I slept
scarcely a wink. I made the messenger of Jabour sleep close by my
mattress, and unsheathing Said's old rusty sword, laid it beside me,
determining "to die game," or put a good face upon the matter. At any
rate, I thought an Englishman could not, however he might trust the good
faith of these people, die like an unresisting coward. Ouweek, like a
true politician, feasted the messenger dispatched from Ghat to me nearly
all night, and told him to report on his return to Ghat:--"The Christian
wished to give Ouweek a handsome present, but the Ghadamsee people, who
are sorry dogs, would not let the Christian act from the impulse of his
heart. So Ouweek quarrelled with the people of the caravan." The Sheikh
and his followers kept up a roasting fire all night, a stone's throw from
my encampment. The bandit was merry at the expense of the alarms of me
and our people, telling my messenger, "These Ghadamseeah are all dogs,
but the Christian is no dog, for when I threatened to cut his throat, he
sat down quietly and ate dates and biscuits." The bandit gave me more
credit than I can take to myself, for, at the time of munching the
biscuits, I was not aware of his violent attempt at levying black mail.
There can, however, be no question of the bad character of this Sheikh.
He has murdered several people, and, not long ago, killed a rich
Marabout, going on a pilgrimage to Mecca, plundering him of a great deal
of property. He is therefore no pleasant customer for a Christian to meet
with on the highways of The Sahara, whom he would decapitate with less
scruple of conscience than a Leadenhall poulterer would cut off a goose's
head. He has many people, though a second-rate chief, and is allied by
blood to the reigning family of Shafou. Though a little insignificant
man, he possesses undaunted courage, and has signalized himself in the
wars against the Shânbah. He walks lame with a wound he has received in
battle. He is generally dreaded in the open country, except by the
merchants, who are personally acquainted with him, to whom he behaves as
a very jolly fellow.

_14th._--All our people rose early, and got off as quickly as possible.
We could not breathe freely until we were out of the clutches of Ouweek.
Some of them, however, paid a farewell visit to the Sheikh, who received
them very graciously, as politely as any Spanish bandit, and sent this
message to me:--"Yâkob, go in _amen_ (peace or security) to Ghat, fear
nothing from any one, for you are under my protection." Our people
encouraged me along. The Souf Arab, who was so cowardly, said:--"Why
didn't you say, 'Mahomet is the prophet of God,' then you would have had
to pay no money." I called him a fool, and asked him, if all the people
didn't pay something as well as myself? This stopped his mouth. Zaleâ
fully agreed with me, as did all our people, that if Ouweek had simply
asked for a present, he would have got more from me. I certainly should
have given him at once half a dozen dollars if he had shown himself
friendly, and welcomed me to his district as a friendly stranger. It
appears he refused money, and even the camel, which the people in the
_imbroglio_ said he might, if he choose, take; he took the woollens,
because he knew they would not be made a question of restitution by the
Sheikhs and Sultan. He was clearly entitled to receive something from me,
by the usage of ages, commonly called "safety-money," but not to demand
it at the point of his broad-sword. This was his great offence in the
eyes of all his friends and the authorities of Ghat.

I did not see the well, but the water of Tadoghseen is extremely sweet
and palatable. I should have paid my homage to this well, as I had done
to all the sources of water in The Desert, had not Ouweek taken up his
quarters near it, and I was not anxious to disturb or excite the
curiosity of the bandit by a personal interview. One of his followers
came to see me off in the morning, a tall attenuated black shape of a
man.

We are now fairly in "the region of the Genii," the land of mystery and
disembodied spirits; and the whole country is intersected and bounded on
every side with the battlemental ranges of black, gloomy, and
fantastically-shaped mountains, distinguishing the country of the Ghat
Touaricks, where their friends and confederates, the Jenoun or Genii,
dwell with them in the most harmonious friendship. Here our people say,

    "Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth
     Unseen, both when we wake and when we sleep."

[Illustration]

There exists a compact between the Genii and Touaricks to this
effect, a species of _Magna Charta_, and not selling themselves to
the Saharan devils:--"The Touarick fathers solemnly vowed, alone of
mortals, eternal friendship to the Genii, they would never molest
them in the various palaces which they (the Genii) had built in
their (the Touarick) country, nor use any means either through
Mahomet, or the Holy Koran, to injure them or dislodge them from the
black turret-shaped hills: and for this devotion on their part, the
Genii promised to afford them (the Touaricks) protection at all
times against their enemies, more particularly during the night,
giving them vision and tact to surprise their enemy during the dread
hour of darkness." So the Touaricks are reckoned very devils at
night, and usually attack their enemy at this time, and hack him to
pieces with their broadswords. Poor Major Laing was surprised by a
Touarghee chief in this way, two of his servants were killed, and
himself wounded, or cut and hacked in some thirty places. The air of
the region of Genii and Touaricks we now breathed, but found it as
free as that of any part of The Sahara. Our people did not think so,
and they pointed out to me with a shuddering awe all the mysterious
objects. First and foremost, standing out from the lower and more
modest abodes of the Genii, like a huge castle, such as the Titans
might have built when they scaled the walls of heaven, was the _Kesar
Genoun_, (‮قصر جنون‬) "Palace of demons," _par excellence_.
This was the hall of council where the Genii meet from thousands of
miles round, and debate upon their affairs of State. It is also the
Jemâ or Mosque, where they meet on a Friday to pray to Allah, for
they also worship Allah, though not properly. These lower and less
destructive grades of Demonii "believe and tremble." This is also
the mint where the Genii keep their bullion. The entire caverns of
this monstrous block of rock are full of gold and silver, and
diamonds, and all precious jewels[68]. A more _mortal_ and sublunary
mystery was now pointed out to me. This was a small block of rock
about fifty feet high, of the shape of the accompanying drawing; the
lower or under part where it comes in contact with the ground, being
so exceedingly small as not to be visible. Here was the dreadful
spot on which several people were murdered, and amongst the rest a
wealthy Marabout, but a saint of great sanctity. The murderer (of
what country it is not said), was so ashamed and horrified at his
own deed of blood, that when he had committed it he begged the Genii
to cover up their bodies from his sight, for he had not courage to
bury them. The Genii listened to his request, detached this piece of
rock from their great palace, where it has rested, occasionally
_rocking_[69], say the people, to this day--a memento against murder
and crime! For this service the murderer begged the Genii to accept
of some of the spoil, but they refused to accept of gold tainted
with blood; and, on the contrary, the avenging spirits of justice
pelted him with pieces of rock till he died. He was fairly stoned to
death, and his bruised and broken carcase was left unburied, a
horror to all passers-by! We see the Genii are a moral people, and
in general the Mussulmans of The Sahara speak of them as a good sort
of folks, not unlike Puck and his merry crew, only playing
occasionally mischievous pranks upon silly inconsiderate mortals.

Beyond the Kesar Jenoun stretches away north and south the long range of
black basaltic mountains, called by our people Wareerat, but I am not
sure if this be the Touarick name. This ridge forms the boundaries of the
Tibboo and Touarick country, for it stretches as far or farther south
than the Tibboos, some fifteen or twenty days' journey. From the town of
Ghat to the base of this range is half a day, eastward, although the
range looks, by the ordinary delusion of Desert optics, to be close upon
the town.

FOOTNOTES:

[64] "Slow and sure," has in no case whatever so good an
    application as to the progress of the camel's march.

[65] These were evidently Ouweek's spies. They certainly did not
    accost me in that frank manner as the Touaricks had been wont in
    Ghadames.

[66] "Without my permission," or literally "tearing the _Litham_ from my
    face." _El-Lithām_--‮اللثام‬--is the bandage which all
    the Touaricks wear around the face, covering every part of it
    except the top of the cheek-bones and the eyes.

[67] The houlee, ‮حولي‬, is the same as the heik, and the
    _jibbah_, ‮جبّه‬, is a huge frock or tobe, with short sleeves,
    and coming up close round the neck.

[68] On these words of Shakespear, "_Kept by a Devil_," (King
    Henry VI., Part II., Act 4, and Scene 3,) Steevens makes the
    following annotation:--"It was anciently supposed, and is still a
    vulgar superstition of the East, that mines, containing precious
    metals, were guarded by evil spirits." So in _Certaine Secrete
    Wonders of Nature_, by Edward Fenton, 1569, "There appeare at this
    day many strange visions and wicked spirites in the metal mines of
    the Greate Turke. In the mine at Anneburg was a metal sprite which
    killed twelve workmen; the same causing the rest to forsake the
    myne, albeit it was very riche."

[69] There is an extraordinary co-resemblance between this Saharan
    _rocking_, or _logging_, stone, and that of our own in Cornwall,
    much noted and visited by all classes of travellers. Among the
    truly romantic coast-scenery of Cornwall, at the south-west angle
    of the county, are the celebrated Logan, or _rocking-stone_, and
    the lofty granite rocks called _Tiergh Castle_. Here is a reef of
    rocks jutting into the sea, on the summit of one of which is a
    large single mass of stone, weighing about sixty tons, resting on
    a sort of pivot, so near the centre that the whole block may be
    easily made to oscillate or _log_, to and fro. This _logging_
    stone has created astonishment amongst the illiterate, and given
    rise to many fabulous stories: whilst others have imagined it was
    placed here by the Druids, to overawe and terrify the vulgar.

    Geologists, however, says Dr. Paris, readily discover, that the
    only chisel ever employed has been the tooth of time--the only
    artists engaged, the elements. Some years ago, the upper, or
    logging-stone, was thrown from its equilibrium by the bodily
    exertions of some sailors; but a general cry of indignation having
    been raised against this wanton act, it was shortly afterwards
    reinstated in nearly its original position by the perpetrators of
    the mischief, who, while thus making honourable amends for their
    former folly, evinced great ingenuity and skilfulness.--_Fisher's
    Views in Devonshire and Cornwall._


END OF VOL. I.

LONDON: HARRISON AND SONS, PRINTERS, 45, ST. MARTIN'S LANE.

[Illustration: A SAND STORM. _J.E.S. del. J. W. Cook. sc._]




TRAVELS

IN

THE GREAT DESERT
OF SAHARA,

THE YEARS OF 1845 AND 1846.

CONTAINING

A NARRATIVE OF PERSONAL ADVENTURES, DURING A TOUR OF NINE
MONTHS THROUGH THE DESERT, AMONGST THE TOUARICKS
AND OTHER TRIBES OF SAHARAN PEOPLE;

INCLUDING A DESCRIPTION OF

THE OASES AND CITIES OF GHAT, GHADAMES,
AND MOURZUK.


BY JAMES RICHARDSON

Φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. II.

LONDON:
RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET,
Publisher in Ordinary to Her Majesty.

M.D.CCC.XLVIII.




LONDON:
HARRISON AND CO., PRINTERS,
45, ST. MARTIN'S LANE.




TRAVELS
IN
THE GREAT DESERT.




CHAPTER XVI.

RESIDENCE IN GHAT.

     Arrival at Ghat, and reception by its Inhabitants.--The Cold of
     The Sahara.--Haj Ahmed, the Governor, and Sheikh
     Jabour.--Distribute Presents to the Governor and Jabour.--Visit
     the Sheikh Hateetah, styled the British Consul of Ghat.--Make the
     acquaintance of the Tripoline Merchant Haj Ibrahim.--The Ghat
     Rabble.--Ouweek arrives in Ghat.--A Visit from Touarick
     Women.--Arabs begging from me by force.--Arrival of Kandarka from
     Aheer.--Bel Kasem's account of the Slave Trade.--Visit to Haj
     Ahmed, the Governor; his Character and Establishment
     described.--Bel Kasem's Sick Slave.--All classes of People
     attempt to convert me to Mohammedanism.--Bad effect of an
     European Tourist assuming the Character of a
     Mahometan.--Touarghee mode of Saluting.--Miserable condition of
     Slaves on arriving from Soudan.--Soudanese Merchants friendly to
     me.--Visit from the Governor.--Report in The Desert of Christians
     Worshipping Idols.--Make the Acquaintance of a young
     Touarghee.--Slave Trading and Kidnapping Slaves up The
     Niger.--Economical Bill of Expenses of Journey from Ghat to
     Soudan.


_15th._--ROSE two hours before daybreak in order to arrive early at Ghat
in the morning. About ten A.M., the palms of Ghat were visible through
the scattered blocks of rock in the valley, for the plain became now
contracted and assumed the shape of a deep broad valley, on the one side
a low range of sand-hills, and on the other the high rocky chain of
Wareerat. But the first sight of the oasis, after nineteen weary days of
Desert, affected me with only disagreeable sensations. The affair of
Ouweek, though pretty well got over, had shaken my confidence in the
Touaricks. Indeed, the painful forebodings of the last forty hours had
seriously deranged my plans, and made me think of returning, availing
myself the most of my unsuccessful tour. This suffering of thought day
after day is intense and worries me, and will soon make me an old man, if
not in years. It was the sudden shock of the affair just after receiving
the messenger of peace from Ghat. I saw at once that there was a great
deal of insubordination in the lesser chieftains, which made travelling
in this country very insecure. I remembered the remark of my taleb, "All
the Touaricks are the Divan, and each has his own opinion, and carries it
out in spite of the Sultan."

We were now met by the friends of the Ghadamsee merchants, but with the
exception of Essnousee and two or three others, I received few salutes of
welcome; and when we got up to the gates of the city (at noon), not a
single person of our caravan offered me the least assistance, either in
interpreting or otherwise. I felt myself in a most deplorable
predicament, but I reflected that all men must each one look after his
own business, so our people were now each one occupied with his own
affairs. I felt much the want of a good Moorish or Arab servant. Said was
of no use whatever in this case. Strangers and loungers crowded and
clamoured round me, anxious to look at the face of "The Christian." It
was covered with my travelling handkerchief, and when I untied my face to
gratify their curiosity, they burst out with the rude and wild expression
of surprise, "_Whooh! Whooh! Whey!_" Amongst this mob I at once
distinguished a number of the Aheer and Soudan merchants. These showed
the greatest curiosity, but my outer dress being entirely Moorish, there
was little novelty in my appearance, nay, scarcely any to point me out
from the rest of the caravan. Several of the Ghat people then asked me
what I wanted. I told them, the Governor of Ghat. I was not understood.
At last came up to me a young Tripoline Moor of the name of Mustapha, who
volunteered his services as Touarghee and Arabic interpreter, but, of
course, our conversation was always in Arabic. Amidst a cluster of
Touaricks and Ghat townsmen, the Governor was pointed out. Several
Sheikhs were present, but it appears they gave precedence to the
Governor's son from a feeling of shamefacedness. Haj Ahmed's son is a
very nice polite young gentleman, as smart as a Parisian dandy. After a
little delay he conducted us to a house, in which some of his father's
slaves were living. It was a dark dreadful dilapidated hovel. The young
gentleman most earnestly apologized, protesting, "The town is full of
people, merchants, and strangers. We have nothing better left in the
town. Perhaps you will come and live in our house out of the town." We
looked out our baggage, which had been conveyed for us by Arabs of our
caravan, and were astonished to find it scattered about outside the city
gates, the caravan people having thrown it down there. However, nothing
was lost, and this at once impressed me with the remarkable honesty of
the Ghatee people. I took up my quarters in a small room built on the
terrace, without window or door, but very airy. A roof of mud and straw
was now a luxurious and splendid mansion to me. At least a dozen slaves
were occupied in carrying my baggage from outside the gates to my
domicile, each carrying some trifle. No camels or beast of burden are
allowed to enter the city gates, all goods and merchandize are carried by
slaves in and out. Like the porters at the different traveller-stations
in Europe, each of these slaves seized hold of the merest trifle of
baggage, a stick or a bit of cord, in order to make an exorbitant demand
of the value of a shilling. The Desert furnishes a parallel for every
circumstance of civilized life.

The last night or two I had found it very cold, and the wind too high for
tents. I may observe here, conveniently, the cold was so great in this
portion of Sahara, that I never could undress myself for dread of the
cold. After loosening my neckcloth and shoes, I lay down in the dress
which I wore during the day. My bed was a simple mattress laid over a
piece of matting, which latter was spread on the hard earth or sands of
The Desert, as it might be, with a small sofa cushion for a pillow. After
I had laid down the mattress, I then covered myself up with a large
woollen barracan or blanket, very thick and heavy, and over this was also
drawn a dark-blue European cloak. The cloth distinguished my bed from
those of the merchants, and the nagah always knew the encampment by the
sight of this Christian garment. When I wore it in the day she was
immediately sensible of the presence of her master. I did not pitch a
tent, for we could not, but formed a sort of head-place of the two
panniers of the camel, over which we arranged camel's gear, forming a
small top. Under this I placed or poked my head, so that, at night, if
turning over my face, I found a little shelter from the naked cold
heavens. In this way I lay enveloped in a mass of clothing. I usually
waked a couple of hours before daybreak with the intensity of the cold.
Said slept closely by me on a lion's skin, and rolled himself up in the
slight canvass of the tent. Like myself he never undressed himself at
night. When he wished to confer a favour upon any of his negro
countrymen, or the poor slaves, he would take them and roll them up with
him in this canvass. He would have sometimes half a dozen at once with
him, the confined air of their united breathings keeping them mutually
warm. The poor Arab camel-drivers had nothing but their barracans which
they wore in the day to cover themselves up at night, whilst the bare
earth was their couch of down, and a heap of stones their luxurious
pillow. All these Arabs were wandering wayfaring Jacobs of The Desert.
El-Aïshi says, speaking of the bleak wind of The Desert, "The north wind
blows in these places with an intensity equalling the cold of hell;
language fails me to express this rigorous temperature." The Mohammedans
believe that the extremes of heat and cold meet in hell. Some have
thought there is an allusion to this in the words, "Weeping and wailing
and gnashing of teeth," (the teeth chattering from cold.) Milton has also
enumerated cold as one of the torments of the lost. The tormented spirits
passed--

    "O'er many a frozen, many a fiery, Alp."

I had not been many minutes in my new apartment before the Governor
himself came in. I had been addressing the young Ghatee as the Governor
himself, like Goldsmith harangued a duke's footman for the duke himself.
Haj Ahmed, his father, welcomed me with every demonstration of
hospitality. He sat chatting with me until the arrival of the Sheikh
Jabour, who also welcomed me in the most friendly manner. This was the
Sheikh who had dispatched his slave to the well of Tadoghseen to meet me.
Two or three other Touaricks of distinction came in with my friend
Essnousee. They then questioned me upon the conduct of Ouweek, the news
of which had now spread over all the town, and thanking Jabour for
sending his slave, he replied, smiling, "Ouweek was joking with you." And
then all joined in a laugh about Ouweek's affair. Jabour, ashamed of the
business, took this method of easing my mind. The Governor now began to
ask me about news and politics, and how Muley Abd Errahman was getting on
with the French. The burning of the French steamer on the coast of
Morocco after she grounded, had been transformed by The Desert reports
into a victory over the French, in which the French had lost 70,000 men
and several ships. The Governor had also heard the Maroquine war had
recommenced. I excused my ignorance by saying, I had been a long time in
Ghadames, and had heard nothing. Odd enough, the Governor asked me,
"Which was the oldest dynasty in Europe?" I told him the Bourbons of
France. The Sheikh Jabour here interposed that his family was more than
three thousand years old! The pride of an hereditary _noblesse_ is
deeply rooted in these Touarghee chiefs. The lore of ancestral
distinction is co-extensive with the human race. I have given but the
substance of our conversations. I give some of it in detail:--


Interrogation, _by the Governor_.

_His Excellency._--"What did Ouweek to you?"

"He was saucy to me."

_His Excellency._--"Have you seen lately Muley Abd Errahman (Emperor of
Morocco)?"

"No."

_His Excellency._--"He has conquered the French, destroyed their ships.
They have lost 70,000 men. If you had told Muley Abd Errahman you had
been coming here, he would have sent me a letter by you."

"I have no doubt of it."

_His Excellency._--"How is your Sultan?"

"Very well, thank you?"

_His Excellency._--"When did you last see Sidi Abd-el-Kader?"

"Not very lately."

_His Excellency._--"He is a prophet." (To which I said, Amen.)


Interrogatory, _by Sheikh Jabour_.

_The Sheikh._--"What did Ouweek to you?"

"He was very rude."

_The Sheikh._--"Ouweek was playing with you, trying to frighten you
because you are a stranger. He's a fool himself."

"Oh, it's no matter now."

_The Sheikh._--"How's your Sultan? Does he doubt we shall utterly destroy
the Shânbah."

"Oh, not the least."

_The Sheikh_ (in reply to the Governor).--"My fathers were princes before
all the Christian kings, thousands of years ago."

"I dare say they were."

My visitors now took leave of me, Jabour shaking hands with me, and
saying, _Mā-tăhāfsh_, "don't fear." Afterwards had a great many curious
visitors of the lower classes, all raving mad to see the _Roumee_
("Christian"). And amongst the rest, the son of Ouweek! who is a young
harmless fellow, and said his father would never hurt a great Christian
like me. He begged hard for a piece of sugar, which I gave him. He asked
me if his father was coming to Ghat. For supper I received a splendid
dish of meat and sopped bread, but very highly seasoned with pepper and
cloves. It is the Soudan pepper, a small quantity of which possesses the
most violent, nay virulent strength.

_16th._--After taking a walk in the morning, I returned the visit of
the Governor. He received me very politely, and presented me with a
lion's skin, brought from Soudan. His Excellency shewed me his
certificate of character and rank, certified by a huge seal of the
Emperor of Morocco. He pointed out with conscious pride the name of
Marabout, with which sacred title the Emperor had dubbed him. Muley
Abd Errahman is an immense favourite here amongst the Moorish
townsmen. They call him their Sultan. The Turks they fear and
detest. They expect them one day at Ghat. In the afternoon I sent
the Governor, according to the advice of Mustapha, two loaves of
sugar (French), a pound of cloves, and a pound of sunbul[70].
Cloves--_grunfel_, ‮قرنفل‬--are greatly esteemed, especially by
the women, who season their cakes, cuskasous, and made-dishes with them.
The sunbul (leaves) is made into a decoction, or wash, and is used
by fashionable ladies in Sahara as eau de Cologne in Europe.

Afterwards I paid a visit to Sheikh Jabour. The Sheikh has a house within
the town, which very few of the Sheikhs have. Jabour received me
friendly. I could not see the features of the Sheikh very well, on
account of his litham. Jabour, however, is a perfect aristocrat in his
way, with a very delicate hand. He is tall and well-made, and his simple
and elegant manners denote at once "The Marabout Sheikh of the
Touaricks," of the most ancient and renowned of Touarghee families. I
took the Sheikh a present of a loaf of sugar, three pounds of cloves and
sunbul, and a shasheeah, or fez. Jabour received them very graciously,
and repeated his _ma-tahafsh_, "don't fear," several times, promising me,
at the same time, to use his influence with his friends to get me safely
escorted to Aheer and Soudan. The Sheikh's followers and other
distinguished Touaricks repeat the same, but the Governor I find more
cautious in his speech. On my return home, the Sheikh sent to know if the
handkerchief, in which the present was wrapped, were also a present, and
whether the bearer of the present had purloined it, for he had taken it
away with him. I immediately sent the Sheikh back the handkerchief,
informing the Sheikh the bearer was not told to leave it. All Saharan
people are immoderately fond of a handkerchief. I recommend travellers in
Sahara to supply themselves with a good stock of very cheap coloured
cotton handkerchiefs. My house is thronged all day long with visitors. I
am obliged to exhibit myself to the people like the Fat Boy, or the
American Giant. It is Richardson's Show at Ghat instead of Greenwich. The
rest of the ghafalah, which we left behind, arrived to-day. My friend,
El-Besher, to my regret, had turned suddenly back and gone to Touat,
where his brother had arrived from Timbuctoo. It is reported that a
quarrel had taken place about his brother amongst the Timbuctoo caravan,
in which affair ten people had been killed. So all Saharan caravans do
not travel in such harmony as we did. The Ghadamsee caravans are
certainly the most pacific. But the Timbuctoo people have everywhere a
bad character.

_17th._--In the morning went to see the Consul of the Europeans, as the
Moors call him. This is the Sheikh Hateetah, of whom very honourable
mention is made by the Denham and Clapperton party. Hateetah himself
assumes the distinction of "Friend," or Consul of the English. I found
him stretched on a pallet upon the ground floor, extremely unwell with
fever, and surrounded by his friends. He has just come from the country
districts. He asked me, "Is the Consul well? Are his daughters well? Is
the King of England well?" Hateetah had some years ago visited the Consul
and his family at Tripoli, under British protection, for Touaricks dare
not approach Tripoli. He has in his possession, after a dozen years, a
fine scarlet burnouse and coat, braided with gold lace, and also a gun,
which were presented to him by Colonel Warrington, on the part of our
Government, for his services to our Bornou expedition. The Sheikh told me
he had besides a written certificate from the Consul, but it was in the
country. I am the first person whom he has had an opportunity of serving
since his return from Tripoli, where he formally engaged, on the part of
the Touaricks, to give British subjects all necessary protection in the
Ghat districts. For this reason he is styled, "The friend of the
English." All strangers here are placed under the care of one Sheikh or
another, to whom they make presents, but not to the rest. Hateetah
resides in the suburbs.

During the past night was taken dreadfully ill, in the stomach, by eating
the high-seasoned dishes of the Governor. After drinking olive-oil and
vomiting, found myself much better. People say oil is the best remedy in
such cases. The Governor was troubled at my illness, and sent to ask
whether he should send me some senna tea. Wrote to-day to Mr. Alsager and
Colonel Warrington. The letters were to have been dispatched direct to
Tripoli, but the Touaricks would neither allow one of their own people
nor an Arab courier to go, giving as the reason that Shafou, the Sultan,
was not arrived. Touaricks have a horror of Turks, and cannot bear to
have communication with them, and do everything in their power to prevent
others from communicating with Tripoli. Not acquainted with Mediterranean
politics, they imagine that, because the Turks have retaken possession of
Ghadames and Fezzan, so long quasi-independent of Tripoli, they must
necessarily invade the Touarick territory, and seize upon their wee town
of Ghat, but to them the metropolis of The Sahara. This evening Jabour
hinted, in Hibernian style, to one of the slaves waiting upon me, that
his present of sugar was rather small. I forthwith sent him two loaves
more, which rejoiced him so much that he exclaimed, "Thank the Christian
by G--d. Tell him he has nothing to fear in Ghat, and he shall go safe to
Soudan." Felt better to-night. The Governor sent his last dish this
evening. A stranger of distinction is supplied with food for three days.
I have had my share of honour and hospitality, and am glad of it. I shall
now be cautious what I eat. But I find everything is exceedingly dear,
the number of strangers, foreign merchants, and slaves, is so unusually
great as quickly to devour all the food brought here.

Yesterday I made the acquaintance of Haj Ibrahim, a Moorish merchant
resident in Tripoli, but a native of Jerbah. When in Tripoli he acts as
Consul for the Ghadamsee merchants; his brother is now in charge.
Mustapha came with him direct from Tripoli, not passing through Mourzuk,
but _viâ_ the oases of Fezzan to the west. So an European agent
established at Mourzuk, cannot well collect a statistical account of
trade, on account of few Ghat caravans travelling the Mourzuk route. Haj
Ibrahim promises to be useful to me, and has already sent a letter for me
to Ghadames. This merchant has brought the largest amount of goods to the
Souk, about forty camels. The whole of the Soudan ghafalah has not yet
arrived from Aheer. It comes in by small detached parties. As there is
nothing to fear on the road, people prefer travelling in small
companies, which facilitates their march, not being detained at the
wells waiting for the running of the water.

I have _cut_ in a certain way my old friends of the Ghadamsee ghafalah.
This has done them good, for they now begin to return to me, and are
polite. Before they were all so frightened at the Touaricks, that I knew
if I did not cut them, they would cut me. Now, when seeing the Touaricks
are friendly, they are also friendly;--such is the world of Sahara, as
well as the world of Paris or London. When a man has few friends he gets
less, when many he gets more. On the principle, I suppose, that money
gets money, and friendship friendship. The Moors of the coast, of whom
there are a few here, exhibit more courage, and a bolder front to the
Touaricks. The worst of this place is, _The Rabble_. It is the veritable
Caboul, or Canton _Rabble_. Here's my "great difficulty." They run after
me, and even hoot me in the streets. Were it not for this rabble, I could
walk about with the greatest freedom and safety, and alone.

_18th._--Went to see Haj Ibrahim. Sent the letter to Mr. Alsager _viâ_
Ghadames, the only letter I wrote from Ghat during the fifty days of my
residence here. In my absence a loaf of sugar was stolen out of my
apartment. Suspicion falls upon a Fezzanee, whom I have employed, and to
whom I gave this very morning a quarter of a dollar. These small loaves
of French beet-root sugar sell for two-thirds of a dollar in Ghat. Ouweek
arrived to-day from his district, after stopping for the rest of the
caravan to get what he could in the way of begging by force. This is the
cunning of the old fox bandit. He knows he can beg more effectually from
the merchant and trader in the open desert, than at Ghat, where people
may refuse, and do refuse to satisfy his importunities. I have done so
with the rest. He now pretends he was only playing with me, and that he
would have let me pass through his district though I had given him
nothing. Can we believe him? Jabour says in turn:--"I will make Ouweek
restore the goods which he has extorted by violence from the Christian."
There is no doubt Shafou will reprimand the bandit when he arrives. But I
do not ask or expect the restoration of such a few trifling things. In
this country, as the Governor says, "full of Sheiks," where authority is
so divided, and the Sultan's power is so feeble, we must expect this sort
of freebooting extortion. Such were the good and fine old days of
chivalry in France and England, so much regretted by certain morbid
romancers, Sir Walter Scott to boot, when a baron made a foray upon a
neighbouring baron's people, and shut himself up with the booty in his
castle, defying equally his plundered neighbour and his sovereign. But if
in the comparison there is any declination of the balance, it is in
favour of the Touaricks, for these Sheikhs, governing their respective
districts with a _quasi_-independent authority, are now living in
profound peace and harmony with one another.

Had a visit from some score of Touarick women, of all complexions,
tempers, and ages. After staring at me for some time with amazed
curiosity and silence, they became restless. Not knowing what to do with
them, I took out a loaf of white sugar, cut it into pieces, and then
distributed it amongst them. The scene now suddenly changed, joy beamed
in every eye, and every one let her tongue run most volubly. They asked
me, "Whether I was married--whether the Christian women were
pretty--whether prettier than they--and whether, if not married, I should
have any objection to marry one of them?" To all which questions I
answered in due categorical form:--"I was not married--the Christian
women were pretty, but they, the Touarick women, were prettier than
Christian women--and, lastly, I should see whether I would marry one of
them when I came from Soudan." These answers were perfectly satisfactory.
But then came a puzzler. They asked me, "Which was the prettiest amongst
them?" I looked at one, and then at another, with great seriousness,
assuming very ungallant airs, (the women the meanwhile giggling and
coquetting, and some throwing back their barracans, shawls I may call
them, farther from their shoulders, baring their bosoms in true ball-room
style,) and, at last, falling back, and shutting my eyes, placing my left
hand to my forehead, as if in profound reflection, I exclaimed languidly,
and with a forced sigh, "Ah, I can't tell, you are all so pretty!" This
created an explosion of mirth, some of the more knowing ones intimating
by their looks, "It's lucky for you that you have got out of the scrape."
But an old lady, close by me, was very angry with me;--"You fool,
Christian, take one of the young ones; here's my daughter." It is
necessary to explain, that the woman of the Touaricks is not the woman of
the Moors and Mussulmans generally. She has here great liberty, walks
about unveiled, and takes an active part in all affairs and transactions
of life. Dr. Oudney justly remarks, "The liveliness of the women, their
freeness with the men, and the marked attention the latter paid them,
formed a striking contrast with other Mohammedan States." Batouta
mentions a Berber tribe of Western Sahara, as having similar manners. He
says:--"This people has very singular manners. So the men are not at all
jealous of their women. The women are not at all embarrassed in the
presence of the men; and though they, the women, are very assiduous at
their prayers, they appear always uncovered." He adds, that certain
women, of free manners, are shared amongst the people without exciting
the feelings of jealousy amongst the men. It is the same with the
Touaricks, but it is the absence of this Mussulman, or _oriental_
jealousy, of husbands of their wives, which distinguishes the Touaricks
from other Mahometans of North Africa, and connects the social condition
of the Touaricks more with European society. On departing, I gave the
Touarick ladies some pins, and they, not knowing how to use them, (for
pins are never imported into The Desert, though needles in thousands,) I
taught them a good practical lesson by pinning two of them together by
their petticoats, which liberty, on my part, I need not tell the reader,
increased the mirth of this merry meeting of Touarghee ladies
prodigiously. I certainly felt glad that we could travel in a country and
laugh and chat with, and _look at_ the women without exciting the
intolerable jealousy of the men. I think there is not a more dastardly
being than a jealous husband. Amongst the Moors a traveller does not know
whether he can venture to speak to a man's wife or not, or whether he can
make her the most trifling present in return for the supper which she may
cook.

Afterwards had a very different visit of four Arabs, who came with the
evident intention of getting something out of me by main force. I
resisted to the last, and to their astonishment. I told them, all my
presents were now for the Touaricks, and if they did not leave the house
I would get them bastinadoed on their return to The Mountains. The worst
class of people which I have met with, since I left Tripoli, are _some_
of these Arabs, who are the most dogged brazen-faced beggars and
spongers, banditti in the open day. Yesterday arrived the powerful Aheer
camel-driver and conducteur Kandarka Bou Ahmed, the _Kylouwee_, whose
arrival produced a sensation. Some call him a Sheikh. He usually conducts
the Ghadamsee merchants between this and Aheer, and as far as Kanou. It
is an established custom or law, in The Desert, that the people of each
district or country shall enjoy the privilege of conducting the caravans.
The Touaricks of Ghat conduct the merchants from Ghadames to Ghat, and
the Touaricks of Aheer the merchants from Ghat to Aheer, and so of the
rest of the route, as far as Kanou, the final destination of the Soudan
caravan.

My Ghadamsee friend Bel Kasem came up to me today, and whispered in my
ear the question, "If slaves would be allowed to be sold now in the
market of Tripoli?" I answered frankly in the affirmative, but added, "I
did not think it would last much longer." All the merchants now look upon
me as an anti-slavery agent. The affair of Silva and Levi, if it
prejudice the people against me on one side, gives me some consequence on
the other, on account of the steps which the British Consul took against
those merchants, or caused them to take. I went to see Bel Kasem in the
evening, who is but a mere trader. He gave me this account of his
slave-dealing:--"I have purchased five slaves at forty mahboubs each. At
Tripoli I shall sell them at sixty. The Pasha takes ten duty, and I have
only ten for profit and the expenses, of conveying the slaves from Ghat
to Tripoli, feeding them as well here as there. What, where is my
profit?" I echoed, "Where?" This is a fair specimen of the market. He
complains of the dearness of the slaves, although an unusual number, more
than a thousand, have been brought to the Souk or Mart. Haj Ibrahim and
some other large purchasers have greatly and unexpectedly increased the
demand. He says Haj Ibrahim purchases large quantities of goods on
credit, or for bills of six and nine months from European merchants in
Tripoli. These he exchanges against slaves in Ghat, and then returns and
sells his slaves, and pays the bills as they come due. In this way, it
will be seen, the Desert slave-traffic is carried on upon the shoulders
of European merchants. Haj Ibrahim considers his profits at twenty per
cent. The people say he gets more. My friend, the Arab of Derge, called
late, to borrow five dollars of me. He said, "I have purchased a slave
for twenty-five dollars; at present I have only twenty. You and I, Yâkob,
have been always friends. Lend me five dollars and I will pay you in a
few days. The slave is a little old but cheap, he is to work in the
gardens at Ghadames." I then explained to him the law of England on
slavery, which greatly surprised him. The next day this Derge Arab
brought in another fellow to ask me to lend him money to buy a slave,
just to see whether I should make the same reply to him also.

_19th._--Rose early, and better in health. I begin to feel at home in
Ghat, amidst the redoubtable Touaricks. I find them neither monsters nor
men-eaters[71]. Nevertheless, all the swaggering Arabs and Arab
camel-drivers are here very quiet and civil amongst their masters, the
Touaricks. I frequently bully them now about their past boasting and
present cowardice. Two of the Arabs who had attempted to extort a present
from me I met at Haj Ibrahim's house. I lectured them roundly, telling
them I would report them to the Pasha, for they were greater banditti
than the Touaricks. This had a salutary effect. I was not troubled
afterwards with these brazen-faced begging Arabs.

This morning paid another visit to Haj Ahmed, the Governor. Found him
very friendly. He talked politics. I explained to him the circumstances
of the war between France and Morocco, suppressing the most disagreeable
parts for a Mahometan. In the course of conversation I was surprised to
hear from Haj Ahmed, "Now, since these twelve years, Tripoli belongs to
the English." I used vainly all my eloquence in Arabic to convince him of
this error, which has been propagated since the removal of Asker Ali from
the Pashalic of Tripoli at the instance of the British Consul. I then
spoke to his Excellency of the necessity of sending some trifling
presents to the Queen of England, as a sign of friendship, begging him to
speak to Shafou. He replied, "The Touaricks have nothing but camels."
The Governor has a tremendous family. First of all, he has seven wives
and concubines, then nine sons and six daughters. One of his female
slaves repeated to me all their names, a complete muster-roll. When I
visited the Governor again, I congratulated him upon having so large a
family. He observed smiling, with great self-complacency, "Why, Yâkob, do
you call this a large family? What is a large family with you?" I told
him eight and even six children was a large family. At this he affected
great surprise, for he had heard that generally European females have
three or four children at a birth. Haj Ahmed is a man of about fifty,
rather good-looking, stout and hard-working, but inclining to corpulency,
very unusual in The Desert. He is not very dark, and is of Arab
extraction, and boasts that his family came from Mecca or Medina. He
pretends that his ancestors were amongst the warriors who besieged
Constantinople, previous to its capture by the Turks. He is a native of
Touat, but has been settled here twenty years, where he has built himself
a palace and planted large gardens. He is a shrewd and politic man, and
has, in a certain degree, those jealous feelings of Christians which are
peculiar to the Moor. He dresses partly in the Moorish and partly in the
Touarick style, indeed, like all the Moors of Ghat, who are called
Ghateen. He is, perhaps, not very learned, but is assisted by his nephew,
a young Shereef of great learning and amiable manners. I asked some of
the Ghatee people, who was their Sultan? They replied, "Haj Ahmed; Shafou
is not our Sultan." The Touaricks, however, have absolute control over
all affairs, and Haj Ahmed stands in the same relation to Shafou, being
governor of the town, as the Sheikh El-Mokhtar, who is governor of
Timbuctoo, under the Sultan of Jinnee. But, Haj Ahmed, himself, disclaims
all temporal authority, he repeatedly says in our conversation, "I am not
Sheikh, or Kaëd, I'm only Marabout. All the people here are equal. When
you write to the Consul, tell him I'm only Marabout." The fact is, there
are so many Sheikhs here that it is no honour to be a Sheikh. The honour
is too cheap to be valued, and is as much repudiated as a French Cross of
the Legion of Honour. Haj Ahmed repudiates being a Sheikh most stoutly.
Notwithstanding this repudiation, the Marabout is obliged to decide upon
the affairs of the city, even when Shafou is in town. The Marabout
pretends he does not receive presents like the Sheikhs, but he always
received what I offered him, and which was more than what I gave to some
of the Sheikhs. His palace stands west, two-thirds of a mile from the
city walls. Here he reigns supreme, priest and king, as Melchisedech of
patriarchal times, surrounded with his numerous family of wives and
concubines, and about fifty male and female slaves. Some of the slaves
live in huts near his palace, or in the gardens. The Marabout is the
largest landed proprietor of Ghat, but he also trades a good deal, and is
now sending some of his children to Soudan to trade in slaves.

Yesterday evening Mohammed Kāfah sent me a bowl of sopped bread, fat, and
gravy, garnished with two or three little pieces of meat. This is the
first act and specimen of hospitality on the part of the townsmen. Kafah
is a considerable merchant, and one of the three or four grandees of the
place. Bel Kasem called out to me to-day, for he lives next door, "Yâkob!
Yâkob! Aye! for God's sake, one of my slaves is ill, bring me some
medicine to purge him, quick, quick, he'll die." I had nothing to give
the poor creature but a worm-powder, ordering half the quantity, all my
medicines being distributed, except those for the eyes. Undoubtedly many
of the slaves must die before they arrive in Tripoli. They are mostly fed
on dates, the profit of the commerce is so small as not to allow
wholesome food being given them. The slaves are brought from countries
teeming with plenty of meat, grain, and vegetables, whilst they are fed
with herbage and dates _en route_ from Aheer to Ghat. What wonder then
they die?

Every body, as was the case at Ghadames, high and low, rich and poor,
young and old, wishes to convert me into a good Mussulman, being
mortified that so quiet a Christian should be an infidel. An old Sheikh
paid me a visit to-day, and began, "Now, Christian, that you have come
into this country, I hope you will find everything better than in your
own country, and become a Mussulman, one loved of God. Come to my house,
leave your infidel father and mother. I have two daughters. I will give
you both for wives, and seven camels besides. This will make you a Sheikh
amongst us. You can also be a Marabout, and spend your life in prayer." I
excused myself, by saying, "I had engagements in my country. My Sultan
would brand me with disgrace, and I should be fetched out of this country
by the Turks, who were always the friends of the English." The Sheikh
sighed, raised up his aged body, and departed, mumbling something, a
blessing or a curse, upon my head. A younger son of Haj Ahmed came in and
addressed me, "Why not say, 'There is one God', and 'Mahomet is the
prophet of God?'" I told him a Christian was prohibited from making such
a confession. On paying a visit to Mohammed Kafah, who sent me the
supper, I found his house full of slaves and Soudan goods, and he himself
very busy in the midst of them. He received me very friendly, and, after
a little, said, "It would be better for you if you turned Mussulman. Do
you not wish to go to Paradise? A slave of ours is better than you, and
your estate." To turn the conversation, I observed (which I knew would
excite his mercantile lust, despite his orthodox zeal), "I hear you are
vastly rich, the richest merchant in Ghat." "Ah!" he replied, distending
into consequence, "but the Christians have all the money." I rejoined,
"If there were a better Government in Tripoli, the Mussulmans would have
more money." Asking about the arrival of Shafou, he observed, "Haj Ahmed
is our Sultan. I'm not a Touarick. God help if I were a Touarick." He
then took me by the hands, and led me to the women's apartments to show
me to his wife and daughters. The good wife, after handling my hands,
which were a little whiter and cleaner than what are generally seen in
The Desert, for to have hands with a layer of dirt upon them of several
months' collecting, is an ordinary circumstance,--exclaimed, "Dear-a-me,
dear-a-me, how wonderful, and this Christian doesn't know God!" Her
husband shook his head negatively. The court-yard of his house was soon
filled and crammed with people, who rushed in from the streets, and the
friendly Ghatee was obliged to send me home quick, lest I should be
smothered by a mob of people. The affair of Silva and Levi had reached
him, and the report will soon get to Soudan and Timbuctoo, for the
merchants carry everything with them which interests their commerce,
making additions as they go along. Here, as at Mogador, it was reported
that I was commissioned by the Sultan of England to buy up and liberate
all the slaves. On returning home, I had another posse of visitors, and
some of Haj Ahmed's sons, who came with the fixed determination to
convert me. One said, on my admiring his Soudan coloured frock, "If you
will become a Mussulman, I will give you one." I now felt myself obliged
to rebut some of this impertinence, and answered, "If you would give me
all the frocks of Soudan I would not change my religion." I then
addressed them sharply against wishing to alter the decrees of God,
turning the dogmas of their religion upon themselves, and quoted the
Koran,--

"Thou wilt not find out any means of enlightening him whom God delivers
over to error."

Immediately, this unexpected style of argument struck them dumb. After
recovering their senses they became restless to leave me, and began to
beg a few things. I gave them some sugar and cake, and we parted apparent
friends. On going out, they could not forbear asking Said if he was a
Mussulman. Like many other Moslemites of Sahara, they said, "The Turks
are not good Mussulmans." I replied, "Mustapha, the Bey of Ghadames, is a
better Mussulman than any of the Ghadamsee people."

The reader may disapprove of my conduct in these my frequent evasions of
the question of religion; but when they reflect that it required, during
my residence in Ghat and other parts of Sahara, the whole strength of my
mind, and the utmost tact, to maintain a simple and consistent
confession of myself as a Christian, and that to have said a word, or
even to have breathed a syllable of disrespect for Mahomet and his
religion, would have exposed me to be torn to pieces by the rabble, and
perhaps murdered in my bed, they will probably feel less disposed to
censure my conduct. If there be any doubt of this critical situation of
an European who travels openly and avows himself a Christian in The
Sahara, all I can do is to beg of the doubter to make the experiment
himself. The reader will also be pleased to recollect, that the Denham
and Clapperton party, though they travelled the safest routes of Sahara,
were protected by the Bashaw of Tripoli, and their safety was guaranteed
solemnly to our Government, as being the immediate agents and
representatives of the British nation; and, finally, they had a large
escort of Arab cavalry from Fezzan to Bornou. Yet these tourists,
surrounded with such protection, were actually circumcised at Tripoli by
Dr. Dickson[72], and were accustomed to attend the mosques and perform
prayer as Mussulmans. Colonel Warrington certainly told me the people saw
through all the mummery, and laughed, or were angry. As to the Frenchman,
Caillié, his eternal tale of fabrication, repeated every day, and every
hour of the day, to every Sheikh, and every merchant, camel-driver, and
slave of The Desert, produces a very painful impression on the mind of
the reader. Caillié's falsehood, as lie begets lie, begat many others. He
was obliged to tell the people, that Mahometans were not tolerated in
Christian countries. He told the Africans, also, that slavery was
abolished in Europe, at the time even when England had her thousands of
West Indian slaves. In this way, whatever service Caillié has rendered to
geography, he has damaged the moral interests of the world. The African
Mussulmans might say to future tourists, "If Christians tolerate not us,
why should we Mussulmans tolerate you," and assassinate the luckless
European tourist. Whatever, then, were my evasions on the question of
religion (and I sincerely confess I do not approve of them), I never
stooped to such folly, and so far disgraced my character as an Englishman
and a Christian, as to adopt the creed and character of a Mahometan. I
moreover, on reflecting upon the tremendous question, which I often
revolved in my painful journeying over The Desert--determined at all
events, at all costs, come what might, I would never profess myself a
Mussulman, if it were even to save my head. I thought the least I could
do was to imitate the noble example, which The Desert reports of Major
Laing--Sooner than forswear my religion, be it good or bad, it was better
to die! "Mental reservation" may be good for the Jesuits and papists[73],
who misquote the conduct of Jacob to Esau, but it is neither fit for a
Christian, or a patriot, or, at any rate, for an honest man, who was, is,
and ever will be,

    "The noblest work of God."

Spent the evening with Haj Ibrahim. A Ghadamsee came in who attempted to
frighten me from going to Soudan. Haj Ibrahim has the same prejudices as
the rest of the people of Tripoli respecting the supposed wealth of the
Ghadamsee people. "They have plenty of money but conceal it. Sheikh
Makouran has abundance of gold, but he cunningly professes himself a poor
man." I have lately read in a work published by the French Government,
that once upon a time, a son of old Yousef Bashaw sacked Ghadames and
carried off "several camel-loads of gold."

The Touarick mode of saluting is very simple and elegant, but cold,
colder than that of the English. A Touarghee elevates deliberately the
right hand to a level with his face, turning the outspread palm to the
individual, and slowly but with a fine intonation says, "_Sălām
Aleikoum._" This is all. When using his own language, a few words are
added. How strikingly contrasted are the habits of different people.
Amongst the Moors and Arabs this mode of saluting is their way of
cursing. With the outspread hand menacingly raised, a man or woman puts
their enemy under the ban and curse of God. A vulgar interpretation is,
that it means "five in your eye;" but this custom of cursing is so remote
as not now to be explained. The door-posts and rooms of houses are
imprinted with the outspread hand to prevent or withstand "the
eye-malign" from glancing on them and the inhabitants its fatal
influence.

_20th._--Rose early, felt better in health to-day. Am, however, annoyed,
but from what cause I cannot tell. Entertain many misgivings about the
climate of Soudan, and having no medicine dispirits me. It is now too
late to retreat. "Onward" is the only destiny which guides men, to good
or evil. Had a visit from the eldest son of the Governor. Gave him two
cups of tea, a little sugar, and two biscuits, which made him my friend
for ever; a cheap purchase of eternal friendship. Shafou, he says, will
not come before the whole of the Soudan ghafalahs arrive, of which there
are still some portions lagging behind. A Soudan caravan, as all Desert
caravans, is an _omnibus_; it collects parties of merchants all along the
line of route, and distributes them in the same way, but having a
starting-post and a goal. Haj Ahmed's son wished to introduce the
question of religion. "The world is nothing and Paradise is every thing."
"Amen," I replied. "What do you think of Mahomet?" "The Mahometans have
Mahomet, the Jews Moses, and the Christians Jesus, each for their
prophet," I said, after which not very satisfactory answer to him, the
conversation dropped. He now inquired if I had written to Tripoli to
bring plenty of sugar and tea, with a latent desire for a portion of the
spoil. I told him "No," very emphatically.

Called at my neighbour's, Bel Kasem, and found him doctoring a poor
negress girl. She could neither eat nor drink, she vomited and purged,
her bones were nearly through her skin, her stomach empty and dried up as
a sun-dried water-skin. Bel Kasem was rubbing her all over with oil. He
asked me for medicine. I said, "Give her something good to eat." He
replied, "I have nothing." "What do you eat yourself?" I asked. "Bread
and bazeen," he replied. "Give her that," I rejoined. He hesitated to
reply, did not reply; I saw he considered such food too good for a slave,
even to save its life. Such is but one dark sad picture of a thousand now
being exhibited here! One would think God had made one part of the human
race to torment the other.

Spent the evening with Haj Ibrahim. A merchant in his house related that
Noufee was now convulsed with a civil war. This country is now in the
hands of the Fullans. He had often visited that country, and had seen
English people there. A large caravan has this winter left Mourzuk for
Kanou _viâ_ Aheer. Haj Ibrahim pretends that the Touaricks of Aheer are
better than those of Ghat, but the former are people of the country (or
peasants), not towns. The Haj has not begun to dispose of his goods, but
he will exchange them against slaves. He, however, as a subject of Tunis,
is virtually prohibited by the Bey's ordinances.

My most friendly visitors are the merchants and traders from Soudan,
Kanou, and Sukatou. I cannot help looking upon these people with profound
pity. They bring their sable brethren, of the same flesh and blood, and
barter them away for trumpery beads, coarse paper, and cloth, &c. They
little think, that for such trifles, what miseries they inflict upon
their helpless brethren! A Kanou merchant, in a friendly manner,
recommended me not to go to Soudan, adding, "The Touaricks of Aheer would
butcher me because I was a Christian." A similar recommendation is being
given me by the Arabs, Ghadames people, and others. Still there is a
great variety of opinions, _pros_ and _cons_, on this subject.

_21st._--Rose early, improved in health. A small bird, not much bigger
than a wren, flits about the houses as our sparrows. This is probably the
Jereed sparrow of Shaw, _Bou Habeeba_, or _Capsa_-sparrow, but I saw it
at no other oasis except Ghat. It is of a lark colour, with a light
reddish breast, flitting about continually, twittering a short and abrupt
note, but very sweet and gentle. Yesterday Haj Ahmed sent me a few dates
and a little milk. To-day the Governor paid me a formal visit. He was
polite and friendly. However, he observed, "If you, Yâkob, had brought a
few presents for the Touarghee chiefs they would all have known[74] you,
but you have come without any thing, with empty hands." I replied that I
did not expect to come to Ghat when I left Tripoli. Nevertheless, if the
Touarick chiefs were friendly, and would protect Englishmen in The
Desert, both the people and Government of England would, I was quite
sure, acknowledge the protection with suitable presents. He was satisfied
with the explanation. Some of our caravan had told him I had come with
nothing, and had overrated my poverty as some tourists have their riches
overrated. But this report of abject poverty was a great advantage to me.
He was greatly surprised when I told him the Sultan of the English was a
woman. I explained, as I had done at Ghadames, when the kings of our
country had no sons, but had daughters, the daughters became sovereigns.
My vanity was somewhat piqued at the Governor's direct allusion to
presents, and I determined, that he himself, at any rate, should have as
large a present from me as he got from any of the foreign merchants. He
then asked me if I was an English Marabout. I replied, "Yes;" for a
Marabout, as in the Governor's own case, means sometimes a person who can
tolerably read and write. In this sense I may claim the sacred title. I
also dub myself occasionally _tabeeb_ (doctor), but mostly _taleb_, a
mere literary man or pretender to literature. I believe that coming
without arms, and as poor as possible, has had a good effect upon the
Touaricks. They see, if they were so disposed, they cannot maltreat a man
in my circumstances with a very good grace. I have still left, very
fortunately, a supply of eye-water, and am making presents of it daily.
This solution keeps my medical diploma clean and fair in Ghat.

Had another visit from the family of the Governor. All aspire to
religious discussion. Addressing me, "Which way do you pray, east or
west?" said another of his sons. "I pray in all directions, for God is
everywhere." "You ought to pray in the east." "No, for The Koran says,
'The east and the west belong to God, wherever you turn you find the face
of God[75].'" He continued, "You are idolaters, why do you pray to
images?" "The English people do not pray to images," I rejoined. As he
doubted my word, I was obliged to enter into explanations of the customs
of Romanists and Protestants. It is amusing or lamentable to think, as we
may sneer at or regret the matter, that these rude children of The
Desert should have ground for charging upon the high-bred and
_transcendantally_-polished nations of Europe, idolatry. But, if any one,
determined to be an impartial judge, were to visit the Madelaine of
Paris, and then pass rapidly over to Algeria, (a journey of a few days),
and there enter the simple mosque, and compare its prostrate worshippers,
in the plain unadorned temple of Islamism, with the bowing and crossing,
going on before the pretty saints and images of the Catholic temple of
the Parisians, he could not fail to be struck with the immeasurable space
which separates the two _cultes_, whilst the contrast, so far as the
eternal records of nature, impressed upon and read in the page of
creation, are involved, would be all in favour of the Moslemite deist,
and pity and folly would be mingled with his ideas when appreciating the
papistical _quasi_-idolator.

A young Touarghee came in with the party, whose eyes were very bad. After
a good deal of persuasion, for he was at first quite frightened at me, he
consented to allow me to apply the caustic. He is a follower of Sheikh
Jabour, and employed near the person of the Sheikh. To show how smoothly
things go after the first difficulty is vanquished, I may mention, that
he visited me ever after whilst I remained in Ghat, sometimes coming
every day, and always begging his eyes might be washed with the solution.
I had another visit from the Soudan traders. They say people just like me
come up to Noufee to where they are now returning. They speak Arabic very
imperfectly, and are obliged to converse with signs. They describe
thousands of slaves being carried away by men with white cheeks and hands
like myself, putting their hands round their wrists and their necks to
show how the slaves were ironed. These slaves are carried down the Niger
to the salt water (Atlantic). I asked them how the slaves were obtained.
One of them sprung up in an instant, seizing an Arab's gun. He then
performed a squatting posture, skulking down, and creeping upon the floor
of my room, and waiting or watching in silence. He then made a sudden
spring, as a tiger on its prey, with a wild shout. These wily antics
evidently denoted a private kidnapping expedition. Many slaves are,
however, captives of war, for the negro princes are as fond of war as the
military nations of France and Prussia, and can play at soldiers as well
as the King of Naples. Evening, as usual, paid a visit to Haj Ibrahim.
Nothing new, except an economical bill of expenses, from Ghat to Soudan,
chalked out for me by a Ghadamsee, in prospect of my journey, viz:--

Presents, _en route_, to various chiefs   13 dollars.
Wheat and bread                                 5    "
Olive-oil and _semen_ (liquid butter)      1    "
Extras and unforseen expenses                   3    "
                                              ----
Total                                          22
                                              ----

This, I imagine, is about what it would cost him himself, though he
pretended to allow a little more for me. These 22 dollars are to carry a
person two months over Sahara and one over Negroland to Kanou. It will be
seen there is nothing down for meat, or sugar, and tea and coffee, in
which luxuries Saharan merchants rarely indulge.

FOOTNOTES:

[70] _Sunbul_--‮سنبل‬--(literally "stalks"). According to French
    Oriental botanists, it is "_Nard, spina celtica_." An immense
    quantity of this fashionable plant is brought into The Desert. No
    present is made to a man of family without sunbul.

[71] Nor are they _Anthropoklephts_, as a late Yankee Consul, in
    his "Notes on North Africa," &c., calls them. Before Mr. Hodgson
    stigmatizes the Touaricks as men-stealers, he should see that his
    own States are pure. The reader will agree with me, after hearing
    further of the Touaricks, that these free sons of The Sahara have
    every right to say to Mr. Hodgson, and all American
    Consuls--"Physician, heal thyself: do not charge us with
    men-stealing when you buy and sell and rob human beings of their
    liberty."

[72] I speak on the authority of Mr. Gagliuffi, our Vice-Consul at
    Mourzuk.

[73] And even those who take an oath of _et ceteras_ at the
    National Universities! And others who subscribe to creeds which
    they do not read, or if read them, do not comprehend them.

[74] That is, being on friendly terms with you.

[75] See Surat ii., intitled "The Cow."




CHAPTER XVII.

RESIDENCE IN GHAT.

     Gloves an enigma of Wonder.--Visit Sheikh Hateetah.--All Men
     equal at Ghat.--Crowds of People surrounding my House to see
     me.--Violent Act committed on a Man at Prayer in the
     Mosque.--Extent of European Literature known at Ghat.--Continue
     unwell.--Ouweek's public Apology.--Dances of the Slaves.--A
     Saharan _Emeute_.--Arrival of Caravans.--Return the Visit of the
     Governor.--Europe, a cluster of innumerable Islets.--Who has most
     Money, Christians or Mahometans?--People more used to my presence
     in Ghat.--The Prophet of the Touaricks.--Visit from Aheer
     Touaricks.--The Governor's petty dealing.--The Shereef of
     Moorzuk.--Visit from Jabour.--Beginning Soudanic Cottons.--Visits
     from Kandarka and Zoleâ.--Route from Ghat to Alexandria, and its
     distance.--The Shereef of Medina.--Character and influence of
     Khanouhen, heir-apparent of the Touarghee Throne of the Azgher
     Touaricks, and his arrival in Ghat.


_22nd._--HAVE considerable pain in my stomach with change of diet. Did
not go out yesterday and the day before in the day-time, on account of
the rabble who follow so close at my heels, that my guides and protectors
can't keep them off. Sent a _shumlah_ ("sash") to Haj Ahmed, the
Governor, this morning. He expressed himself highly gratified. This makes
the Governor's present about five dollars more than he gets from any of
the merchants. The richest and most powerful merchants don't give more,
and some of them not half this amount. I have already given away 20
dollars out of my extremely modest resources.

Nothing surprises the natives of Ghat and the Touaricks so much as my
gloves. I am obliged to put them off and on a hundred times a day to
please people. They then try them on, look at them inside and outside, in
every shape and way, expressing their utter astonishment by the most
sacred names of Deity. Some, also, have not seen stockings before, and
examine them with much wonderment. But the gloves carry the palm in
exciting the emotion of the terrible. One said, after he had put the
glove on his hand, "Ah! ah! Whey! whoo! that's the hand of the Devil
himself!"

The _Souk_ or mart has now fairly begun. Merchants are desperately busy
buying and selling, chiefly exchanging goods against slaves. All complain
of the dearness of slaves.

Afternoon visited Sheikh Hateetah, "Friend" or "Consul" of the English.
Found him still unwell; he complains of pain in his bowels. This is the
case with most people in Ghat, myself amongst the rest. It cannot be the
water, for it is the purest and sweetest of The Desert. Prescribed a
little medicine for the Sheikh, who promises to introduce me to Sultan
Shafou when he arrives. Returned by another route, and in this manner
made the tour of the town. Half an hour is fully enough to walk round the
mere walls of the city, but then there are considerable suburbs,
consisting of huts and stone and mud houses. At the Sheikh's I met a
merchant just returned from Kanou; I put some questions to him, who,
thinking I wished to have every one answered in the affirmative, gave me
his terrible "yahs" and "aywahs" to all and everything demanded.

"Are there many people ill in Kanou?"

"Yes, many."

"Is the route to Kanou unsafe?"

"Yes."

"Are there banditti in route?"

"Yes."

"Is it hot in Kanou?"

"Very hot, very hot."

"Is there fever in Kanou?"

"Yes, always."

This I thought was good news. I fear we often get incorrect intelligence
from these people, through their anxiety to answer all our questions in
the affirmative, they not understanding that we put the questions to them
simply to gain information.

All men are indeed equal here, as saith the Governor. There seems to be
no ruling authority, and every one does what is right in his own eyes.
Yesterday, although the Governor knew that some of his slaves or other
people had stolen my sugar, he never condescended to mention the
circumstance, by speaking to his eldest son about the theft; he said
absurdly enough, "Oh, if we knew the thief, we would put him to death."
On protesting against such punishment for the offence, he rejoined, "Oh,
but we would cut off his hand." This is all stuff, and a proof of the
weakness of the Governor's authority. Happily, however, there's no crime
worth naming in the oasis.

Am obliged to keep the door shut to prevent people from rushing into the
house by twenties and fifties at once. The Governor has sent strict
orders to his slaves to keep the door shut, first, to prevent me from
being pestered to death all day long, and, secondly, because some of the
people have got the habit here, as in Europe, of picking up little
things. A young slave is crying out, "Bago! bago!" every five minutes, in
answer to knocking at the door to see The Christian, which we interpret
in European phrase more politely, "Not at home," but which signifieth in
the original Housa, "No, no." However, a troop of the lower class of
Touaricks managed to squeeze in as some of our people went out, but I got
rid of them without angry words.

A Ghadamsee resident here, came in to-day, with a severe gash on his
hands, and one of his fingers, to ask my advice and beg medicine. The
gash was inflicted upon him whilst at prayer, by a vagabond Touarghee.
The assailant alleged as the reason of his violent act, that the
Ghadamsee had called him a thief amongst the people, adding, that he (the
Touarghee) had stolen two skin-bags out of a house. For such violence,
such a daring act perpetrated on a man whilst in the solemn performance
of prayer, our Marabout Governor was obliged to give satisfaction to the
injured party. His Excellency stripped the house of the Touraghee of all
his little property, turned him out into the street, and ordered him
immediately to leave Ghat. To the honour, and humanity, and morality of
the inhabitants of this part of The Sahara, such acts of violence are
extremely rare. The Ghadamsee had poulticed his hand with wet clay and
camel's dung. I recommended a bread poultice, but he kept to his day and
camel's dung. The Saharans mostly prefer their own remedies, though they
may condescend to ask you your advice. Bought some olive oil from the
Arabs of Gharian. Before pouring it out they wished me to put sugar in
the measure. I suspected some trick, and refused. As soon as the measure
was out of my servant's hand, they seized it, some licking it, others
rubbing their hands in it, and then oiling their bread. They wanted to
have a lick at the sugar, which would have settled down at the bottom;
and were very angry with me because I did not take their advice of
improving the oil with my sugar. These Arabs are really more greedy and
rapacious than the Touaricks. The difference is, the Arabs are near
Tripoli, see Europeans, and learn to be more polite to us than the
Touaricks can well be.

A son of the Governor recited to me the following famous distich, begging
me to tell him what it meant:--

    "Tummora, tummora, tera,
    Buon giorno, buona sera."

On inquiring how he learned it, he told me a Moor of Tripoli taught it
him. This seems to be the extent of European literature acquired by the
Ghateen.

_23rd._--Continue to have pains in my stomach, and feel very weak. Am
undecided whether I shall go or not to Soudan. However, Haj Ibrahim has
kindly offered to let me have twenty-five dollars' worth of goods on
credit, which, in the case of my going, will relieve me from every
embarrassment as to money for the present, until I can get a remittance
from Tripoli, for these twenty-five dollars will furnish the presents and
expenses of the route, and allow me to retain some twenty or thirty
dollars in my pocket. The reader will and must smile at this mighty
statement of my financial affairs, worthy of a Desert Budget!

Essnousee called. Ouweek is a personal friend of his; Essnousee
says:--"Ouweek has told us, he feared from you (myself), for the English
had never before been in his district. For the rest, he was only playing
with you. He wished to see whether an Englishman was a man of courage.
This you proved to be, for you sat down and ate dates and biscuit whilst
he was threatening to kill you. It also proved that you knew that he
(Ouweek) was playing with you, for how could you eat dates if you thought
he was going to kill you." This is Ouweek's defence about town. I heard
also a curious version about the slave who ran to the horse. Zaleâ says,
the slave ran there to get Ouweek farther from me, giving me an
opportunity, if I chose, of escaping to Ghat. This affair still occupies
public attention, but Ouweek keeps his present, and evidently will not
restore it despite the threats of Jabour. Essnousee tells me not to be
afraid of Ouweek, for he has influence with the Sheikh.

A Souk of _little things_ has just been opened, and provisions, with all
sorts of small articles, the manufacture of Soudan and Aheer, are exposed
for sale in the public square. Formerly, these matters were purchased at
private houses. This is a step in the march of Saharan commerce.

Yesterday evening, the poor slaves danced and sung till midnight in the
public squares. Ever-pitying Providence, so permits an hour of gaiety to
suffering humanity, under circumstances the most adverse to happiness!
The slaves of the caravan are, a few of them, permitted to join those of
the town, and the exiled slaves sometimes obtain intelligence in this way
of their country. Generally the slaves imported are from such a variety
of districts in Negroland, and so widely apart, that the slaves of The
Sahara can hear little of their native homes. I asked Bel Kasem, if the
slaves of the Ghafalah were prisoners of war. "No," he replied, "there is
no war now in Soudan; these are captured with matchlocks at night by
robbers (sbandout); the negro is frightened out of his wits at the sound
of fire-arms."

Afternoon there was a tremendous hubbub in the public square or
market-place, the Negresses flying in all directions from the scene of
tumult. One of Haj Ahmed's negresses comes running to me: "Shut the door,
shut the door, the world is upset, the world is upset! Haj Ahmed, my
master, is no Sheikh, no Sultan. He can't keep the people quiet. I'm
going, I'm going." "Where are you going?" "I'm going to another and
quieter country, to Haj Ahmed, my master, to tell him the news." This is
a very lively negress, her tongue never stops; she retails all the news
of the country to me, and is a great politician in her way. Some of these
Ghat negresses are actually witty, and crack jokes with the grave
Touaricks. The Touaricks are too gallant to be offended with the freedom
of even female slaves. I felt somewhat alarmed, thinking the discomfitted
party might come and avenge their defeat upon the unlucky Christian
stranger. We barricaded the door, and kept quiet, anxiously waiting the
result, as people do in Paris, when an _emeute_ is being enacted for the
especial benefit of the Parisians. Afterwards I learnt the particulars of
this strange tumult. There is an old half-cracked Sheikh, who goes every
day into the public square, and strikes his spear into the ground, and
retiring at a distance, exclaims aloud to all present, "Whoever dares to
touch that spear I'll kill him!" To-day a young Touarick passed by, and
seeing the spear sticking up very formidably, as if challenging
all-passers by, went near it, and said, "What's this?" and took hold of
it. The crazy Sheikh was watching at some distance, and now was his
opportunity to show the people his determined will and resolution. He
rushes at the lad with his dagger in hand. In an instant the whole place
is in wild tumult, cries and shouts rend the air, with a forest of spears
brandishing over the heads of Touaricks, Arabs, Moors, slaves, men,
women, and children, mingling together, and running over one another in a
frightful _melée_. The boy is rescued, the people resume their lounging
seats, the storm drops to a dead calm, and nobody is hurt, not even
scratched. Such is a row amongst these untutored children of The Desert.
How different to the Thuggee rows now being enacted in Ireland!

Afterwards paid a visit to Bel Kasem. He complained bitterly of slaves
being dear. A slave is sold at from 40 to 100 dollars. The mediate price
is 60 to 70. Two months ago good slaves were sold at 30 and 40 dollars
each. The reason given is the great quantity of merchandize arrived
direct from Tripoli, besides from the lateral routes of Ghadames and
Mourzuk. The English Vice-Consul of the latter city has sent quantities
of goods to this mart, but these are exchanged only for senna and ivory.
This evening arrived another Tripoline merchant with twenty camels of
merchandize. He came _viâ_ Mizdah and Shaty, and was forty-five days _en
route_. The Touat caravan (very small) has arrived, bringing Touat
woollen barracans and Timbuctoo gold. The affair of the Timbuctoo caravan
is differently reported. It is now said the people killed were the
inhabitants of Ain Salah. The Desert is a great exaggerator and
misinterpreter. It is very difficult to get correct news.

_24th._--Better in health this morning, after taking medicine yesterday.
First thing, returned the visit of the Governor. When I go out early,
find few persons about the streets. People are up as late in winter as
they are early in summer. The Touaricks of the suburban huts do not come
to town till very late in the morning, when the Souk begins. His
Excellency treated me with three cups of coffee. He said, "You must take
three, because it is the destined number of hospitality, and as many more
as you choose." It was wretched stuff--hot water and sugar, blackened or
diluted with a little badly-ground coffee. But his Excellency thought he
was conferring upon me a vast favour. Few people drink coffee in this
country, and it is considered a great luxury. A man from Bengazi, a
visitor, was also treated with his three cups of coffee. These Saharans
have strange notions in their heads respecting the geography of England,
and the capabilities of its inhabitants in travelling. The Governor asked
me, "If the English could travel by land?" I was astonished at the
question, but I saw he imagined our country, and European countries
generally, to be so many little islets in the ocean[76]. It is curious,
likewise, how old this notion is. The Hebrew prophets, who were bad
geographers, depicted all western Europe as "the isles of the sea." The
Governor continued, "But can you travel on land, when water is wanted, as
in this country?" Before the French occupied Algiers, the Saharans
thought it impossible for Christians to invade, or even to travel in,
their country. This gave the French invading army such a vast prestige
when they once got upon _terrâ firma_. The event was as unexpected and
marvelled at as the immediate results were decisive and brilliant. I
answered, "In travelling through Christian countries, water is met with
every day. If it be necessary to carry water however, water is carried.
The French carry it in Algeria, and the English in India, when the
country is dry and desert, on the backs of camels." His Excellency,
greatly surprised, "What! impossible! Have the Christians camels? God
gave the camels only to the Faithful." I returned, "We have troops of
camels." "And where do you get camels?" asked the Governor, with great
seriousness. "The French buy camels from Mussulmans in Algeria, and the
English keep camels in India." "Ah!" observed the Governor, "those French
Mussulmans sell camels to infidels. They themselves are infidels." His
Excellency now inquired about religion, and whether all Christians had
books (_i. e._ books of religion). As before noticed, there is a
prevailing opinion here that Protestants have no Scriptures, whilst,
indeed, as we know, they are the Christians who only, _bonâ fide_, have
the free use of the Scriptures. I saw that Haj Ahmed, though a Marabout,
was sufficiently ignorant on the religion of Christians. His Excellency
then asked about money.

"Who have the most money, Mussulmans or the English?"

_I._--"The English, The Sultan of Constantinople has no money, or spends
it faster than he gets it. Mehemet Ali has but little money. However,
Muley Abd Errahman has some saved up in the vaults of Mekinas."

_The Governor._--"Muley Abd Errahman belongs to us; we are his subjects.
We have nothing to do with the Turks or the Touaricks. As the English
have much money, why have not you much?"

This question--this home-thrust--was made in a peculiarly arch way.

"If I had brought much money," I replied, as pointedly, "I'm sure I
should have been murdered before I got to Ghat. All my friends, and the
Rais of Ghadames told me not to carry any money with me."

This clear and positive statement made the visitors, who were numerous,
burst out laughing. His Excellency, taken by surprise, asked abruptly,
"How? Why?" I added, "Two Englishmen have been murdered in The Desert,
the one near Wadnoun (Davidson), and the other near Timbuctoo (Major
Laing), and both upon the supposition of their having possessed much
money." The Governor at once dropped the subject, thinking I was going to
bring upon the tapis Ouweek. His Excellency often quizzes me about having
no money, evidently not believing a word of my alleged poverty. I then
asked the Governor what he thought of the great camel-driver, Kandarka,
who conducts the caravans, and nearly all the Ghadamseeah between Ghat
and Aheer. He answered, to my surprise, _Ma nâraf_, "I don't know," for
Kandarka has an excellent reputation. This was the jesuitism of the Moor.

I took leave, and was escorted to Hateetah by my young Touarghee friend,
whose eyes I'm doctoring. On our way we met his master, Sheikh Jabour,
who stopped to salute us. Afterwards, somebody hailed us from a hut. My
Touarghee friend turned and said, "They want to see you." We went, and I
found several of my Ghadamsee acquaintance and some Touarghee people of
consequence, all squatting down on the sand in a gossiping circle. They
soon began on the troublesome subject of religion, after they had
gratified their curiosity in staring at me and through me. One said to
the Ghadamsee people, "Tell the Christian to repeat, 'There's one God,'"
&c. I was determined to risk an abrupt answer. I said, "This saying is
prohibited to Christians." At this stop-mouth answer they burst out into
a fit of hilarity. But one fellow, who wished to show some zeal, growled
out, "Be off, be off." My good-natured young Touarghee quickly got up
from the circle, where he had taken his seat, and smiling, took me by the
arm, whispering in my ear, "Come along, Yâkob, these are brutish people."
We found Hateetah better. I asked him seriously if there was danger in my
going to Aheer. He observed, "Without a letter from Shafou you can't go,
the merchants can't and won't protect you. Some of them are big rascals,
worse than us Touaricks, and will sell you as a slave for a dollar." Many
concur in this opinion. I found the Ghatee people more peaceable in the
streets, now the novelty of my appearance is diminishing. When I pay a
visit to a person of consequence I always put on my European clothes,
which compliment is perfectly understood, for I offended an old Sheikh
with going to him with my burnouse on instead of my French cloak. He said
to my uncouth cicerone, "This Christian doesn't pay me respect, why
doesn't he dress himself in Christian clothes?" Hateetah always makes me
promise to return by the eastern side of the city, where we meet with
very few persons. Saw Haj Ibrahim on my return. He complains of the
market:--"Slaves are very dear. What can we do? We are obliged to buy
them; there is nothing else in the market. Only a small quantity of
elephants' teeth and a little senna. Besides these, nothing else sells in
Tripoli."

Returning from the merchants, "Whey! whey! whoo! whoo! whoo!" saluted my
ears. This noise came from a group of people surrounding _En-Nibbee
Targhee_, "The Prophet of the Touaricks." The salute was followed by a
number of persons who rushed upon me, carried me by force into the
presence of The Prophet. The Seer, seeing me discomposed, said in a kind
tone, "_Gheem_," (sit down). Now there was profoundest silence, not a
murmur was heard amongst a hundred people crowded together. The Seer
stood up before me, and, assuming an imposing attitude, spoke in
monosyllabic style, the usual address adopted by North African and
Saharan prophets,--

"Christian, Ghat, good, you?"

_Myself._--"Yes, the people are good to me."

_The Prophet._--"Three! one!" (putting out one finger of the right hand,
and three of the left hand.)

_Myself._--"There is one God!" (knowing the prophet meant this, for it is
the usual way of badgering Christians about the Trinity in North
Africa.)

_The Prophet._--"Good:" (then making the sign of the cross by putting his
two forefingers into the shape of a cross.) "But you Christians worship
this (the cross) of wood, stone, iron, brass. This is not good, not
good."

_Myself._--"No, we English do not worship wood, stone, iron, or brass."

_The Prophet._--"You lie, you lie." (At this emphatic negative, up
stepped one of my Ghadamsee friends to the Prophet, and told him that the
English did not worship the cross or images like some other Christians.)

_The Prophet._--"Good, right, sublime. What's your name?"

_Myself._-"Yâkob."

_The Prophet._--"You, dog, Jew."

_Myself._--"No. This is the Arabic of my English name."

_The Prophet._-"Good, good; Yâkob, do you steal?"

_Myself._--"Please God, I hope not."

_The Prophet._--"Yâkob, do you lie?"

_Myself._--"Please God, I hope not."

_The Prophet._--"Yâkob, do you strike?" (_i. e._ kill.)

_Myself._--"Please God, I hope not."

_The Prophet._--"Good, good, good. Have you seen the Kafers in Algiers?"
(_i. e._ the French.)

_Myself._--"I have."

_The Prophet._--"Have they houses where women are kept, and twenty men go
in and sleep with one woman in an hour?" (At this question, the multitude
showed intense anxiety to hear the result.)

_Myself._--"I don't know."

I had scarcely made answer when two women rushed upon the Prophet and
dragged him away crying, "_Yamout, Mat:_ he is dying! he is dead!" As the
Prophet was pulled away he turned to me mildly and said, "_Yâkob, inker_,
Arise, James." I inquired where he was being dragged to, and was told
that the husband of the two women was just dead, and the Prophet was
going to see whether he could raise him from the dead. The Prophet had
already raised several people from death to life. It is a pity this
barbarian prophet could not be transported from the sands of The Sahara
to the marble pavement of the Vatican, where he might harangue Pope Pius
IX. and his Cardinals in the style of an Iconoclast, and induce the
Sacred College to abolish their scandal of image-worship. The Prophet
wears a leathern dress, or dried skins, from head to foot. His repute of
sanctity fills the surrounding deserts with its holy odours. The number
of miracles he performs is prodigious. His leathern burnouse, like the
Holy Tunic of Treves, is frequently carried about to cure the sick and
work miracles.

Coming home, I had a visit from some Touaricks of Aheer. They were
uncommonly civil, addressing me: "If you go with us, you have nothing to
fear. In Aheer, people will not call out to you in the streets as in
Ghat. We have a Sultan. Here there is no Sultan." They were amazed at my
little keys. I promised one of them, that, in case of my arriving safe in
Aheer, I would give him a little lock and key. This delighted him; and
two pieces of sugar, one each, made these Aheer Touaricks excellent
friends. Have visits from the Ghateen. Several of these people are going
to Soudan with the return caravan.

In better spirits to-day. Have been suffering from "The Boree." Such a
variety of discouraging influences press upon the mind, that it is very
difficult to keep it buoyant. Poor Said, he gives way in tears. He is
become terrified at the prospect of Soudan; he repeats, "The Touaricks
will kill you, and make me a slave again."

Had another visit from the uncle of Sheikh Jabour, a poor old gentleman.
I got rid of him by a bit of white sugar, which he munched as a little
child. He says, "One thousand Touarghee warriors are going against the
Shânbah after the mart is held." Was to-day astonished to hear, that a
few dates, a little gusub, a few onions, and a few stones of dates, which
a female slave offers for sale in the streets, belong to Haj Ahmed the
Governor! His Excellency sends the poor woman every morning to sell this
miserable merchandize, and she regularly pays into his hands the price
and profits every evening. This is one of the wrinkles of the Great
Governor Marabout, who lives in a palace, and reigns as king and priest
of Ghat and the Ghateen[77]! What shall I hear next? I am not surprised,
some of the Ghadamsee merchants sneer at the idea of Haj Ahmed being "a
Marabout of odour." Essnousee sent me a little present of vermicelli and
cuscasou, or _hamsa_. He certainly behaves better than the other
Ghadamsee merchants resident here. I'm told, there will not be many
Touarick visitors this year at Ghat. They have unexpected occupation to
defend themselves against the sanguinary forays of the Shânbah. And then,
the late rains having produced abundant herbage, they are also occupied
in grazing the camels. The merchants congratulate me on these
circumstances, and say I shall have less presents to distribute.

Met at Haj Ibrahim's a Shereef of Mourzuk, who pretends he is going to
Soudan. This is a little thin fellow, who glides into people's houses
through the keyhole, importunately begging on the strength of his being
of the family of the Prophet, and lives by the same pretensions. He has a
smiling face, with his head reclined always on one side from his habit of
incessant importunities; of course, he has not a para in his pocket. But,
nevertheless, he managed a few months ago to ally himself with the family
of a rich merchant, marrying the sister of my friend Mohammed Kafah, one
of the Ghatee millionnaires. Kafah is thoroughly disgusted with his
sister's marriage, and gives them nothing to eat, or only enough to keep
his sister from dying of starvation. One of the Shereef's items of
importunity, is his incessant abuse of his brother-in-law, because he
won't keep him in idleness. This little sorry shrimpy _quasi_-impostor
can neither read nor write. He tells me it is quite unnecessary. The
blood of the Prophet makes him noble, and fit for heaven at any time
Rubbee may decree his death. He is professionally and continually begging
from me, and says with a whining pomposity, "Put yourself under my
protection, I will escort you safe to Soudan. No one dare lift a finger
against a Christian under the protection of a Shereef!" But it's odd,
these and such offers of protection come from many quarters. The
camel-drivers and conducteurs look upon me as a good speculation. The
Shereef pretends that there are no less than two hundred of his family
in Soudan, and some nearly black, on account of their intermarriages with
negroes. One thing I like in the little wretch, he seems devoid of a
spark of bigotry against Christians. It may be that his mind is too
impotent for the malicious feeling. "Gagliuffi," he says, "is my friend.
I'm the protector of the English at Mourzuk." Mustapha of Tripoli has cut
me because I would not allow him to charge me double for the sugar,
cloves, and sunbul, which I purchased of him. A pretty rogue is this; but
I forgive him, for his voluntary and opportune services in interpreting
for me on my arrival in Ghat.

_25th._--Christmas Day! Not a merry Christmas for me--in truth, a sad, an
unhappy one. And yet I ought to be content, having food and raiment, and
enjoying the protection of God amidst strangers, in The Inhospitable
Desert! It is better for a man to pray for a happy mind than for riches
and celebrity. Weather has been mostly fine during the ten days I have
resided here. But this morning broke angrily, followed with a tremendous
gale, blowing from the east, prostrating all the palms, and filling the
air with sand, as a thrice condensed London November fog. It is besides
very cold, and is so far Christmas weather. I may add, the weather
continued unusually cold this Souk. People had not had such cold for many
a year. Received a visit from the Sheikh Jabour, who expressed himself
uncommonly friendly, and said, "If anything unpleasant occurs, call for
me." I showed him some cuts of a book, in which were drawings of Moors.
He was wonder-stricken. The sight of a date-palm pleased him exceedingly,
tickling the fancy of his followers who accompanied him. The Sheikh
promised me a letter for the Sultan of Aheer, and to send a slave of his
own with me as far as Aheer. Jabour did not positively assert that
Tripoli belonged to the English, and contented himself with asking, "If
Tripoli were English?" I explained fully to the Sheikh, as he is a man of
a fine ingenuous mind, that Asker Ali was recalled by the Sultan of
Stamboul on the representations of the British Consul of Tripoli, the
Pasha being a blood-thirsty tyrant, the enemy of the Christians as well
as the Mussulmans; and that the Consul has influence in Tripoli, but
Tripoli belongs to the Sultan. The Ghadamsee interpreter observed, "The
English and the Mussulmans are the same." "Certainly," I replied,
"without the English the French would soon eat up the Sultan of the West
(Morocco), and the Russians the Sultan of the East (Turkey)." "That's
good," observed Jabour; "Still, we in The Desert, fear neither Christians
nor Sultan. And if the English require our assistance they can have it.
Tell this on your return to your Sultan." This amiable prince then took
leave. If there be a desert aristocrat of gentle blood, it is
unquestionably Jabour. A shoal of low Touaricks came to me afterwards, in
the Sheikh's name, to beg. I saw through the _ruse_, and they were savage
in being obliged to go off empty-handed. Some Touarick ladies now tried
to squeeze in as the door was opened, and, in spite of the "bago, bago,"
got up stairs to the terrace. They had all the tips of their noses, the
round of the chins, and the bones of their cheeks, blackened. At first I
could not make out how it was. It was explained that the dye of the
Soudan cottons, which they wore, produced this blacky tipping. These
cottons begrime their wearers sadly, the colour is not fast, the indigo
being ill prepared. Some of the blue cottons are highly glazed. Men and
women wear them, being cheap and light clothing for the summer.

_26th._--Relieved from pain, but getting very thin, although my habits
are now what are called sedentary. I rarely sit up when at home, mostly
reclining. So far I am become a _bonâ fide_ Saharan habitant. Kandarka
called again to-day at my request. He professed to be very uncivil or
very serious, and asked a large sum for conducting me to Soudan, like a
real man of business, quite inconsistent with the present state of my
finances. He asks no less than 150 dollars in goods, including camels for
riding, and other attentions. This is more than he gets from all the
merchants put together, in fact, nearly twice as much. But if it be
necessary to strike the bargain, I'm sure he will come down to fifty. My
health is breaking down very fast, and I have great hesitation on the
subject of a farther advance into the interior. I have been thinking of
continuing my tour to Egypt and Syria, and Constantinople, visiting all
the slave-marts of the Mediterranean. Had a visit from Zaleâ, and found
him the same man as _en route_. But he is always a little wild and
playful. He is against my proceeding farther, and tells me to get off on
my return before Shafou comes, that the Touaricks may not get all the
money I have. I am at present, however, so satisfied with the Touaricks,
that I would give them a camel-load of dollars if I had them. Shafou is
still occupied in the neighbouring districts, enrolling troops for the
Shânbah expedition. The Bengazi merchant persuades me to accompany him.
From Ghat to the first oasis of Fezzan, there are 10 days; from thence
to Sockna, 10; from Sockna to Augelah, 10; thence to Seewah, 14 days
more; and thence to Alexandria, 14 more days.

Weather is dull to-day, but not very cold. All the Arabs and people of
Ghadames abuse Ghat: it is assuredly a sufficiently wretched place.
However, the scenery around is much more lively and picturesque than that
of Ghadames. A great quantity of elephants' teeth arrived yesterday (not
to be sold here), on their way to Ghadames. Also some Soudanic sheep for
this market, selling as low as three dollars each. Had a visit from the
eldest son of the Governor, and his nephew the Medina Shereef. This
Shereef must be carefully distinguished from the little mad-cap impostor
of Mourzuk mentioned before. I have not found so gentlemanly a person in
all Ghat and Ghadames. He was born in Medina, but brought up here; he is
the son of the Governor's sister, who is married a second time to the
Sheikh Khanouhen, heir-apparent to the throne. The Shereef's mother is
not a Touarick woman, and the Sheikh has another wife of Touarick
extraction in the districts. Of course Khanouhen is strongly recommended
to me by his son-in-law. "Khanouhen," he says, "has all the wisdom and
eloquence of the country in his head and heart. Shafou is an old man, and
talks little. Whatever Khanouhen plans, Shafou approves; whatever
Khanouhen says in words, Shafou orders to be done." Had a visit from a
Touatee, just arrived. He recommended me to go to Timbuctoo, and fear
nothing. "What have the Touaricks of Ghat done to you that you are afraid
to visit the Touaricks of my country and Timbuctoo?" he added. Now came
in two Soudanese merchants. One of them said, "Say 'There is but one
God,' &c." I answered "This is prohibited to us," which made them laugh
out. They have not that fierce bigotry of the north-coast merchants.
Visited Haj Ibrahim. He says, "Wait for me till next year, and we'll both
go together to Soudan. I'll protect you." Certainly this Moor has
hitherto shown himself extremely friendly to me. Khanouhen came in this
evening from the country.

FOOTNOTES:

[76] 1s xLi. 1, 5; xLix, i. Whilst in Jer. ii. 10, Europe entire
    is presented to the prophetic vision by the designation of "the
    Isles of Chittim." Sometimes the whole idea of Gentiles and
    Gentile nations is represented by the isles of the sea. The Hebrew
    bards, standing on the heights of Lebanon, and looking westwards,
    saw nothing but innumerable clusters of islets in the dim and
    undefined distance of the waters of the Mediterranean.

[77] A Moor of Ghat now and then goes to Tripoli. The Italian
    merchants call them the _Gatti_, "cats."




CHAPTER XVIII.

RESIDENCE IN GHAT.

     Arrival of the Sultan Shafou.--Visit to his Highness.--Visit to
     Hateetah; his jealousy of the Sultan and other Sheikhs.--Visit
     from the People of the Oasis of Berkat.--Said sobbing and
     sulking.--A Night-School in The Desert.--Use of Sand instead of
     Paper, Pens, and Ink.--Mode of Touarghee succession to the
     Throne.--Women hereditary possessors of Household
     Property.--Negresses are Dramatic Performers.--Description of the
     Oasis of Ghat; Houses, Architecture, Gardens, and Surrounding
     Country.--Visit from the Heir-Apparent, Khanouhen.--Genial
     softness of the Weather.--Specimen of Retail Trade.--Case of
     administering Justice by the Sultan.--Early habit of Touarghee
     begging.--The _Bou-Habeeba_, or Saharan Singing Sparrows.--Alarm
     of Female Hucksters at The Christian.


_27th._--A FINE morning. Feel better in health. The Touarghee Sultan,
Mohammed Shafou Ben Seed, came in this morning from the country
districts. His Highness is Sultan of all the Ghat Touaricks, or those of
_Azgher_.

Arrived to-day another portion of the Soudan ghafalah. There was a false
report this morning of the appearance of the Shânbah. Musket firing was
heard in various directions, and the people ran together, some mounting
the tops of the houses to see the fighting which was supposed to be going
on between the Shânbah and Touaricks. The Arabs, with their matchlocks in
their hands, ran after their camels to prevent them from being carried
off. The hubbub was most singular and bewildering. I expected to have to
report skirmish after skirmish, in the capture of Ghat, for the benefit
of The Leading London Journal. The true cause at length appeared in the
arrival of the Sultan, the firing of matchlocks heard at a distance being
done in honour of His Highness, and his coming to his town residence. So
it is, in a little place like this a false report may work wonders in a
few minutes. People are charmed with these rumours: they are their oral
newspaper excitement. In the streets were now heard "Shafou! Shafou!" "It
is Shafou! It is Shafou! It is Shafou!" "Shafou has come!"

As soon as the Sultan arrived, without waiting more than three or four
hours, I determined to visit His Highness, and carry him a small present.
I could not yet tell how the Sultan would look upon my projected journey
to Soudan. Fortunately I found Essnousee in the streets, who volunteered
his services as interpreter. Haj Ibrahim was also so good as to embrace
the opportunity of going with us. This had a good effect, and served to
give my visit consequence, Haj Ibrahim being the most respectable
foreigner now in Ghat. He was also a stranger to His Highness as well as
myself.

We found His Highness, at about a quarter of a mile's distance out of the
town, sitting down by himself alone upon the sand, aside of a large
_hasheesh_ house, or hut of date-palm branches. The attendants of His
Highness, who were not very numerous, sat at a considerable distance off.
In this primitive way and Desert style he had been receiving various
personages ever since his arrival this morning. As soon as His Highness
saw us approaching him, he bade us welcome by signs and salutations in
the style of the Touaricks, slowly raising his right arm, as high as his
shoulders, and turning the palm of the outspread hand to us. Haj Ibrahim
was first introduced, but the Sultan could not keep off his eyes from me.
At last the Sultan made a sign to Essnousee to speak on my behalf.
Essnousee explained very deliberately and minutely everything respecting
me--where and when he saw me at Tripoli, how I went to Ghadames, came
here from that place, and what were my intentions in proposing to go to
Soudan. The Sultan then turned to me, and said, "Go, Christian, wherever
you please; in my country fear nothing--go where everybody else goes."
After this I presented my little backsheesh to His Highness, consisting
of a small carpet-rug to sit or recline upon, a zamailah or turban, and a
shumlah or sash, large and full, and scarlet, like the Spaniards wear. On
giving the servant of His Highness the present, (which was covered, and
not exposed before His Highness, as a matter of delicacy,) I said,
through Essnousee, "This present is from me, and not from my Sultan, nor
the Consul at Tripoli, nor any persons in my country; it is extremely
small, and scarcely worth accepting. But, probably, if your Highness
should protect Englishmen through your country, and allow English
merchants to come and traffic in Ghat, a greater and richer present will
be sent to you hereafter." His Highness replied, "Thank you; I'm an old
man now, and want but little: we have a little bread, and milk of the
nagah (she-camel), and for which we praise God. Don't fear our people--no
one shall hurt you." Indeed, I saw the old gentleman was thankful for any
trifle. My little backsheesh was, perhaps, of the value of ten dollars,
and was the largest present I had yet made. I then asked His Highness
whether he would write a letter for me to the Sultan of Aheer, and one to
the Queen of England, stating that he would give protection to all
British subjects passing through The Touarghee Desert? The Sultan
replied, "All that you want I will do for you, please God." I determined
to risk a word on Desert politics. I said, "Your Highness must
exterminate the Shânbah, for they are a band of robbers." The Sultan
replied, "Please God we will; we are now preparing the camels to go out
against them." Essnousee and Haj Ibrahim considered the words of the
Sultan delivered in the most friendly spirit. Shafou was dressed very
plainly and very dirtily; and yet there sat upon his aged countenance
(for he was full seventy years of age) a most venerable expression of
dignity. His Highness wore a dark-blue cotton frock of Soudanic
manufacture, and black-blue trowsers of the same kind of cotton. On his
head was a red cap, around which was folded in very large folds a white
turban. He had, like all Touaricks, a dagger suspended under the left
arm, but no other weapon near him, or on his person. By his side, on the
sand, lay a huge stick with which he walks, instead of the lance. His
mouth and chin were covered with a thin blue cotton wrapper, a portion of
the _litham_. Around his neck were suspended a few amulets, sewn up in
red leathern bags. His Highness was without shoes, and his legs were
quite bare; his feet lay half-buried in the sand. He spoke very slow and
under tone, scarcely audible, and at times the conversation was
interrupted by the silence of the dead. All his deportment was like that
of a Sultan of these wilds; and the ancient Sheikh felt all the
consciousness of his power. The Desert Genii hedge him in around. The
Sultan is profoundly respected by all; and Louis-Philippe is a
gingerbread Sovereign compared with Shafou of The Great Desert.

But the reader would not be prepared to find His Highness smoking his
pipe during our interview, and striking a light himself, the materials
for which he carried in a large leathern bag, or pouch, slung on his left
arm, like all the Touaricks. On taking leave, we called the servant of
the Sultan after us, and Haj Ibrahim gave into his hands a small present
for the Sultan of the value of a couple of dollars, so that I maintain my
position of also giving the best presents, in the case of the Sultan. To
me it was a most pleasant and refreshing interview, after the serio-comic
affair of Ouweek. I asked Haj Ibrahim what Shafou said to him. The Sultan
simply told the merchant, "You may go to every part of the country now in
safety: to Touat, to Aheer, wherever you will--don't be afraid of the
Touaricks." I went home with the Haj, and spent the evening with him. The
merchant determines to send eight camels of goods to Soudan. He has not
sold a fourth of what he brought to this mart. A great part of the
slaves, elephants' teeth, and senna which daily arrive here, are not for
sale in Ghat, but are sent direct from Soudan to Tripoli by the
correspondents of the Ghadamsee merchants at Kanou. The Ghat Souk is
nearly closed, all the slaves are sold, and some of the people are
thinking about returning.

_28th._--Rose early and better in health. Pleased with the prospect of
still seeing my journey to Soudan completed. Weather this morning very
dull, sky overcast, a few drops of rain falling. Early Sheikh Hateetah
sent for me. Went and found the Consul of the English better in health.
He shewed me his scarlet burnouse and gold-braided coat, given him by our
Government. But as his object in calling me was only to express his
jealousy of the other Sheikhs, and of the Sultan himself, and to beg
another present, I was by no means pleased with my visit. He evidently
wished me to give him all the presents as the "Friend" of the English.
But this would have been both unjust and suicidal policy on my part. I
could not have considered myself safe, at any rate, respected or
esteemed, unless I had given a present to all the principal personages in
Ghat and the surrounding districts. Hateetah besides annoyed me by saying
the route of Aheer was full of bandits, against the concurrent testimony
of all the merchants. He wishes me to take the route of Bornou, which
would, entirely defeat the object I have in view, of visiting new
countries. However, by being firm with him, I got him to promise to
procure for me a letter and servant from Shafou to go on to Aheer. I am
to call again in a few days, and he is to show me his seal of office,
done by the Consul-General of Tripoli. Hateetah is a man of more than
sixty years, very tall, thin and attenuated, of extremely feeble frame.
He is still labouring under fever, and does not leave his pallet. To-day,
however, he got quite energetic on the subject of the presents, having
heard what a fine present the Sultan had received from me. He begged me
not to give a present to the _Oulad_ ("people" or "followers") of Shafou,
meaning thereby Khanouhen.

On my return, I found my door thronged with visitors from Berkat,
the village three miles distant, _en route_ of Soudan. They had been
waiting an hour or two for my return. At first I repulsed them, but
hearing afterwards they had brought a young lad unwell, I let them
in. The lad was covered with hard lumps, which had grown or festered
under his skin, about the size of a nut. He had been so for a year.
I prescribed a bath and opening medicine (senna, which they can get
easily), but I question if they try either. I recommended them to
send him to Tripoli, to the English doctor there, but they heard of
the proposal with horror. None of these Berkat people have ever
visited Tripoli. The Turks are their bugbear. They were not
extremely friendly; rude and ignorant villagers as they were, they
could not understand why I wanted to go to Soudan. I observed they
were all well clothed and seemed to live in Saharan affluence. The
term Berkat, ‮بركت‬, signifies "a lake" or "lagoon," and probably
the site of the oasis is the dry bottom of what was formerly a
lagoon. The Berkat oasis is larger in gardens, and more fertile than
Ghat, but possesses the same essential features. It has no Souk, and
excites no attention from strangers visiting Ghat. The inhabitants
are Saharan Moors, and some five or six hundred in number. Had a
very friendly visit from Salah, eldest son of Haj Mansour, of
Ghadames. He says justly, Kandarka and other camel-drivers
exaggerate the dangers of the routes for their own private ends, to
get more money out of me. Of the Touaricks and Ouweek, he says,
"They have no knowledge, they are bullocks." He also added, "I have
been reprimanding Ouweek for his bad conduct to you; I told him I
would not give him my usual backsheesh on account of his
ill-treating you."

I am much bothered with Said. Like his master he is continually wavering,
whether he shall return to Ghadames with the return caravan, or proceed
with me. I leave him to his own choice and reflections, telling him I
will secure his freedom by writing to Sheikh Makouran. I can't but pity
him. I find him frequently in tears, or sobbing aloud, afraid the
Touaricks will again make him a slave.

In the streets, I pass nearly every evening a Night-School, where there
is a crowd of children all cooped up together in a small room, humming,
spouting, and screaming simultaneously their lessons of the Koran, in the
manner of some of our infant schools. This mode of simultaneously
repeating a lesson has prevailed from time immemorial in the schools of
North Africa, and I imagine, in The East likewise, and though it may be
new in England or Europe, it is old in Asia and Africa. But I never saw
before a Night-School in Barbary, and look upon this Saharan specimen of
scholastic discipline as a novelty. It is probable, in this way, every
male child of Ghat, as in Ghadames, is taught to read and write. The
pride of the Ghadamseeah is, that all their children read and write. The
whole population can read and write the Koran. This Saharan fact of the
barbarians of The Desert suggests painful reflections to honest-minded
Englishmen. We may boast of our liberties, our Magna Charta, our
independence of character, our commerce, our wealth, the extent of the
world which Providence (too good to us) has committed to our care. But
after all we cannot boast of what the barbarians of The Desert boast. We
cannot, dare not, assert, that every male child of our population can
read the Book which we call the Revelation of God! This deplorable, but
undeniable fact, ought to throw suspicion upon our religious motives, as
well as our pretensions to the love and maintenance of liberty,--unless
it be argued, that our liberty is founded on our want of education, and
we are free men because the half of our population cannot sign their own
name! A Minister of the Crown (Earl Grey), in a late, and the last
discussion of the House of Lords (of the old Parliament), had the
hardihood, the intrepidity, to assert, that, "We (Englishmen) were the
least educated people of Europe, nay, that we were behind the savages of
New Zealand!" But this astounding declaration of the Minister produced no
explosion of indignation, not a single expression of regret, not a hum or
murmur of disapprobation from the Spiritual or Temporal Lords, to whom
the words of shame and censure were addressed. And, as the Lords, so the
Commons, so all classes of our society. The enunciation, the reiteration
of this most extraordinary, most damning stigma, on our national
character, does not even tinge with the most imperceptible hue of shame
the national countenance. What is the cause of all this? It is the
profound, incurable, and inextirpable bigotry of the English people, to
which they will not hesitate to sacrifice the national honour, the public
happiness, their own liberties, and their own consciences. . . . . . . If
measures for education are proposed by Imperial Government, our people
one and all will neither allow them to be adopted, nor will they
themselves adopt measures for education. With the diverse sections of our
society, no education is education unless it be based upon their own
peculiar views and principles. In this way, the curse and opprobrium of
ignorance are maintained in our own country.

I observe that the little urchins of this Saharan School use sand in
their first efforts to write. As sand abounds everywhere in the populated
oases of Sahara, and the people are poor and cannot afford to buy much
paper, it is constantly employed instead of paper, pens, and ink, in
casting up accounts. I see all the Soudanese merchants casting up their
accounts of barter and bargains in this way. Mostly the fore-finger is
employed, and in careless conversation a long stick or spear is used to
scratch the sand. But if the subject is serious, the speaker very
distinctly marks the stops of his discourse, or illustrates it with
flourishes, squares, and circles on the sand, or dust of the streets,
smoothing over the sand when he has finished. There is a little bit of
superstition attached to this smoothing over the sand. The Moors always
tell me when I write in this way to smooth all over and never forget it.
They invariably do so themselves, and never leave a mark, or stroke, or
dot of the finger on the sand after they have done speaking or writing.

I was surprised to hear of the peculiar mode of the Touarghee
succession for Sultans or reigning royal Sheikhs. It is the son of
the _Sister_ of the Sultan who succeeds to the throne amongst all
the Touaricks. I have learnt since that the same custom prevails
amongst the Moorish tribes of the banks of the Senegal. Batouta also
mentions this singular custom as prevailing amongst the Berber
people of _Twalaten_, ‮ايوالاتن‬, in Western Sahara, in these
words--"The people call themselves after the name of their
maternal[78] uncles; it is not the sons of the fathers who inherit,
but the nephews, sons of the sister of the father." He adds:--"I
have never met with this usage before, except amongst the infidels
of Malabar (in India)." It would appear, these rude children of The
Desert have not sufficient confidence in the succession of father
and son, and think women should not be put to so severe a test in
the propagation of a race of pure blood. Speaking to a Touarghee
about it, he said:--"How do we know, if the son of the Sultan be his
son? May he not be the son of a slave? Who can tell? But when our
young Sultan is born from the sister of the Sultan, then we know he
is of the same blood as the Sultan." There is besides another
anomaly of the social system in the town of Ghat. Women here are the
hereditary possessors and not men. The law of primogeniture is on
the female side. The greater part of the houses of the town of Ghat,
although the population is chiefly Moorish, belong to women,
bequeathed to them or given them on the day of their marriage by
friends or relatives. These two cases of anomaly are more favourable
to womankind than what we mostly find in Mahometan countries. I may
not now scruple to tell the Touaricks, that the Sovereign of England
is a female, for fear of giving them offence. It is a curious fact,
and may here be added, that the son rarely goes, or travels, with
the father, but always is pinned to his mother's knee, or trudges
along at her side; at last, he loses all affection for his father,
and concentrates his filial love on his mother. This alienation of
the son from the father, is increased by the custom of the son
inheriting nothing from his father, but all through his mother.

_29th._--A fine morning; the sun high in the heavens scatters light and
colour over all the Desert scene. In tolerably good spirits, but utterly
at a loss which route I shall take. Visited Hateetah; he did not beg or
annoy me to-day, but told me to resolve upon my route. Prescribed him
some medicine, as also for another person, who had the ill manners to
say, "God has made the infidels to be doctors for the Faithful."
Yesterday evening, the slaves of Haj Ibrahim (about fifty) danced and
sang and forgot their slavery. One young woman acted various grotesque
characters, and, amongst the rest, _Boree_, "The Devil." When a Negro
sulks, or is moody, he is said to be possessed, or to have got in him
_Boree_, which agrees pretty well with our "_Blue-devils_." In these
evening pastimes they fancy themselves in the wild woods of their native
homes, and dance and sing to the rude notes of their ruder instruments of
music, and feel as if free and like other mortals.

Went out this morning to have a commanding view of the oasis. Was
accompanied by the uncle of Jabour, who took hold of my hand, and
pulled me on, when we mounted the neighbouring piece of rock which
commands the oasis and scenery around. From this block of mountain,
north of the city, we had a beautiful view of the town, the oasis,
and adjoining palms, and all the Desert of the Valley of Ghat. To
the south we saw the date-palms of Berkat. To the east, is the black
range of mountains, throwing sombre shadows upon the scattered
sand-hills, which lie like shining heaps of silver at their base.
This range is higher than the average height of Saharan mountains.
The Touaricks say the Genii built these mountains, to protect them
(the Touaricks) and their posterity from the inroads of the Turks,
and Gog and Magog, from the east. "These are," say they, "our
eastern doors (barriers)." Scarcely any breaks or gorges are found
in this chain. Beyond the suburb, begirt with sand groups, stands
the palace of the Governor, which from hence looks like a line of
fortifications, with a tower or two rising above its battlements.
There reigns, king and priest, Haj Ahmed, the lord of all he
surveys. Sahara around has a varied aspect of trees and plain, sand
and mountains. The contrasts are striking, and spite the gloom of
Wareerat range, it is a bright desert scene. The town is small, and
the gardens are also extremely limited; the oasis is comprehended
within a circle of not more than three or four miles. The palms are
dwarfish, and half of them do not bear fruit, and their dates are of
the most ordinary kind. A sufficient proof that the date-palm is not
dependent on the quality of its water, otherwise the palm of Ghat
should be the finest and its fruit the most delicious of The Sahara.
On the contrary, in some of the oases of Fezzan, where the water is
literally salt, the palm is a noble towering tree, catching the
breathings of highest heaven, and casting down most luscious fruit.
Houses in Ghat have but a wretched appearance, and are as wretched
within as without. They are not white-washed, or clean and bright
and shining as Moorish houses of the coast, and though the city is
surrounded with stones, and lime is procurable, they are nearly all
constructed of sun-dried bricks and mud. A few days of incessant
rain would wash many of them down. The wood of construction is, of
course, that of the palm. The Desert furnishes no other available
building wood. Only one mosque tower deserves the name of minaret.
Besides, there is a huge building higher than the rest, but which is
inhabited as other houses. The town is walled in with walls not more
than ten feet high, but its six gates are miserably weak, and never
so closed as to prevent their being opened in the night. The whole
town is built on a hill, a portion of the blocks of rock from which
we view it. This little place has one large square, called
_Esh-Shelly_--‮الشلّي‬--the general rendezvous of business and
gossip, and where Shafou and all the subordinate Sheikhs administer
justice. Here is held the Souk, where everything important is done.
But the town-councils and state-councils of the Sheikhs are
generally held in the open air. Two or three palms within the town
cast a grateful shadow, and make an angle of the streets
picturesque, but no other trees are seen. On the south, without the
walls, is a suburb of some fifty mud and stone houses. There are
also scattered over the sand, on the west, a hundred or more of
hasheesh huts, made of straw and palm-branches. In the gardens,
besides the palms, a little wheat, barley, and ghusub is
cultivated. There are some fruit-trees, but no vines. Of water there
are several large pits, and some warm springs, but nothing
approaching to the hot boiling spring of Ghadames. There is,
however, one large reservoir, partly surrounded with palm-trees, and
the banks covered with rushes, except where the people go to draw.
The whole of this is enclosed within walls. Water apparently oozes
from a great extent of surface. The water itself is of the first
quality, and is said not to produce bile or fever. The irrigation is
the same in principle as that of Ghadames, but slaves are employed
to draw up the water, whilst animals are used in Fezzan, and in
Ghadames the water runs itself into the gardens. The places for
burying the dead around the Saharan towns occupy more space than the
abodes of the living. This is not surprising, when we reflect that
every new grave occupies a new piece of ground, and many years
elapse before the old grave is opened to place in it a fresh body. I
saw but one grave whitewashed; it was that of a Marabout, the only
"whitewashed sepulchre," and, strange enough, it is to denote
superior priestly sanctity as in New Testament times amongst the
Jews. The rest were small stones heaped up in the shape of a grave,
a large piece of stone being placed at the head.

The style of architecture, both here and in Ghadames, is the same, except
that of Ghadames is neater and more fantastically elaborated. Most of the
walls are surmounted with a mud-plaster work, and the tops and terraces
of the houses are surmounted with the same style of material, and
generally very irregularly done, as seen in the annexed diagram. The
cupboards cut out or excavated in the walls are of the shape of squares
or triangles, and the windows sometimes of the same shape, but
occasionally varying as seen in the diagram. All the doors and beams of
the houses, as before mentioned, are of the date-palm wood. The doors are
the usual long squares, but some of them so low that you are obliged to
stoop to enter through them. This is very troublesome to the Touaricks,
who always carry their long spears with them, as we our walking-sticks. I
have noticed here in The Sahara, as well as on the coast of Barbary, very
ingenious wooden lock-and-keys. The key is a piece of wood six or eight
inches long, and two broad, covered at one end with little pegs. The lock
is fitted to these pegs by little holes. On the arrangement and fitting
of these pegs and holes depend the secrecy and security of the lock. It
is no easy matter at times to unlock these locks, and requires a very
practised hand. The floors are covered with a thick layer of sand, even
many of the sleeping rooms, which sand is clean or dirty according to the
quality and cleanliness of the occupant.

[Illustration]

According to my friend Mr. Colli, the original meaning of the term
Ghat is _Sun_ or _God_, in the Lybio-Egyptian language. The Arabic
is ‮غات‬, _Ghat_, but as people fancy, like the French, they hear in
the pronunciation of the ‮غ‬ in _Ghat_ the R, so our former tourists
have sometimes written the name of the town Gh_r_at, and others
Ghr_aa_t. The oasis of Ghat is situated in 24° 58′ north lat., and
11° 15′ east longitude.

This afternoon received a visit from Khanouhen and his brother,
accompanied by Essnousee. This visit was perhaps the most friendly
of all which I have received from the Touaricks. For evil or for
good, it was, at the time, the preponderating motive for attempting
the tour to Soudan. I felt more confidence in the Touaricks.
Khanouhen is a man advanced in life, full fifty years of age. He has
hard but intelligent features. Like all the Sheikhs, he is tall and
of powerful muscular frame. His conversation consisted of a few
words, but full of pride and courage, and also to the point. He
said:--"I do not expect presents from a stranger who has come so far
to claim my hospitality. I can give you assistance without presents.
Cannot the man, who is to succeed Shafou, be generous without
bribes? It is not generosity to render you assistance if you load me
with presents. The heir of the Touarick Sultan receives no presents:
he asks for none. We wish not to terrify strangers--even those who
do not believe in Mahomet--by acts of extortion and plunder. I will
write you a letter to the Sultan of Aheer, so shall Shafou, so shall
Hateetah. The Sultan of Aheer must respect our letters. When he does
not, we make reprisals on his people. I am now busy. I am going to
exterminate the Shânbah. Our maharees will soon overtake the
robbers; not one of them shall escape. We scorn the assistance of
the Turks. We are strong enough by ourselves. We want no letters, no
advice, no arms, no horses, no guns, from the Pasha of Tripoli. All
The Desert is ours; wherever you go you find traces of our power. Be
happy here, fear nothing; for if you fear us, you lose our
confidence, and become our enemy." I have picked out the sense and
many of the exact expressions of this harangue, and the reader will
see that the Shereef, his son-in-law, did not exaggerate his sense
and fierce eloquence. Khanouhen, indeed, is called "The man of speech,"
‮رجل الكلام‬--by the merchants. The Sheikh was superbly
dressed in the first style of the Touaricks, unlike his venerable
uncle the Sultan. He wore a scarlet gold-braided coat, an immense
red turban, and a huge black litham, covering the upper and lower
part of his face, and nearly all his features. His arms were a
dagger, a broadsword, and a ponderous bright iron spear, which on
entering my apartment the Sheikh was obliged to leave outside.

Weather to-day is as soft and genial as Italy. The sky is overcast this
evening, and rain threatens. Yesterday I saw it lighten for the first
time in The Sahara. Flies live throughout winter here, and there is now
enough of them to give annoyance. An article which I purchased to-day
will give some idea of the retail trade in Ghat. This was a barracan, of
light and fine quality, which cost me three Spanish dollars. In Tripoli,
about forty days' journey from this, it cost two mahboubs, about a dollar
and three-quarters. But I purchased it for money; had it been exchanged
for goods or slaves, it would have been charged four dollars. This is
nearly cent. per cent. profit. Spent the evening with Haj Ibrahim.
Shafou had returned the merchant's visit, and dined with him. The
venerable Sheikh does not stand upon etiquette. An affair came off
to-day, which admirably and most characteristically illustrates the mode
of administering justice in Ghat. Mustapha, the young merchant of
Tripoli, quarrelled with one of his Arabs, and came to blows. Shafou
chanced to pass by at the time. His Highness immediately dispatched a
servant to bring the pugilists before him. Shafou then harangued them and
the bystanders, in this spirited manner:--"You see these men come here to
disturb our country. What ungrateful wretches they are! Shall I suffer
this? Don't I protect them? Don't I allow them to gain money at our Souk?
They return with goods and innumerable slaves to Tripoli. But they laugh
at me and insult me to my face, and trample upon our hospitality,
(_addressing a Sheikh_). Do you think, (_turning to the combatants_,)
there is no authority or justice in this place? I'll let you know to the
contrary. What do you think the Christian will say, if he comes and sees
this? Now, you rascals, pay me each of you ten dollars." This was
followed by a violent intercession on their behalf by the foreign
merchants, some blaming one and some the other. His Highness was obliged
to compromise the matter, accepting of a dollar from each. It is probable
His Highness was more anxious to inflict the penalty than quell the
tumult; but I was quite unprepared for such an eloquent address from the
ancient patriarch of the country. Considering the great number of
strangers, there are very few quarrels. "Ghat," as was said before I
came, "is a country of peace." Were a bazaar of this sort held in Europe
(for example an English fair), there would be a row every day, and every
hour of the day. Nevertheless, this does not prevent us from calling
these Saharan people barbarians.

_30th._--Very mild weather this morning, but overcast as if rain would
soon fall. I have not been long enough in The Desert to read the weather
signs, or become weather-wise. Keep the door shut, to prevent an influx
of visitors. Now and then a few people get in. Whilst eating my supper
this evening, I was surprised at the appearance of two little ragged
boys. I asked what they wanted, they returned, "Eat, eat, we want to
eat." I went out to see them, for they stood on the terrace in the dark.
Here I found one of the audacious urchins flourishing a spear ten times
as big as himself, menacing me with it. I pushed the little scoundrels
down stairs into the street. I could not however help remarking upon
their audacity, and the early infant habits of Touarghee "begging by
force." The Ghadamsee people have always been the fair game of the
Touaricks. Asking one day a Ghadamsee, "What occupation the Touaricks
followed?" he replied indignantly, "Beg, beg, beg, this is their trade!
When they get money, they bury it, and beg, beg, beg!" This perhaps, is
overstated, still it is curious to witness this first lesson of "we want
to eat," repeated by children of very tender age, with a tone of command
and insolence. Khanouhen does not send for his present, and I hear, he
will not receive presents. I shall have the more to give away at Aheer.

_31st._--Fine morning. I am surprised at my simplicity; but, apparently,
the only thing which I enjoy with pure feelings, is the song of the
little birds, the _boohabeeba_, which frequent my terrace and the
house-top, as sparrows familiarly in England. With these I feel I can
hold free converse and interchange an unadulterated sympathy. The
innocent little creatures remind me of my days of childhood, when I
revelled in the woods and corn-fields of Lincolnshire, listening to the
song of birds in early fresh spring morn, or bright summer day. Here was
the tender chord of childhood associations touched, and no wonder that
memory should come in to the aid of sympathy in these unsympathizing
deserts. How little at times contents the heart, and fills the aching
vacuum of the mind! In this we cannot fail to see an arrangement of
infinite wisdom. If only great things could satisfy the mind of man, how
prodigiously our miseries would be increased, for how few are the things
deserving to be called great! Called this morning on Hateetah. Put him in
a better humour, by telling him I would give him an extra present. On
returning, stopped at a stall, where were exposed for sale, onions,
trona, dates, and other things. The women immediately caught alarm,
afraid I was going to throw a glance of "the evil eye" on their little
property. They cried out, "There is one God, and Mahomet is the prophet
of God!" I made off quick enough from this unseemly uproar. Saw
afterwards the Governor. Called to ask him to allow his servants to make
me some cuscasou, which request his Excellency granted immediately. He
said:--"In travelling to Soudan adopt the dress of the Ghadamsee
merchants, and let your beard grow." The Governor refuses to say anything
of Kandarka. Probably they have quarrelled. Our merchants give the
Tibboos a bad character, and the caravans are afraid of them.

FOOTNOTES:

[78] Amongst the Servians the mother's brother was "a very
    important personage." Ranke says:--"Amongst the early Germans,
    families were held together by a peculiar preference on the
    mother's side; the mother's brother being, according to ancient
    custom, a very important personage. In the Sclavonic-Servian
    tribe, there prevails, to a greater extent, a strong and lively
    feeling of brotherly and sisterly affection; the brother is proud
    of having a sister; the sister swears by the name of her
    brother."--(_See_ Mrs. Alexander Kerr's admirable translation of
    Ranke's _Servian History, &c._, chap. iv., p. 56.)




CHAPTER XIX.

ABANDON THE TOUR TO SOUDAN.

     Violent Act of a Touarick on Slaves.--Visit to the Princess Lilla
     Fatima.--Mode of grinding Corn.--Dilatoriness of Commercial
     Transactions.--Grandees of Ghat Town.--Khanouhen refuses his
     Present.--Rumours of the Conquest of Algeria spread throughout
     Africa.--Small Breed of Animals in Sahara.--Queer circumstance of
     unearthly Voices.--The Cold becomes intense.--Arrival of Sheikh
     Berka.--Hateetah in good Humour.--My Targhee friend, Sidi
     Omer.--Visit from Kandarka; his Character.--Visit to the aged
     Berka, and find the Giant.--Hateetah's Political Gossips.--At a
     loss which Route to take, and how to proceed.--Superstitions
     connected with the Butcher.--Zeal of an old Hag against The
     Christian.--Out of Humour.--Reported departure of
     Caravans.--Jabour calls with a Patient.--Visit Bel Kasem, and
     find Khanouhen.--Political Factions of Azgher Touaricks.--Giants
     in The Desert.--Fanciful analogies of origin of
     Peoples.--Hierarchy of the Sheikhs.--Population, Arms, and
     Military Forces of the Ghat Touaricks.--The Mahry or
     Maharee.--Camels named from their Fleetness.--Touarghee Court of
     Justice.--Amphitheatrical style of Touaricks lounging.--Amount of
     Customs-Dues paid by Ghat Traders.--Free Trade in Sahara.


_1st January, 1846._--YESTERDAY I saw two slaves, both of whom had gashes
on their arms and legs, the blood flowing from one poor fellow profusely.
I asked,

"Who has done this?"

_The Slaves._--"A Touarghee."

"What for?" I continued.

_The Slaves._--"Nothing."

I found afterwards the slaves were doing some work in the gardens which
the Touarghee thought should have been given to him. Touaricks seldom get
into passion, but when the blood boils the dagger is immediately had
recourse to for the arrangement of their quarrels. The Touaricks have
many slaves, but male slaves, for they rarely mix their blood with the
negro race. Called upon Hateetah with his extra present of four dollars'
value. He then began in an excited humour, "To-morrow come to me, Shafou
will be here. We must arrange to send a maharee to the English Sultan." I
suggested his brother should take it to Tripoli. He sprung up from his
bed with joy, "Yes, good, Shafou and I will arrange everything. Nobody
else must come here but you. It must be all done in secret." Hateetah is
frightened of Khanouhen, and knows the Sultan has no will of his own
unless kept apart from that powerful prince. Touaricks, when something is
to be had, soon gets excited, like the rest of us.

Afterwards, Said and I carried the present for Khanouhen to the prince's
house. I spoke to the Governor, who recommended me, by all means,
notwithstanding the Sheikh's protestations, to send him a handsome
present. I submitted to the Governor's opinion. Khanouhen resides in some
apartments of the Governor's palace; this is the prince's town residence.
We were conducted to the apartment of his lady, Lilla Fatima, (the prince
being out,) by her nephews. Her Royal Highness received us courteously,
and the interview was extremely amusing. I began by apologizing for the
top of "the head of sugar[79]" being broken off. This made the lady
almost faint. "What!" she protestingly exclaimed, "Khanouhen is The Great
Sultan! Shafou is compared to him like the sand! (taking up a little
sand from the floor and scattering it about with her hands.) My husband
is lord and master of all the Touaricks. He has the word ready; from his
lips, all the Touaricks, all the merchants, all the strangers, all the
Christians who come here, receive their commands and instantly obey them.
And you bring him a loaf of sugar with the head knocked off! Oh, this is
not pretty! This is not right, and I am afraid for your sake." I pleaded
inability to find another loaf this morning, but promised to bring one
to-morrow. Her Royal Highness then begged for more things. "You see the
_grunfel_ (cloves) is not for me; it is for Khanouhen's other wife in the
country. Khanouhen will take it all away to her, and leave me none. Now
you must, indeed, bring me some _grunfel_." I then recommended her to get
it divided, at which she laughed heartily, adding, "Ah, Khanouhen likes
her in the country better than me." I then put Her Royal Highness in a
good humour by telling her I would send her some beads, and if I should
return to Tripoli, and come back to Ghat, I would bring her several
presents. She added, "My husband Khanouhen related to me all the things
which you intended to give him, which you showed him in your room. Also,
you said you would give him a little lock and key, where is it?"

This I had not brought with me, thinking the Sheikh would not accept of
such a trifling thing, but I was mistaken. The Touaricks will take
everything you offer them, and not hurt your self-complacency of
conferring a favour by refusal. I must finish with this lady, whose
tongue ran along at a tremendous rate, by adding, that to show her regard
for me, (and for herself likewise, wishing me to return to Tripoli to
fetch her some nice presents,) her Royal Highness gave me this advice:
"For God's sake don't go to Soudan. You'll die there soon. How can you, a
Christian, live there with such a white skin? The people who go there are
all black, and have large swollen faces, (imitating them by blowing out
her cheeks,) they are puffed out and nasty, they become as ugly as the
devil himself." The town wife and lady of the Sheikh, who is
heir-apparent to the Touarghee throne of Ghat, is herself a comely
bustling body, rather stout, of middle size, about thirty-five years of
age; and were she dressed in European style, she might, with her fine
black eyes, look as well as some of our courtly dames. Her Royal Highness
had nothing on but a plain Soudan black cotton gown, with short sleeves,
and a light woollen barracan, as a sort of shawl, wrapped round her
shoulders, partly covering her head. She had a few charms and some
coloured beads adorning the neck; two gold bracelets on her wrist, and
two thick hoops of silver round her ancles. A pair of coloured-leather
sandals, made in Soudan, were bound on her feet. She had no colour, save
the usual sallow of Moorish ladies, on her cheek, but she had no
disfigurement of tattooing or other marks upon her, so common in Saharan
beauties.

After the delivery of the present I called to see the Governor, the
lady's brother. Told him of my sudden resolution of abandoning the
journey to Soudan the present year. He highly approved of my resolution,
and seemed relieved of a great embarrassment, for, although very cautious
in what he said, he always considered himself responsible more or less
for my safety. I found his Excellency, but not to my surprise,
purchasing half a dozen slaves, young lads. The Marabout merchant does
not scruple to deal in human beings. The fact is, his Excellency scruples
at no kind of trade, by which he may "turn a penny," or "save a penny."
Returned home and wrote to Tripoli; but when the letter was finished the
courier was gone. As often happens, was glad afterwards the letter did
not go.

The mode of grinding corn here, if I may use the term grinding, is of the
most primitive character possible. It is nothing more or less than
rubbing the corn between two stones, the lower stone being large and
smoothed off on its surface, with an inclined plane, and the upper stone
very small compared to the lower. Thus--

[Illustration]

A small basket catches the meal as it falls off, or is pushed off by the
person, who holds the upper stone in his hands, and works it up and down
over the surface of the lower stone. Slaves and women so grind wheat,
barley, ghusub, &c. The meal is scarcely ever winnowed. In Aheer, a large
wooden pestle and mortar are used for grinding, rather pounding, the
corn. The slaves living with me have a huge wooden pestle and mortar, and
we frequently use it. It requires great tact in the pounding, otherwise
the grain will be continually flying out. I pounded dates with it, which
with a little olive oil, and roasted grain pounded with them, adding a
few grains of Soudan pepper and a little dry cheese, make very nice
cake, or it is esteemed nice cake in Ghat. Corn and ghusub are given to
day-labourers instead of money. A slave will have about a quarter of a
peck of barley, or other grain, given him for a day's work; occasionally
is added to it, a few dates or a little liquid butter: on this he must
live.

The Souk of Ghat, thank heaven, is nearly closed. The business, which has
been transacted here during the last month, would have been done in
England in one or two days at most. But our Saharan merchants are
determined to do everything, _be-shwaiah, be-shwaiah_, "by little and by
little." The greatest trial of patience for an European merchant
frequenting this Souk would be the dilatoriness with which commercial
transactions are carried on. A month usually passes before the Souk
opens, and six weeks more are consumed before a merchant can or will get
off, although, as his merchandize consists chiefly of slaves, his delay
is all against himself, eating him up and his profits. The details of the
traffic are really curious. A slave is heard of one day, talked about the
next, searched out the day after, seen the next, reflections next day,
price fixed next, goods offered next, squabblings next, bargain upset
next, new disputes next, goods assorted next, final arrangement next,
goods delivered and exchanged next, &c., &c., and the whole of this
melancholy exhibition of a wrangling cupidity over the sale of human
beings is wound up by the present of a few parched peas, a few Barbary
almonds, and a little tobacco being given to the Soudanese merchants, the
parties separating with as much self-complacency, as if they had arranged
the mercantile affairs of all Africa.

_2nd._--Visited this evening Hateetah. He says, the Sultan and himself
will call upon me to-morrow, and arrange the present which is to be sent
to Her Majesty. Afterwards called upon the Governor, to ask him where Haj
Abdullah of Bengazi resided. He leaves for Fezzan in eight or ten days,
and has offered to take me with him. Called afterwards on Mohammed Kafah.
Found him friendly, but he, assisted by his brother, began again to annoy
me about Mahomet, Paradise, and hell-fire. I told them, "All good people,
whatever their creed, must be blessed with the favour of God. Such was
the native sentiment in all our hearts." Kafah said, "Many English have
turned Mussulmans." I told him very few, and those mostly
good-for-nothing runaways. He asked why we did not repeat their formula?
I told him we all did the first part, "There is but one God;" but the
second was prohibited by Christians. I left them very angry. It is next
to impossible to induce Saharan Mahometans to think favourably of
Christianity. If Christianity ever be propagated here, it must be through
the means of youth and children. The merchants Kafah and Tunkana, the
Kady Tahar, and Haj Ahmed the Governor, are the knot of personages and
grandees in this little Saharan town. All the rest are sorry traders,
camel-drivers, and slaves. The Touaricks are only town visitors, and
always retire to their country districts at the close of the periodic
marts.

Weather to-day is excessively cold, the wind blowing from the north-east.
Everybody is frightened at the wind, and there is no Souk, or market,
till very late. I myself feel the cold extremely, so I am not surprised
to see the Soudanese people all shut up in their houses crowding over a
smoking fire, with the rooms full of smoke, and nearly suffocating the
inmates.

To my great surprise, and contrary to every expectation, Prince Khanouhen
has sent his present back in a great rage, not directly, indeed, to me,
but to my neighbour Bel-Kasem, saying, with a thousand different remarks,
embellished with oaths, "I will not accept of such a miserable present."
Bel Kasem calls upon me in a prodigious fright, prostrate under the ire
of the incensed Chieftain, and thus pleads in his favour: "Khanouhen
considers himself a greater Sheikh even than Shafou the Sultan. He is
greatly dissatisfied with so small a present; increase it a little for
God's sake--if you are going to Soudan, you must add something
considerable: if not, just a little to pacify him. Khanouhen has got a
large belly; pray satisfy him, for he can do more for you than any other
Sheikh in Ghat. Indeed, Khanouhen is very angry with you for sending him
such a trifle, and for taking it to his wife. Why did you take the
present to his wife? Now, take my advice: the Sheikh just dropped out, if
you will give him ten dollars in money, he will send you the present of
goods back. Send him only the value of the goods in money, and then he
will be satisfied. Khanouhen has got a stomach bigger than that of all
the Sheikhs. He rages against you like fire: satisfy him for Heaven's
sake."

I immediately sent back Bel Kasem to find the Sheikh, and to propose to
him to take back the goods, and give him money instead, or add a little
money to the goods. So then this is the great bravado of Khanouhen, that
he could not soil his fingers by taking presents! I expect I shall soon
be stripped. There are, unfortunately, so many Sheikhs, that to give
handsome presents to them all, would amount to a large sum. A burning
jealousy rankles in their breasts about these Souk presents. Each wishes
to be the greater man, in order to have more presents, though all
acknowledge Shafou on the principle of "right divine," or "the right of
the Genii." There is a controversy going on about Haj Ibrahim, as to
which of the Sheikhs is his friend, or protector, to whom he is to send
his little present of tribute. Of course I feel extremely annoyed and
disheartened to have a quarrel of this sort with the man who has the
greatest influence in the country. But I must hold out, since my
situation is not yet desperate. As something agreeable, in counterpoise,
I may mention that Haj Ibrahim, on visiting the Sultan, found His
Highness reclining on the carpet-rug which I gave him. His Highness said
to the merchant, smiling with satisfaction, "See, this is what The
Christian gave me." It is the present given to the Sultan which has
excited the jealous indignation of his nephew. But the Sheikhs have
broken through the rule, or I have myself, for Hateetah only has the
right of a present from me.

_3rd._--A fine morning, and warmer, but the wind is still high. Over the
open desert is a sort of a dirty-red mist, which people tell me is the
sand.

Since Shafou and Hateetah did not come this morning as promised, I called
on Hateetah to know the reason. Hateetah had a cold in his eyes, and
could not go out. He added, "Shafou is busy in enrolling troops for the
Shânbah expedition." Hateetah had many visitors whilst I was there. A
Ghatee, to my surprise, asked me, "How long slaves would be allowed to be
sold in Tripoli?" I answered, "Some time yet." He had heard of my being
connected with abolition. Another, just returned from Soudan, said:--"The
people of Soudan say the Emperor of Morocco has taken possession of
Algeria." I was unprepared for such a rumour in the heart of Africa, and
coming from The South, instead of going to The South. Of this
irregularity the Saharan newsmongers never think. But the fact is, the
conquest of Algeria by a powerful Christian nation is felt in every part
of The Desert, and reaches the farthest peregrinations of the merchants.
These wars and rumours of wars, however, are turned whenever possible in
favour of the Mussulmans. It is probable the attempted invasion of Oran
by the son of the Emperor, was immediately transformed into the conquest
of that province by desert reports. Another person asked me, "Whether the
Government of Constantinople was that of the Sultan himself, or the
Christians?" I observed:--"The Sultan's Government is very much
influenced by Christian Powers." It has long been the opinion of Barbary
Moors, that the late Sultan Mahmoud was a Greek in the disguise of a
Mussulman; and the same stigma sticks to his son. This opinion has
acquired strength and obtained general currency by the European reforms
which the Ottomans have lately introduced into their administration. Many
questions of this kind were asked, and, in the presence of Hateetah when
no insolence would be tolerated, the people seemed less bigoted. This is
the advantage of having an English agent, if possible, in these remote
districts, like Hateetah. Passing through the gardens, I saw some horses
and bullocks, and was surprised at their dwarfish dimensions. In Central
Africa, horses are frequently found of a very dwarfish breed. The horses
were unwhisped and sorry-looking ponies, with their bellies pinched in.
The bullocks cut an equally queer figure. I have noticed that fowls here
are very small, but very lively, catching the fire of a long Saharan
summer. The cocks, which are so many bantams, are indeed all fire,
attacking you with fierceness. Two of the Governor's sons called at noon.
One flourished a spear, which he said was "to beat Christians with." I
pushed him out of my apartment down stairs. With such customers it is the
only plan. Another son called a short time afterwards, and asked me to
lend him three dollars, which, of course, I refused. His Excellency knows
nothing of the tricks of these young gentlemen, or they would soon be put
to rights. Two Arabs, just returned from Soudan, called and said:--"Go to
Soudan, there's not much sickness, go _viâ_ Aheer. The road _viâ_ Bornou
is not safe now." This is what I conjectured, after hearing of the
skirmishes and the retreat of the son of Abd-el-Geleel before the Turks
up to Bornou.

Late this evening, on descending to the lower rooms of the house, which
were nearly dark, very little light indeed penetrating the lower part of
the house at any time of the day, I found the street-door open, and two
long huge figures scarcely visible in the gloom, standing up against the
wall on opposite sides of the large room. I retreated back a few paces in
alarm. The slaves were all out, as also Said. Presently I heard two gruff
voices begin from the different parts of the room, in long and measured
and doleful accents. One repeated, "There is no God but God, and Mahomet
is the prophet of God." The words were repeated very slowly and
solemnly, and at considerable intervals, "La - - lillah - -
ella - - ellaha - - wa - - Mo-ham-med - - ra-soul - - ellaha!" The other
voice uttered in equally grave and solemn accents, "Bor-nou-se! Bor-nou-se!
Bor-nou-se!" The first voice appalled me, for I did not know but what I
was going to receive the stroke of a dagger through the deep gloom, in
case of my refusing to comply with repeating the Mahometan formula, or
confession of faith; but the second voice reassured me, I felt the
parties were begging in the style of Ouweek, "Your money or your life." I
besides recognized at once the parties to be some low fellows of the
Touaricks. The street-door was wide open, though no one was passing by.
As soon as I could distinguish the import of these strange unearthly
voices, which seemed to rise from the ground like the mutterings of the
wizard, I saw the only course before me was, as all the servants were
absent, to rush out into the street. I made a spring right by one of the
Touaricks, leaving a portion of my slight woollen bornouse caught by the
hilt of his dagger. I went off to Haj Ibrahim, but said nothing about it,
not knowing correctly what might have been the intentions of the
Touaricks. I always found the Touaricks displeased, even the Sheikhs,
when any complaints were made against them. Shafou, himself, always told
me, "My people will be as kind to you as I am," and would not hear of
complaints. I comprehended the course before me, and complained of no
one. On my return home I heard nothing, and said nothing. I took the
precaution, however, of not allowing Said to leave the house when the
Governor's slaves were out. I may mention now, that Ouweek's affair was
entirely smuggled up, and never even alluded to by the Sultan or
Khanouhen. The policy of Khanouhen is not to allow a suspicion of this
sort to be whispered abroad. In his own words:--"We are hospitable, we
are men of honour, of one word, and we cannot commit a dastardly action."
The reader will hereafter see the result, so far as my visit amongst the
Touaricks was concerned.

_4th._--Awfully cold this morning, and can scarcely bear my miserable
apartment, which affords very little shelter from the wind and cold,
having neither door nor window-holes closed up. No one to be seen in the
streets; all "struck upon a heap" with the cold, and shut up in the
houses. At noon, when the sun began to be felt, went out to see Bel
Kasem, and was pleased to hear that Khanouhen would compound with me, and
receive five or six dollars in cash, instead of the present. The sugar
and cloves, beads and looking-glasses were not to be returned, but to be
left for the Sheikh's ladies. I felt much relieved; it was not very
pleasant to be in a contest with the actual Sultan of the country.

Berka, the most aged and venerable Sheikh of the great families, arrived
yesterday from his district, bringing with him numerous followers.

Called upon Hateetah, and gave him an additional present, the whole now
amounting to eight dollars. He is, of course, in a very good humour, and
considers I have treated him like the English Consul. He proposed to me
that I should get him officially appointed British Consul by the Queen.
His pretensions are not exorbitant; he would be contented with fifty
dollars a year. He might be useful. The difficulty would be official
correspondence. The Touarghee Consul would be obliged to employ an Arabic
Secretary.

My young and kind Touarghee friend Sidi Omer, called this afternoon. He
is more like an English acquaintance of years' standing than a Desert
Touarghee whom I saw but yesterday. I asked him to take cuscasou with me.
He observed, "No, that must not be; a little sugar I'll take, a little
perfume for my wife I'll take, but I must not eat your cuscasou, for you
are a stranger. You ought to eat my cuscasou. The Touaricks must not eat
the cuscasou of strangers, and so friendly like you." I offered to take
him with me to Tripoli. He answered, "No, not now, I must first go and
fight the Shânbah. Then I'll return and come to you in Tripoli, God
willing; nay, I'll visit you in your country, and you shall show me your
Sheikh." In fact, this young man is free from those fanatical prejudices
disfiguring so many of his countrymen. He is most amiable and gentle, too
gentle for these Saharan wilds. Occasionally he escorts me about the
town, and always keeps off the rabble. After my friend, Kandarka called
on me. I did not know the fellow, he having twisted a white turban round
his head. Strange, this Aheer camel-driver visited me before I called
upon him and sent for him, and when he came I did not recognize him
again, on account of his assuming such Protean shapes. To-day I was much
pleased with his intelligence and the frankness of his conversation. I
opened my journal, and showed him his name written in it, that he might
see, if I did not recognize him, yet he occupied my attention, for his
name was already inscribed with Christian letters in my book. He was so
delighted, at the sight of his name in the book, that he sprung up, made
a summerset on the terrace, took up his sword and flourished it in the
air, and then sat down again, staring and grinning in my face as if he
had been imbibing laughing gas. There is more negro blood and negro
antics in him than the ordinary Touaricks of Aheer. He represents Noufee
as a great country of trade, and inhabited by Pagans and Mohammedans.
Kandarka introduced religion, but finding the English prayed and
acknowledged a God, he was satisfied and dropped the subject.

_Kandarka._--"English, pray?" (bending his forehead to the ground.)

"Yes, yes."

_Kandarka._--"Sultan English, cut off plenty heads," (making a stroke
with a sword).

"Yes, yes."

_Kandarka._--"Sultan English, plenty wives has he," (making an indecent
sign).

"Yes, yes."

_Kandarka._--"English women, plenty fat--big all round," (describing a
lady's bustle).

"Yes, yes."

_Kandarka._--"English, slaves, slaves!"

(I shake my head.)

_Kandarka._--"How? How?"

(I shake my head.)

_Kandarka._--"Where are you going?"

"I don't know."

_Kandarka._--"Come to Aheer with me, I fear no one. You fear no one when
you come with me."

"I don't fear any one but God."

_Kandarka._--"G-- it's the truth!" (seizing hold of my hands to embrace
me.)

I cannot but lament my feeble powers, to depict the character of my
various visitors, and to represent their ideas in English. I am obliged
to be content with a bald outline of their characters, and a miserable
translation of their thoughts into English dress. This Kandarka is in
himself a complete character, and a study for the tourist.

This evening paid a visit to Berka, the most aged Sheikh. It was dark
when I arrived at his date-branch hut. I entered; it was a large
enclosure. I found the aged Sheikh with several of his brothers, and they
and their children sitting round a flickering fire. One of them was
dressed in white. I asked the reason. The Sheikh told me he was a
Marabout. The French Government writers of Algeria have distinguished
Touaricks into white and black Touaricks, from the white and black
clothes which they are said to wear. I never heard of this distinction.
Now and then I have seen a Touarick dressed in white cottons, or
woollens; it seemed to be a matter of caprice. All dress in black and
blue-black cottons of Soudan; it is the national colour. And here we have
a new case of contrarieties in Mussulman nations living near neighbours,
for the Moors and Arabs detest black as much as the Touaricks admire
black. The Touaricks seem to have caught the infection from the colour of
their country, which is intersected with ranges of black mountains. In
one of the early skirmishes of the French in Algeria, an officer
describes the appearance of the enemy, as covering the mountain's side,
whence they sallied, with a white mantle, the Arabs were so thick and
their burnouses so white. Berka was very gentle and affable, like every
man of a good old age. "You are welcome in this country," he addressed
me; "this is a country of peace." Whilst conversing with the old Sheikh,
I heard a gruff heavy whisper from the farther end of the hut,
_Hash-Hālik_, "How do you do?" I turned round, and to my no small
astonishment, I saw the Giant Touarick, stretched along the full length
of the very large hut, sweltering in the fulness of his might. The reader
will remember the honourable mention made of The Giant in Ghadames. He
then raised up his massy head and Atlantean chest, and put out his brawny
sinewy arm, and clenched my hand: "Yâkob, the Shânbah have murdered my
little son, _they_ are the enemies of man and God, not _you_ Christians.
I am going to cut them all to pieces. Last year I killed eight with my
own good sword. When you come back from Soudan, you will not hear any
more even the name of the Shânbah." The Giant groaned out this in bad
Arabic. He was greatly afflicted for the loss of his son. The Shânbah
brigands fell upon a troop of Touaricks, in whose care he had left his
little son, a child of very tender age, I presented Berka with a fine
large white turban, and we parted good friends. The Giant is the nephew
of Berka.

_5th._--Called upon Hateetah. He had, as usual, many visitors.
Conversation turned upon politics. They were anxious to know the relative
amount of the military forces of the nations of Europe, and of the
Stamboul Sultan. I always tell them France has plenty of money and
troops. This keeps down their boasting, for the French are near, and they
are alarmed, and they think, as an Englishman, I must tell the truth when
I praise the French. If I abused the French they might suspect me, but I
have no inclination to do so. At the same time, I'll defy any traveller
to write fairly and justly upon the late history of North Africa, without
filling his pages with _bonâ fide_ and well-founded abuse of the French
and their works in this part of the world. They emphatically stink
throughout Africa. Hateetah vexed me by begging a _backsheesh_ for his
brothers. I positively refused; there's no end to making presents. All
the Sheikhs, as Bel Kasem Said of Khanouhen, have "a large belly." On
returning home, I determined to keep the door shut to prevent people
coming to annoy me. Now that I have no sugar or dates left, I have
nothing wherewith to get rid of them. Every visitor who leaves me,
without a small present, however trifling it may be, considers himself
insulted by me, or that I don't like him.

Still at a loss to know what to do, whether to proceed to Soudan, or
return and finish my tour of the Mediterranean. Sometimes I fancy I'll
toss up, and then, checking my folly, I'll try the _sortes sanctorum_; a
feather would turn the scale. On such miserable indecision hangs the fate
of man!

Bought half a sheep for a Spanish dollar. It's not much of a bargain, for
it is one of the Soudan species, and very thin and bony. Touarick flocks
are nearly all this kind of sheep. When the Arab, who was "halves with
me," divided the carcase, he took two pieces of wood, and then sent Said
down stairs. One of the pieces he gave me, and the other he kept. He now,
taking back my piece, called Said to return, and told him to put each
piece of wood on each half of the sheep. My piece determined my half, and
his piece his half. This is the Arab _sortes sanctorum_. The butcher had
sprinkled his hayk with the blood, a drop or two were on it, and he was
distressed to wash them out lest they should prevent him saying his
prayers. A portion of the entrails, the spleen, he applied to his eyes as
a talisman for their preservation.

There is an old woman very fond of annoying me; let us suppose she must
be a witch; she always calls out after me when I pass her stall, "There
is but one God and Mahomet is the prophet of God." To-day, words would
not suffice; the old hag ran after me and thumped me over the back, to
show her zeal for Mahomet, who, begging pardon of his Holiness, has not,
after all, been so very kind to the ladies in his religion, unless it be
the compliment which he has paid them, by placing all the imaginable
felicity of Paradise in their embraces. I took no notice of the virago. I
find it's no use. I was glad, however, to hear she was not Touarick, and
only a Billingsgate Mooress of the place. I am also happy to tell my fair
readers, she was not fair but very ugly. A large party of people followed
me home, hooting me, to give them something to eat. This rabble fancies
they have the right to insult a Christian, unless he gives them something
to eat or to wear. To bear all this, and ten thousand little delicate
attentions of the rabble of Ghat, requires, as Mr. Fletcher hints,
"Conciliation," with an occasional dose, I should think, of that most
necessary of all Saharan equipments, in travelling through The Desert.
PATIENCE.

_6th._--Sulky with the insolence of the rabble, and determined not to go
out till the evening. A brother or cousin of Hateetah called to beg, and
being in a bad humour, I told him I was just going round the town to ask
for a few presents myself, in return for those I had given to the people.
He was not abashed, but answered, "Good, good." He waited half an hour in
silence, for I got to my writing, and went off much pleased, I should
imagine, with his visit. One of the slaves of the Governor came in, and
said sharply, "What's that fellow _douwar_ (_i. e._ go about seeking)?"
"He wants you to give him some of your _gusub_ (grain.)" "_Kelb_" (dog),
he replied. This slave himself was a brazen-faced beggar, and a bit of a
thief, but withal a droll fellow. I asked him how he was captured? He
answered, naïvely, "You know Fezzan, you know Ghat;--well, these two
countries make the war, and catch me a boy." "How do you like Haj Ahmed,
your master?" "He has plenty wives, plenty children: we slaves must
plenty work for all these. Now, I like to eat. Haj Ahmed, he Governor,
but he gives me nothing to eat. I work for him six hours--I work for
others six hours. The people give me to eat, not Haj Ahmed."

This is the character of slave-labour in Ghat. The masters have half of
their labour for nothing, or because they are their slaves: with the rest
of their labour they support themselves. The _meum et tuum_ is not, and
indeed cannot be very strictly observed by the poor people who have to
support such a precarious existence; and when Said went down to bring up
the meat to cook for supper, he found this young gentleman had carried it
nearly all off to cook for his own supper, leaving what remained for us
to make the best of.

It is now reported that every stranger will leave Ghat in five or six
days, one ghafalah going to the south, another to the north, one to the
east, and another to the west. To these five or six days ten or twenty
may be added. This is ordinary calculation of Desert time.

Afternoon, Jabour called with a young man, who had a bullet lodged in his
arm, which he had received in a skirmish with the Shânbah. I could only
recommend a surgical operation, and his going to Tripoli. At this Jabour
was alarmed, and asked "What would the Turks do to the young man?"
begging of me medicine. I offered to take him under my protection, but it
was of no avail. The amiable Sheikh was as friendly as ever. I asked him
to write a letter to England. Jabour replied justly, "You are my letter;
I have written on you. You can tell your Sultan and people the news of us
all." "Don't be afraid to return, there are no banditti in that route.
The Shânbah are in the west," he added. I promised, if ever returning to
Ghat, I would bring him a sword with his name engraven upon it. He said,
"I know you will, Yâkob." I am tempted to think Jabour is the only
gentleman amongst the Touaricks. Another of Hateetah's cousins came to
beg, but went away empty-handed. This evening visited Bel-Kasem in the
expectation of seeing Khanouhen. The prince saluted me very friendly, and
asked, in a sarcastic tone, "How is the English Consul (Hateetah)?" My
appearance then suggested thoughts about Christians. "What is the name of
the terrible warrior who has killed so many Christians in Algeira?" he
demanded.

_I._--"Abd-el-Kader."

"Yâkob," he continued, "come, let you and me fight, for it seems
Mussulmans and Christians must fight. Here, I'll lend you a spear,--take
that" (giving me a huge iron lance.) I took it, and turning to
Bel-Kasem, said, "What's this cost?" so evading the challenge. "The price
of a camel," shouted Bel-Kasem at the top of his voice. "Ah!" cried
Khanouhen, "right, now sit down again; men are fools to fight--why cut
one another's throats?" "Yâkob," he went on, "your Sultan's a woman, does
she fight?" There was now a tremendous knocking at the door. This was two
or three cousins of Hateetah. "D----n that Hateetah," cried Khanouhen,
"Bel-Kasem, turn them away." Hereupon, Bel-Kasem started up in the most
abject style of obedience, and pushed one of his slaves out of the
room-door into the open court, crying "Bago, bago" (not at home). There
are certain foreign words which get currency, and supplant all native
ones. This "bago" is neither Touarghee, nor Ghadamsee, nor Arabic,
although used by persons speaking almost exclusively these languages.
Bago is Housa, as before mentioned. Then the slave called "Bago, bago,
bago;" then half-a-dozen slaves, close to the street-door, called "Bago,
bago, bago." The knocking continued; the "bagos" continued, the uproar
was hideous. Then Bel-Kasem gave his slave a slap, crying, "Bago, you
_kelb_ (dog)." Now the slave was off again to the other slaves, shouting
and yelling "Bagos," till the "bagos" drowned the knocking and the
clamour without, and the disappointed supper-hunters retired growling
like hungry wolves of the evening. Bel-Kasem now gave me a hint to fetch
the money for Khanouhen. I was off and back in an instant, very glad to
give the Sheikh the money according to our new compact. I put it into the
hands of Bel-Kasem. "Go out," said Bel-Kasem, "and see the fine parrots I
have bought." I went out, and in the meanwhile the politic merchant
slipped the money into the hands of the Prince. When I came back, they
both began to ridicule Hateetah. The Prince said, "Yâkob, place yourself
under the sword of Hateetah, and go out with him and fight a hundred
Shânbah." "Oh, he's an ass," replied Bel-Kasem. Such was their style of
ridicule. Bel-Kasem is a well-meaning little fellow, but a sort of fool
or jester of the Sheikh's. Khanouhen allows him to say anything and do
anything, but laughs at him all the time. Bel-Kasem always brings the
Sheikh some pretty present, and Khanouhen throws around him his powerful
arm of protection. The slavish merchant and faithful sycophant always
calls him Sultan, swears by the Sheikh's beard in his quarrels with the
other merchants, and threatens all his rivals in trade with Khanouhen's
wrath.

The Sahara has its factions in every group of its society. It would
appear that without faction neither Saharan nor any other sort of society
could exist. Ghadames gives us its _Ben Weleed_ and _Ben Wezeet_. Ghat
gives us three great factions in its Republic of Sheikhs. We may thus
classify their politics:--

MONARCHICAL FACTION.

Mohammed Shafou Ben Seed, _the Sultan_ of the Ghat, or Azgher Touaricks.
El-Haj Mohammed Khanouhen Ben Othman, the heir-apparent of the throne.
Marabout El-Haj Ahmed Ben El-Haj, Es-Sadeek, Governor of the town of Ghat.
Ouweek (second-rate Sheikh).

ARISTOCRATIC FACTION.

Mohammed Ben Jabour, Marabout Sheikh.

DEMOCRATIC FACTION.

Berka Ben Entăshāf, the most aged of the Sheikhs.
The Sheikh of gigantic stature[80].
Hateetah Ben Khouden, the "_friend_" of the English.

I found the strongest demonstrations of rivalry, and the bitterest
feelings of faction, in the conduct of these several princes of The
Desert, who are the personages of influence and authority amongst the
Ghat Touaricks. In the monarchical class the Governor of the town is
allied to the Sultan by marriage, though Khanouhen has no family by the
Governor's sister. Shafou, the venerable Sultan, is of such gentle
unassuming manners that he exercises no political influence over the wild
sons of The Desert. Khanouhen embodies the Sultan, and is the man of
eloquence, of action, and intrepidity in the national councils. He is
feared by all (Jabour, perhaps, excepted), but, nevertheless, is not
tyrannical in his administration of affairs. Jabour, the Marabout, is a
wise, upright, and amiable prince. His influence extends beyond the Ghat
Touaricks. Jabour told me himself, he had several people subject to his
authority, extending as far as Timbuctoo. To these, the Prince promised
to commit me in case I determined to make a journey to Timbuctoo. Like
Khanouhen, Jabour has two wives; one resides in Ghat, where the Sheikh
has a _town-house_, and the other in the country districts. He has,
besides, four or five sons. I saw one of them, who was as much of an
aristocrat as his father. The merchants assured me that Jabour's
influence, more especially as he is a marabout, although he is no
demagogue priest of the _Higgins' calibre_, is unbounded. "With a slave
of Jabour," they declared, "you may go to Timbuctoo, and all parts of
Sahara." The Sheikh himself does not visit the neighbouring countries.
This is not the custom of the Touaricks, the people being opposed to the
Sheikhs leaving their districts; but they send their slaves or relations
continually about. Berka, the head of the democratic faction, is too old
to exercise power, he has only strength enough to get about. The aged
Prince paid me two visits, and was as gentle as gentleness could be. His
family contains some powerful and intrepid chiefs, amongst the rest the
Giant, the Goliath of the Ghat Touaricks. But, speaking of giants,
_Bassa_, Sultan of the _Haghar_ Touaricks, is the real Giant of The
Desert. Some of the people report this Giant Desert Prince to have six
fingers on each hand, and to be several heads taller than he of Ghat. His
spear, they describe, in the true spirit of the marvellous, to be,
"higher than the tallest palm." I may help their imagination, "And the
staff of his spear is like a weaver's beam, and his spear's head weighs
six hundred shekels of iron," or is like--

          "The mast
    Of some great admiral."

Were I to adopt our present fanciful theories of accounting for the
origin and migration of nations, I should here have a fine field before
me, and the Touarghee giants of The Sahara would become, by the
transmuting fancy of our antiquarian theologians, the veritable
Philistines of Gath and Ekron. For many of the Berber tribes, amongst
whom the Touaricks are classed, especially the _Shelouh_ of Morocco,
relate traditionally that their fathers came from the land of the
Philistines, and that they themselves are Philistines. What then is
easier than to find in the name of _Ghat_ the _Gath_ of the Philistines?
But unfortunately, _Azgher_ is the Touarick name of themselves and their
country. Still the name of _Ghat_ must have its origin. As before
noticed, the original signification of the term _Ghat_ has been traced to
mean "_Sun_" or "God," in the ancient Libyo-Egyptian language. I am not
competent to give an opinion on the subject. One of the Latin writers
makes the aboriginal people of North Africa to have been Medes. The
probability is they were Syrians of some class. From the coast they would
naturally pass or migrate to The Sahara.

Hateetah is an extremely pacific man in his conduct, and greatly liked
for his peace-making disposition; but he is only a second-rate Sheikh,
and has no political influence over Touarick affairs, beyond what the
chief of his family enjoys. He has several brothers and cousins, all
esteemed Sheikhs, but with little or no power.

The government of the Touaricks is an assemblage of Chieftains, the
people supporting their respective leaders, the heads of their clans in
the feudal style, and all these controlled by a Sultan or Sheikh-Kebir.
The number of Sheikhs, when the lesser, or second and third-rate, Sheikhs
are included, is very considerable, and makes the country, as the
Governor says, "a country of Sheikhs." In their various districts, each
greater Sheikh exercises a sovereign, if not independent authority. In
any national emergency, they all willingly unite for the common defence
and protection, as now, when they are collecting their forces, in a
common effort to extirpate the Shanbâh banditti. The people, however,
enjoy complete liberty. The Touaricks, though a nation of chiefs and
princes, are in every sense and view a nation of freemen, and have none
of those odious and effeminate vices which so darkly stain the Mahometans
of the North Coast, or the Negro countries of Negroland. Every man is a
tower of strength for himself, and his desert hut or tent, situate in
vast solitudes, is his own inviolable home of freedom!

According to Haj Ahmed, the Touaricks of Ghat muster fifteen thousand
warriors. Let them be ten thousand, this would give an entire population,
including women, old men, and children, and slaves of both sexes, of
about sixty thousand souls. These Touaricks possess a good number of
slaves, but of the male sex to look after their camels. Every able-bodied
Touarick is a warrior, and is equipped with a dagger, suspended under the
left arm by a broad leather ring attached to the scabbard, and going
round the wrist, and a Touarick of adult age is never seen without this
dangerous weapon; a straight broad-sword is slung on his back, and he
carries a spear or lance in his right hand. Most of the spears have
wooden shafts, but others are all metal, and mostly iron. Some are of
fine and elegant workmanship, inlaid with brass, and of the value of a
good maharee, or thirty dollars. They have staves also, which they use
as walking-sticks, or weapons of war, as it may be[81]. These are their
weapons of warfare. The matchlock they despise. "What can the enemy do
with the gun against the sword?" the Targhee warriors ask contemptuously.
They, indeed, use the sword, their grand weapon, as the English soldier
the bayonet. Their superior tactic is to surprise the enemy, especially
in the night, when the Genii help them, and hack him to pieces. The spear
is used mostly to wound and disable the camel. Their manner of disposing
of the booty, is characteristic. "What are we to do with these women and
children?" they asked me, "when we have exterminated the Shânbah men."
Without waiting for a reply they said:--"Oh, we'll send them to the Turks
and sell them." They have the example of the Turks themselves, who, on
the destruction of the Arab men in the mountains, collected the women and
children together, and sent the best of them to Constantinople to be
sold, in defiance of the express law of the Koran.

The maharee cannot be overlooked; this remarkable camel, which is
like the greyhound amongst dogs for swiftness and agility, and even
shape, they train for war and riding like the horse. They do not
rear the ordinary variety of camel found in North Africa and on the Coast.
‮مَه٘رِي‬ or ‮مَه٘رِ‬, are the two manners in which I
have seen the Moorish talebs write this word in Arabic. An Arab
philologist says, the term Maharee is derived from the name of the
Arabian province of Mahra, on the south-east coast, adjoining Oman,
whence this fine species of camel is supposed originally to have
been brought into The Desert. The Touaricks, of course, have very
curious legends about their peculiar camel. We have, however, the
Arabic ‮مهر‬, "to be diligent," "acute-minded," and the term
‮مهاراة‬, "flying away," from which ‮مهري‬ may probably
be derived. At least there is no apparent objection to such derivation. The
Hebrew cognate dialect has the word also. ‮מהר‬ signifies "to
hasten," "to be quick;" but I cannot assert positively it has any
relation with this derivation. In the books written on Western
Barbary, we find the terms _heirée_ and _erragnol_ to denote the
"fleet" or "swift-footed camel," the former of which is apparently a
corruption of mahry or maharee. It is said that camels are called by names
derived from the Arabic numerals, as _tesaee_, "ten," (‮تسعي‬),
and _sebaee_, "seven," (‮سبعي‬) according as they perform
a journey of _ten_ days, or _seven_ days, in _one_; but I never
heard of this distinction in any part of The Desert. It is pretended
that the mahry cannot live on the Coast of Africa on account of the
cold. This has not been sufficiently tried, for Haj Ibrahim kept one
at Tripoli, which thrived very well, and was in good condition. It
is, however, a very chilly animal, and seems to feel the cold as
much as the Touarghee himself. In its healthy state it is full of
fire and energy, and always assumes the mastery over the camels of
the Coast, biting them, and trying to prevent them from eating with
it in circle like other camels. Mounted on his mahry, dressed out
fantastically in various and many-coloured harness, (the small
saddle being fixed on the withers, and the rider's legs on the neck
of the animal,) with his sword slung on his back, dagger under the
left arm, and lance in the right hand, the Touarghee warrior sallies
forth to war, daring everything, and fearing nothing but God and the
Demons. In the year '44 they made an inroad upon the sandy wastes of
the Shânbah bandits; days and months they pursued the brigand tribe
over the trackless regions of sand; and during this expedition they
neither tasted food, nor drank a drop of water, for seven
days!--still keeping up a running fight, pursuing and butchering the
Shânbah, who all disappeared at last, concealed under heaps
of sand. This statement, which shows the extraordinary power of
endurance--the moral and physical temperance in the Touaricks, I had
from the Governor of Ghat himself, and which coming from him
deserves credit. But the Touaricks do not eat every day though they
may have food in the house. They eat generally every other day. And
this amply suffices them when merely reclining in their tents, or
lounging in the Souk. Habit is everything; we might all live on one
meal a day if we could accustom ourselves to it. The people pretend
that, though the Shânbah can count the grains of their desert region
of sand, and know every form of the sand-mountains as well by night
as by day, the Touaricks had nevertheless the advantage over them,
pursuing them better by night than by day, because the Genii were
their guides; and many Shânbah, who had hid themselves under the
sand, were unburied by the Genii, and slain by the Touaricks.

I have given a case of Touarghee justice. During the Ghat Souk, all the
Sheikhs assemble in the great square, the Shelly, for the arrangement of
disputes; but it is mere form, and is more for gossiping and quizzing one
another, the Touarick being fond of a good joke. The principal Sheikh
present mounts a stone-bench, and sits down in a reclining posture,
striking his spear into the ground, which stands erect before him, as if
awaiting his orders. The very first thing a Touarghee does when he stops
and sits down, is to strike his spear into the ground or sand. When my
_friend_ Ouweek was napping near me at the well of Tadoghseen, his spear
was struck into the sand close by his head. So it is said, "And, behold,
Saul lay sleeping within the trench, and his spear stuck in the ground at
his bolster." (1 Samuel, chap. xxvi. ver 7.) The Sheikh of highest rank
now seated, the Sheikhs next in dignity take their seats around him, at a
short distance off, in the form of a semicircle, these generally
squatting on the ground. Sometimes the principal Sheikh himself squats on
the ground. The cases of dispute are then brought forward, if any. The
infliction of punishment is by fines. There is nothing in the shape of a
prison,--this delectable institution being the work and discovery of
civilization. Our Irishman might indeed, without a bull, with his back to
The Desert, and his face to the civilized communities of the Coast,
exclaim, on sight of the first prison and gibbet, "Thank God, I am out of
the land of Barbarians, and have reached the land of Civilization!" Of
fines, I heard of no other case than that of the Sultan fining two
strangers a couple of dollars, whilst resident in Ghat.

[Illustration]

In some parts of the Shelly there are ranges of benches of two and three
flights. It is an imposing sight, to pass through the square late in the
afternoon, just before they leave, and see all the Touaricks mounted on
these benches. Row upon row, range upon range, they sit, closely jammed
together, as thick as Milton's spirits in Pandemonium, and not unlike
them, with their dark and concealed countenances, so mysteriously muffled
up with the dread litham, having before them ranges of spears, parallel
to themselves, a bright forest hedge of pines, awaiting their orders for
war or warlike pomp. I have frequently passed this forest range of
lances, and looked up fearfully to the dark enigmatical figures or shapes
of human beings, reclining in the most profound death-like silence, not
exchanging a word with one another. A most trivial call of attention, a
rustling or breath of an accident of novelty, nevertheless, is enough to
put instant action and fire into these ranged masses of ice-congealed or
stone statue-like warriors, who will then rush down upon the attractive
object headlong, one falling over the other, until their childish
curiosity being satisfied, the wild tumult subsides, and they themselves
sink into their wonted blank inanity. But it is a fact, they will sit
motionless thus for hours and hours, and not condescend to speak to their
best friend amongst the merchants. This is their idea of dignity and
superior rank over their fellows. It would appear, from the account of
the Sultan of Bornou, that he, also, never condescends to speak when he
receives a foreign envoy. "Slowness of motion," in Barbary, and I imagine
in The East, is also considered a mark of dignity. A full-blown
fashionable Moor always walks extremely slow. The Touarick usually rises
up slowly, and deliberately walks out of the house in the same way, but
otherwise he continues a fair pace. What is curious, a Touarick never
speaks and salutes when he leaves you; his compliments and inquiries of
health, are all on his entrance into your house.

It now seems pretty well agreed upon by all parties who converse about my
affairs, that I should return and make greater preparations, and bring
with me two or three others, fellow-travellers, so as to render an
expedition of this sort more useful and respectable. But the disadvantage
always is, if it get abroad that such a mission is coming, laden with
presents, money and provisions, the danger is tenfold augmented, whilst
an indigent person like myself is in comparative security. A single
person has also his own advantages over a mission of two or three, or
more. He is his own master he is responsible alone for himself. Who
knows, but what something disastrous had happened if I had had with me
some hot-headed companion? A man will lose his life any time in The
Desert in five minutes if he cannot keep his temper. He may occasionally
assume airs of being angry for policy's sake, and check the insolence of
some low fellow, and with other advantages. But the point is, to be cool
in danger and embarrassments, which, if a man cannot be, let him go into
The Great Desert at his peril. It was for the same reason I would not
bring with me an European servant from Tripoli, whose fluency in Arabic
might have been attended with the greatest danger to us both instead of
assistance. Said is pestered with questions about me or my affairs; but
at times Said is stupid enough, and people get tired of asking him
questions. I must mention, however, one thing to his credit and to his
cunning sagacity; although a thousand times questioned, whether he
himself were a slave, and how he came with me, he never let out that he
was a runaway slave from Tunis, not even to his dearest companions of
travel. Generally when asked a question of our affairs, he says,
_Ma-Nârafsh_, "I don't know," and this he does as much from his indolence
in not wishing to talk as from policy. Here I shall take the liberty of
stating the several objections to my proceeding this year to Soudan:--

1st. My health is beginning to sink under pressure of the climate, as
well as under various vexations and annoyances. Amongst the latter, I
have received nothing which I wrote for to Tripoli, to persons whom I
considered friends of the mission, one thing excepted, and certainly not
the least thing, the money. (And I embrace the opportunity of thanking
gratefully Signor Francovich, Austrian merchant of Tripoli, for letting
me have money whenever I asked him, promptly and immediately, and to any
amount which I drew for).

2nd. Amongst the things written for to Tripoli, and which did not arrive,
were medicine, and some common instruments of observation. The medicine
was packed up by Dr. Dickson, but neglected to be sent until the caravan
had left Ghadames. The instruments, which could easily have been procured
in Tripoli, were of the greatest consequence, in making a more extended
tour intelligible.

3rd. Kanou, being reported by all the merchants as "a country of fever,"
it would have been exceedingly imprudent for me to have gone further
without a good stock of medicines. We have no right to plunge ourselves
into the flood of the Niger, and then accuse the hand of Providence for
not saving us from a watery grave. One might have escaped the fever, as
one might have been picked up by the swimming of a black man; but such a
"might" belongs to accident, not the planning and arranging of legitimate
expectation.

I shall not trouble the reader with ten or more reasons, all having more
or less of weight, which I have recorded in my journal, but which are
more curious than sensible. I mention, that, on my departure from Ghat, I
wrote to the Sultan of Aheer, by the advice of my best friends, informing
him of my intention to visit him at some future period. It is a mistake
that, the taking of these Saharan princes unawares; they consider it
infinitely more friendly to be written to beforehand. A stranger, and
especially a Christian, coming down upon them unexpectedly, excites
suspicion which may never be afterwards removed. The Touarick Princes of
Aheer are considered the only difficulty, so far as governments are
concerned, in the rest of the route. The Fullan Princes of Soudan are
represented as eminently friendly to every body, every stranger of
whatever clime or religion. However, I do not pretend to know what effect
the Niger expedition may have produced on the Fullans, with respect to
Englishmen.

       *       *       *       *       *

_7th._--Stayed at home all the day. The _fœx populi_ is a great
worry to me. They have no encouragement from the Sheikhs, but are
not less the cause of my shutting myself up at home. Evening, when
the streets were clear, visited Haj Ibrahim. He has purchased the
feathers of a splendid Soudan ostrich for five dollars, which in
Tripoli he will sell for ten. The bird is skinned and the feathers
remain unplucked. The _quæstio vexata_, as to who is Haj Ibrahim's
"friend," _sahab_ (‮صاحب‬), to whom he should pay his
tribute-present, for visiting the Souk, is at length decided in
favour of Berka. The old gentleman produced witnesses that all
Jerbini belonged to him, or are under his protection, and as Haj
Ibrahim is a native of Jerbah, he claimed the rich merchant. The
several Sheikhs have the several merchants under their protection.
Shafou has those of Tunis, Jabour those of Tripoli, under their
respective protection, and so of the rest. The merchants pay for
their protection from ten to twenty dollars, according to their
means. Frequently a group of traders do not pay more than a single
individual; some get off with paying only a dollar. These demands on
the merchants are certainly very moderate, and the Touaricks
scarcely deserve the epithets of _exigeant_ and extortionate which
are so freely applied to them by the merchants. Haj Ibrahim, who
brings some thousand dollars' worth of goods to this part, pays only
the paltry sum of some twenty or thirty dollars at the most. In
fact, here is free-trade with a vengeance, existing long before it
has been attempted to carry it out, with such tremendous
consequences, as in Great Britain. France and the Zollverein must
send agents to the Souk of Ghat, say half a dozen University
students each, to study free-trade principles from the barbarians of
The Desert. Indeed Touaricks carry out their system beautifully and
like gentlemen, and the Aheer merchants pay nothing in Ghat, and the
Ghat merchants pay nothing in Aheer, for the privileges of commerce,
in the way of customs' dues. The merchants and Arabs of Derge pay
nothing whatever, a privilege of ancient date granted to this class
of Tripoline merchants. But the Souk flourishes with its free-trade
mart, and excites the jealousies of the merchants of Mourzuk, and
their masters the Turks, because some of the merchants pass from
here direct to Algeria and Tunis, not touching the Tripoline
territory, and in this way the Turks lose their much-coveted
_gomerick_, or customs' duty. I am happy to record the present
instance of these extortioners being overreached, or rather,
vanquished by an honourable system of trade. Certainly, were it not
for the high duties levied on merchandize at Mourzuk and Ghadames,
many of the merchants of this Souk would visit those cities, and the
Turks could not fail to benefit by this extra rendezvous of
merchants. Haj Ibrahim does not think the whole of what all the
Sheikhs together collect as presents, at the annual Ghat Souk, to be
more than 250 or 300 dollars. In case Great Britain should think it
worth while to bribe or buy the services of the Touaricks of The
Desert, to intercept the slave-caravans, and so discourage the
traffic, it certainly could be done for some 500 dollars per annum,
or for very little more, if it were a question of money only.

FOOTNOTES:

[79] The merchants call these loaves of French beet-root sugar,
    _Ras_, _i. e._, "head."

[80] Having always called him the _Giant_ in my notes, I neglected
    to get his name.

[81] The spear is called _âlagh_, ‮علق‬, the dagger _tayloukh_,
    ‮تيلوخ‬, the sword _takoubah_, ‮تيكوبة‬, and the
    stave, with a spear point, âzallah, ‮عزلّة‬. The old men,
    like indeed Shafou, frequently make use of a large stick, instead
    of a spear, when they walk about. Usually the Touaricks carry their
    lances with them, and all their arms, even in paying the most
    friendly visits. To strangers they look infinitely more formidable
    than they are, or they themselves pretend to be.




CHAPTER XX.

CONTINUED RESIDENCE IN GHAT.

     Commerce of Winter Mart at Ghat.--Visit to Hateetah, and meet the
     Sultan.--Means of suppressing Saharan Slave Trade by the
     Touaricks.--Hateetah refuses my returning with a Bengazi
     Caravan.--Bad Character of Arabs.--Receive a Visit from His
     Highness the Sultan; and interesting Conversation with him.--Ghat
     Townsmen great Bigots.--Unexpected Meeting with the Sultan.--My
     Targhee Friend's opinion of War.--Mode of Baking Bread.--Country
     of Touat.--The British Consul is perplexed at his _Master_ being
     a Lady.--Vulgar error of Christians ill-treating Mussulmans in
     Europe.--People teach the Slaves to call me Infidel.--Visit to
     Bel Kasem, and find Khanouhen.--The free-thinking of this
     Prince.--Said's apprehensions of Touaricks.--Hateetah's opinion
     of stopping Saharan Slave-Dealing.--Shafou leaves
     Ghat.--Discussion of Politics with an assemblage of
     Chiefs.--Description of the Touarick Tribes and Nations of The
     Great Desert.--Description of Aheer and Aghadez.--Leo's Account
     of the Targhee Desert.--Daughters of the Governor
     Educated.--Touaricks refuse aid from the Turks against the
     Shânbah.--A private Slave-Mart.--Ghat comparatively free from
     Crime.--Visit from Berka.


IT is not my intention to enter into the statistics of trade, but I
mention a few facts. Caravans from Soudan, including all the large
cities, but especially from Kanou, from Bornou, from the Tibboo country,
from Touat, from Fezzan, from Souf, from Ghadames, and from Tripoli,
Tunis, and the North coast, visited the Ghat Souk of this winter. The
number of merchants, traders, and camel-drivers was about 500, the slaves
imported from Soudan to Bornou about 1000, and the camels employed in the
caravans about 1050. Provision caravans from Fezzan also were constantly
coming to Ghat during the Souk. The main commerce of these caravans
consisted of the staple exports, of slaves, elephants' teeth, and senna,
the united value of which, at the market this year, was estimated at
about 60,000_l._, which value would be doubled, on arriving at the
European markets.

Next to these grand objects of commerce were ostrich feathers, skins, and
hides in considerable quantities. Then followed various articles of minor
character, but of Soudanic manufacture, which are brought to the Souk,
viz., wooden spoons, bowls, and other utensils for cooking; also sandals,
wooden combs, leather pillow-cases, bags, purses, pouches, bottles and
skin-bags for water, &c.; arms, consisting of spears, lances, staves,
daggers, straight broad-swords, leather and dried skin shields. Some of
these weapons are made all of metal; the blades of the swords are
manufactured in Europe and America. These arms are mostly for the
equipment of the Ghat and Touat Touaricks, and are nearly all
manufactured in Aheer. Provisions are also exported from Soudan and Aheer
to this mart, consisting of semen or liquid butter; ghusub or drâ;
ghafouly[82], sometimes called Guinea corn; hard cheese from Aheer, which
is pounded before eaten; beef, cut into shreds, and without salt, dried
in the sun and wind; peppers of the most pungent character, an extremely
small quantity sufficing to season a large dish; a species of shell
fruit, called by the Moors Soudan almonds[83]; bakhour, or frankincense;
and ghour nuts and koudah, which are masticated as tobacco. There is
then, finally, the great cotton manufacture, which clothes half the
people of The Desert. Whole caravans of these cottons arrive together,
and they are even conveyed from Ghat to Timbuctoo, this extremely
roundabout way from Soudan. The colour is mostly a blue-black, sometimes
a lighter blue, and glazed and shining. But the indigo is ill-prepared,
and the dyeing as badly done, and the consequence is, the cottons are
very begriming in the wearing. The indigo plant is simply cut, and thrown
into a pond of water to ferment with the articles to be dyed, and after a
short time the cottons are taken out, dried, pressed, and glazed with
gum. It is these dark cottons which the Touaricks are so passionately
fond of. The only live animals brought over The Desert from Soudan and
Aheer are sheep and parrots.

The articles of import to the Souk from Europe are sufficiently well
known; they are chiefly silks and cloth, but of the most ordinary sort,
and, of showy colours, red, yellow, light green. Raw silk and brocades;
beads, glass and composition; small, looking-glasses; wooden bracelets,
fantastically painted; sword-blades; needles[84]; paper[85]; razors; some
spices, cloves, &c.; attar of roses; carpet-rugs; "Indians," or coarse
white cottons; bornouses and barracans, &c., &c. But it may be observed,
all the European articles introduced into Central Africa are of the most
ordinary description possible. Barracans or blankets are brought from
various places for sale at Ghat, but mostly from the Souf and Touat
oases, where the women weave them in great quantities. They are very warm
and serviceable in the winter months, and are even carried to Soudan,
where during the rainy and damp season these woollens are highly prized
for their usefulness, and found greatly conducive to health. No
fire-arms, which I could observe, are brought for sale here. There is
scarcely any gold trade; a very small quantity is brought here _viâ_
Touat from Timbuctoo. The money in circulation at the Souk is nearly all
Spanish. The exceptions are two small Turkish coins, called karoobs, one
of the value of about an English penny, and the other double this. A few
Tunisian piastres pass amongst merchants of the north. It is not the
large pillared-dollar (mudfah) which is in circulation, but the
quarter-dollars of Spain. Five of these quarter-dollars make up the value
of a whole Spanish dollar, and four are the value of the current or ideal
dollar, called the small dollar. The Soudanese merchants, who are
accustomed to see this money brought from the western coast, flatly
refuse all other monies but the Spanish. There is not a great quantity
of it here; merchants keep up the supply of this currency by exporting it
from Touat and Morocco. No gold coins are in circulation, nor any copper.
The Turkish money, excepting the karoobs mentioned, will not pass here;
people detest it as much as they do the Turks themselves. I once asked an
orthodox merchant how it was, that Mussulmans preferred the money of
infidel Christians to that of the Sultan of the Faithful? He naïvely
replied, "God has taught Christians to make money, because although used
in this world, it is accursed. Mussulmans touch the abominable thing, but
don't pollute themselves by making it. In the next world Mussulmans will
have all good things and enjoyments without money; but Christians will
have molten money, like hot running lead, continually pouring down their
throats as their torment for ever."

There is a very ancient story in circulation (in books) respecting the
peculiar manner of carrying on trade somewhere in the neighbourhood of
Timbuctoo. It is copied by Shaw from former writers on Africa. "At a
certain time of the year," the honest Doctor says, "they (Western Moors)
make this journey in a numerous caravan, carrying along with them coral
and glass beads, bracelets of horn, knives, scissors, and such like
trinkets. When they arrive at the places appointed, which is on such a
day of the moon, they find in the evening several different heaps of gold
dust lying at a small distance from each other, against which the Moors
place so many of their trinkets as they judge will be taken in exchange
for them. If the Nigritians, the next morning, approve of the bargain,
they take up the trinkets and leave the gold-dust, or else make some
deductions from the latter. In this manner they transact their exchange
without seeing one another, or without the least instance of dishonesty
or perfidiousness on their part." This curious instance of Nigritian
commerce has certainly been copied from the following passage in
Herodotus, proving the high antiquity of the ingenious fable:--"It is
their (the Carthaginian's) custom," says the father of history, "on
arriving among them (the people beyond the columns of Hercules) to unload
their vessels, and dispose their goods along the shore; this done, they
again embark, and make a great smoke from on board. The natives seeing
this, come down immediately to the shore, and placing a quantity of gold,
by way of exchange, retire. The Carthaginians then land a second time,
and if they think the gold equivalent, they take it and depart--if not,
they again go on board their vessels. The inhabitants return, and add
more gold till the crews are satisfied. The whole is conducted with the
strictest integrity, for neither will one touch the gold till they have
left an adequate value in merchandize, nor will the other remove the
goods, till the Carthaginians have taken away the gold." This story,
unhappily for the guileless simplicity of our merchants here, is too good
to be true, like most artless stories of this sort. I made inquiries of
merchants who had lived nearly all their lifetimes in Timbuctoo, and not
far from the gold country, but they had never heard of this pretty
primitive mode of barter. And yet the story has a real African or Negro
look in it. One cannot positively assert that something like this might
not have existed amongst the Nigritians and their foreign exchangers of
produce and merchandize. Let us hope, for the honesty of mankind, that
the fable had a genuine origin.

_8th._--Called on Hateetah this morning. Still the Sheikh bothers me
about presents for his brothers; he had also the conscience to ask for
another barracan for himself. I stood out, determined to give nothing to
him or his brothers and cousins. Spent the evening with Haj Ibrahim. His
friend, the Ghadamsee merchant, Ahmed Ben Kaka, who makes the journey
from Tripoli to Noufee, says he saw the English steamers of the late
Niger expedition, so he must have descended lower than Noufee. He says
they came up to _Yetferrej_, "amuse themselves," and look about. He had
not heard of their anti-slavery objects. According to him, "Fever and
sickness prevail more at Kanou than Noufee."

_9th._--A fine morning, but cold. Slept little; these fits of not
sleeping come on repeatedly. The Touarghee who has charge of my camel has
brought her from the grazing districts. On arriving at Ghat, all the
merchants send their camels to graze in these places. The Touarghee asks
for barley or straw whilst the nagah is here. The incident reminds me
of--"Barley also and straw for the horses and dromedaries brought they
unto the place where the officers were, every man according to his
charge." (1st Book of Kings, chap. iii. 28.) This is the food of horses
and camels to the present day in North Africa; the barley is principally
for the horses, and the straw, when it is chopped into little pieces, is
given to both horses and camels. The Touaricks show the greatest
antipathy to the Arabs, more especially since the late murderous attack
of the Shânbah on their defenceless countrymen. Some of the Touaricks go
so far as to say, "Mahomet was not an Arab." My Touarghee friend Omer
quarrelled violently with two Souf Arabs, who were also visiting me. I
told them it was indecent to quarrel in the house of a stranger whom they
were together visiting, and they made it up, shaking hands.

_10th._--Visited a patient, but had some difficulty in persuading him to
take my nostrums. Afterwards called on Hateetah, and, to my agreeable
surprise, found there the Sultan. I did not at first recognize His
Highness, the _litham_ being entirely removed from his face[86]. I was
vexed at my awkwardness, but the good-natured Sheikhs, several of whom
were present, readily excused me. His Highness and another Sheikh were
eating a sort of _bazeen_ or pudding, with curd milk, out of a large
wooden bowl. Each had a spoon with which they scooped up the pudding one
after another. I have sometimes seen two persons eating from a dish and
having but one spoon, which they used alternately, one fellow watching
anxiously the other with greediness, and measuring with a hungry eye the
size of his friend's spoonfuls. It is an advance on the Arabs, this use
of spoons, and I always took care to praise the Touaricks for their use
of spoons. In the open country, when a Touarghee has finished his meal he
drives the handle into the sand to keep the lower part dry. These spoons
are all made in Soudan, and are extremely neat, the shaft of the spoon
being very much bent, and the bottom very large and deepened in. His
Highness now told me he should send a present to the Queen, and asked me
if I would take a maharee. This I declined, on account of the expenses of
bringing such an animal to England on my own responsibility. Hateetah
said, "Why how foolish, when you get to Mourzuk the Consul will give you
plenty of money." I told him I did not know the Consul there, and must
not trust to any Consuls for such matters. None of the Sheikhs could
understand this objection. On getting up to take leave of His Highness he
asked: "How do you like our country? What do you think of our merchants?
Are the people civil to you? Shall you again return? How old are you? Why
do you travel so far? Will it not shorten your life? Will not your Sultan
give you a great deal of money for coming so far?" &c. Hateetah now told
me to sit down again. All were reclining on mats, and no particular
attention was paid to the Sultan. A merchant present said, "Why don't you
buy and sell, the Souk is open? We wish to see the English come here to
buy senna and elephants' teeth. But the English don't purchase slaves." I
then, half-doubting the propriety of, and greatly puzzled how to
introduce the subject, tried to make an effort. "How much," asked I, "do
the Touaricks get from the merchants who deal in slaves? I don't think
more than three hundred dollars a year?" (Several of the Sheikhs nodded
assent.) "Well, now, if the Sultan and the Touaricks would stop the
traffic in slaves here, perhaps the English would give them three
thousand dollars per annum." They all laughed at this, and the merchant
of Ghat took upon himself to say, for the Sultan and the Sheikhs, "Bring
the money." To this I rejoined, "But see now, I can't interfere, I'm not
the English Consul; Hateetah (turning to him) is the English Consul, let
him write for Shafou, to our Queen and arrange everything. I'll take
Shafou's present and bring back his from our Sultan. This is all I can
do." Hateetah raised himself up at this sally, and looked very
consequentially upon all around, even upon Shafou, as much as to say,
"Don't you hear, The Christian makes me the English Consul, and am I not
the English Consul?" Was glad to escape from the subject in this way,
determined not to pursue it further, knowing the bitter hatred it would
create in the minds of the merchants against me, if the conversation got
abroad. Still felt happy in having broached the subject, and attacked
their selfish feelings on the point. Government might spend a few pounds
out of the million per annum, (the cost of the suppression on the Western
Coast,) in buying the co-operative influence of these Sheikhs, who hold
the _keys_ of The Desert. There is no moral reason for leaving one part
of Africa a prey to this scourge, and concentrating all our efforts in
another region of this unhappy continent. I left the Sultan and Hateetah
in a good humour, after promising them some tobacco. Hateetah showed me
the leather pillow-case which Shafou intended to send Her Majesty.
Hateetah this morning seemed to have got the Sultan's ear, but as soon as
the old gentleman returns to Khanouhen, all the English Consul's
influence will evaporate in smoke.

_11th._--Called upon the Governor and met there Haj Abdullah of Bengazi.
Persuaded him to wait till to-morrow and take me with him to Mourzuk.
Then called on Hateetah, who would not consent to this. He says, "I must
not go this way with a couple of people through The Desert. I must go
either with him or his brother in the course of a few days, carrying the
presents of Shafou and a letter for the Queen." Agreed to this, it being
a matter of indifference whether I stopped a few days longer or not,
after waiting so long and to such little purpose. Was annoyed at my
Soudan journey being cut off in the middle, and sometimes thought I would
still risk it, or "go the whole hog." Perseverance overcomes obstacles
deemed by men impossibilities. Hateetah evidently feels his importance,
and besides thinks he shall get a little more by my delay. He is right,
for Her Majesty's subjects don't ask for his protection every day. The
Governor pretends the Shânbah muster 10,000! This ignorance must be
voluntary, or the assertion is made to render the approaching victory of
the Touaricks more terrible to my conception. An Arab of Tripoli came
here a few days ago and personified himself as Abdullah, who was going to
Bengazi, asking me for an advance of money. Met him this morning and
accused him of his impudent imposture, threatening to get him bastinadoed
by the Pasha. The Arabs are without question the worst class of people
who visit this mart of commerce. What they don't do as brigands they
attempt by fraud. Shaw tells us that, in his time, they lay in ambush in
the morning to attack the strangers whom they had hospitably entertained
the previous evening. Some of them still most richly deserve this
character. The Touaricks are so alarmed at the cold that there is no
prospect of their marching out against the Shânbah for weeks yet. Several
Touarghee camel-drivers will wait for the summer caravan before they
undertake the journey to Aheer, on which route the cold is often severe
at this season.

_12th._--Occupied in reading Hebrew. Learnt a few Touarghee words.
Several Touaricks called to beg dates; "_Bago_," or "Not at home." Did
not go out to-day.

_13th._--Called upon Hateetah, who vexed me exceedingly again by begging.
Her Majesty's Consul must have a regular salary, or Her Majesty's
subjects visiting here will have no peace of their lives. Told him to get
up his camels and prepare for our departure, and then I would give him
another backsheesh.

Afternoon, a messenger came from His Highness with the Sultan's dagger in
his hand, as guarantee that he came from His Highness. This is usual in
Ghat. Mr. Duncan has mentioned in his Travels through Dahomy, how he
often received the King's stick as guarantee that the messenger came from
His Majesty. I inquired,

"What is the matter?"

He answered, "Shafou wishes a dollar or a holee (barracan)."

Not understanding this, I said, "To-morrow I will see."

_The Messenger._--"Should I bring Shafou here to your house?"

"Yes, yes," I answered, very glad to have a visit from the Sultan.

"Now?"

"Yes, bring the Sultan at once," I continued.

In a few minutes, before I could guess or imagine what was this strange
business, I heard His Highness knocking at the door, who, with the
messenger, immediately ascended the terrace. The old gentleman, on
entering my room, refused my most pressing invitation to sit down on the
ottoman, preferring from sheer modesty to sit upon a skin stretched on
the floor. His Highness sat silent a few minutes, looking very
good-natured. As we were quite alone, I embraced the opportunity of
speaking very plainly to the Sultan. "You see," I observed, "our people
are afraid to come here, not knowing whether the Touaricks will kill them
or not. Have you not power to prevent the lesser Sheikhs from stopping
Christians in The Desert, and threatening them with bad language." "No,"
replied the Sultan, "I cannot be everywhere. Some of my children think
themselves better than their father. They will talk and have their own
way[87]. But now, Yâkob, we have all agreed to protect you, why do you
fear?" "I don't fear," I added, "but cannot something be done for the
protection of Christians through The Desert." "Here," said His Highness,
"is the question. You return home, you go to your Sovereign, for I have a
secret to tell you." "What is that?" I demanded anxiously. "Up to now,"
said Shafou, mildly and deliberately, "all the world has paid us tribute.
The merchants who come from the east or west, north or south, all pay us
tribute. But the English do not pay us tribute. How's this? You must tell
your Sultana to pay us tribute, and speak to her yourself." I promised I
would if I had an opportunity, not attempting to dispute a moment such
pretensions. I simply recollected the Khan of Tartary, who, after dining
himself, went out and ordered his servant to proclaim to all the monarchs
of earth his permission for them to dine, now that he had finished his
own dinner. I told His Highness, I thought I should return next year; on
which he said, "Well do, I'll conduct you myself to Aheer." I then
introduced the delicate subject of slavery. I observed, "The Sheikhs of
the Touaricks get very little from the merchants who deal in slaves. If
Your Highness should put an end to this traffic, you would get more from
us English." "Yes, yes, that's what you said before," interposed the
Sultan. "Try us, then, bring the money; at present, the English give us
nothing." I mentioned to the Sultan that the Bey of Tunis had abolished
the traffic in slaves. "Yes," said the messenger to the Sultan, "it's
true." The conversation now dropped, and I did not understand what was to
be done further. The messenger made a sign about the dollar. I had
already folded up mechanically a dollar in a piece of paper before the
Sultan came in, so I put this into the messenger's hand. I certainly
should have given the Sultan a dozen dollars if he had asked me, but the
old gentleman's wishes and wants were few, and his modesty greater than
these. His Highness now got up, and shaking hands departed as pleased as
Punch with his dollar. I question whether His Highness ever has any
money; Khanouhen is treasurer and everything else. So I finished with the
good-natured gentle creature Shafou, having humbly presented The Sultan
of all the Touaricks of Ghat with one dollar!

Just after Shafou left, the messenger wished to play me a trick. He came
running back, and said:--"See this dagger, this belongs to Khanouhen; he
says you must give him half a dollar." I simply replied to the fellow, "I
know nothing about it." I was convinced Khanouhen would never send such
a message. I laughed however at this fashion of sending about daggers. It
had something in it of the style of presenting a pistol to a man's breast
with the agreeable demand, "Your money or your life."

Passing through the gardens, I fell accidentally into conversation with a
gardener. On mentioning, that if God spared my life, I should go to
Soudan next year, he exclaimed:--

"What! do you know God?"

_I._--"Yes, and all Christians know God."

_The Gardener._--"Why, then, are you an infidel?"

I repeated, "All Christians pray and know God;" and left him puzzled out
of his wits. Ghat townsmen are beastly ignorant zealots, and confound
Christians with the Pagan Negroes of Central Africa, whom also they call
"Ensara." Since Negroes worship the "fetish," they think also we don't
know God. The Governor asked the other day, if the children of Christians
learnt to read and write like his children, the noisy hum of their
reading coming into the room whilst we sat talking. I might have
answered, "Some do," but used more general phraseology, "Both boys and
girls with us learn to read and write." "My girls learn also," replied
the Governor, with an air of triumph. I was glad to see female education
encouraged in Ghat by the Marabout, as it is also in Ghadames.

Touaricks are afraid, and distrust Arabs; and Arabs are afraid, and
distrust Touaricks; and both these are afraid of, and distrust Turks.
There is no mutual confidence in these various Mahometan people.
Nevertheless, except the Shânbah incursions, everything goes on pretty
quietly, and I hear of no murders, or acts of violence, in this region of
The Sahara. There is certainly no Irish or Indian Thuggism amongst
Saharan barbarians.

_14th._--The weather during these three days has been fine, no wind (the
horror of our people), and very warm. Our departure is protracted from
day to day. Time may be money in England, here it is as valueless as the
sand of these deserts. Got up very early, as I sometimes do, and went to
see the Governor. I was alone. In the distance (it was scarcely
daylight), I saw a tall figure looming, embodying forth. I continued, and
it neared me. This shadowy figure at length became visibly formed, and
expanded itself into the full stature of Shafou, who was like myself all
alone. His Highness was as surprised to meet me as I was surprised to
meet him at this time of morning. Shafou stopped suddenly, and then
putting his hand to his tobacco pouch, which he carried on his left arm,
and without speaking, gave me to understand that I had not sent the
tobacco which I had promised him. Indeed, I could not get it from Haj
Ibrahim. I addressed this silent admonition of my forgetfulness or
short-coming, by saying, "Yes, I understand, I'll send the tobacco." His
Highness then slowly passed on, just raising his hand to salute me at
parting, but without uttering a word. Afterwards, called on Hateetah, who
had heard from the messenger about my wonderful liberality in giving a
dollar to the Sultan, and was very angry. "Who is Shafou?" he
peremptorily asked. "He is nothing. You have given him a large present,
and me very little. Now, if any body hurts you, I shall be silent." I
took no notice whatever of this ungracious speech. A son of the Governor
paid me a visit on my return, and was very saucy, calling me a Kafer. I
instantly turned him out of the house. Then came in my young Touarghee
friend, which was a positive relief to me. I said:--"Are you not afraid
to go warring with the Shânbah?" He answered me pathetically,
prospectively submitting himself to the Divine Decrees:--"If it be the
will of God that I go warring against the Shânbah, and fall and die
there, what then? for go it is inscribed in the Book of Heaven." As to
the justice of the war, like our young soldiers, it never occupied his
thoughts. He merely goes to war because his master and prince goes to
war. What would the Peace Society say to him?

People in Ghat have a very primitive way of making bread. They place a
large earthen cylinder, with one of the ends knocked out, upon the
ground, and make it fast with clay or mud mortar, like "setting a
copper." This always remains as much a fixture as a copper. When they
want to make bread, they fill it full of lighted date-palm branches, or
other fuel. After the flame is extinguished, and the wood ashes have
fallen to the bottom, the sides of the cylinder are heated red-hot. These
sides are now rubbed round with a green palm-branch, and made clean. This
done, the paste or dough is pulled and made into small loaves like
pancakes, and clapped on the hot sides, until all the surface is covered,
the little cakes sticking on with great tenacity. The top of the cylinder
is now covered over to retain the heat. In a few minutes the covering is
removed, and the new-baked bread is pulled or peeled off the sides of the
fast-cooling cylinder. But sometimes there is heat for baking two batches
of bread. Bread is frequently piled up, layer upon layer, like pancakes,
in a bowl, and a strong highly-seasoned sauce with oil or liquid butter
is poured upon it; from which bowl it is eaten, and called _âesh_, or
"the evening meal." Sometimes a number of very small pieces of meat is
placed on the pile of sopped bread; but this is a delicacy or luxury.

_15th._--Went to call upon Hateetah, and met in the way a son of Abd
Errahman of Ghadames, who has just returned from the oases of Touat. He
describes Ain Salah (or Ensalah), to be like the country where the
Governor of Ghat resides, that is to say, sandy and surrounded with sand
heaps, but abundantly supplied with water, as well as thickly populated.
The oases of Touat have unwalled towns, or scattered hamlets, but the
country is perfectly secure. He gives the inhabitants a good character;
they are a mixture of Moors, Arabs, Touaricks, Berbers, and Negroes, like
nearly all the oases in Central Sahara, or that portion of The Great
Desert, extending from the oases of Fezzan to the Saharan towns of Arwan
and Mabrouk, on the western-route line of Timbuctoo. He thinks I might
travel in safety from Touat to Timbuctoo in summer, for during the dry
season the banditti cannot keep the open Desert. Saw Hateetah, and gave
him a dollar, which put him into a better humour. Although the
_soi-disant_ Consul of the English, and all the Christians who per hazard
visit Ghat, he displayed to-day the greatest ignorance of the maxims and
polity of Christian nations. I thought it as well, since he assumed to be
the Representative of Her Majesty here in Ghat, just to remind him, (for
I thought I had told him before,) there was a Queen in England, and that
Her Majesty was his master. This greatly shocked Her Majesty's Touarghee
Consul, and he asked, "Whether the Queen cut off heads?" I told Her
Majesty's Consul, the servants of Government hanged murderers. The
Touaricks have acquired these sanguinary notions of cutting off heads,
from the reports of the Turkish and Moorish administration of justice.
Such barbarous practices do not exist amongst these barbarians. He then
demanded, "Should I go to England, would the English seize me and beat
me?" This question from the English Consul really surprised me, whatever
I might have expected from others, the vulgar error of Christians
ill-using Moslems, being spread in Sahara. People think, if they were to
visit Europe, we should capture them, beat them, and make them slaves.
This unfavourable opinion of us has descended from the times of the
Crusaders, when European Christians displayed their zeal for
Christianity--notwithstanding its holy doctrines teach the forgiveness of
injuries--by butchering or enslaving Jews, Mahometans, and heretics.
Thank God, the chivalry of those days is gone, though worse may yet come.
To-day, a mob of slaves, who idle about in the road to Hateetah, hooted
after me, and one of the biggest came upon me and pulled hold of my coat.
I could not let this pass, the hooting I don't care about. So I fetched
some people to have the biggest fellow taken to Jabour. This we did to
frighten them, for after one of my friends gave him a crack over the
head, he was let off, promising to do so no more. The lower Moors and
Touaricks, both here and at Ghadames, teach the slaves to call Christians
kafer, "infidel." The blacksmiths, near Hateetah's house, mostly salute
me as I pass by them, with "There's no God," &c. Sometimes they are
extremely insolent. Any resistance to this zeal for The Prophet, would be
putting your head into the fire. It would not be quite so bad if I did
not go out so much alone. I ought always to have a good strong fellow, an
Arab or Touarghee, with me, a sort of physical-force argument against
this moral hooting, which is intelligible everywhere, and more especially
in The Desert. But as I soon leave, I do not wish to adopt any new
measure, which would show want of confidence in the people.

Evening visited my little queer friend Bel Kasem. Found with him as usual
his mighty lord, Khanouhen. The Prince began to ridicule Hateetah and his
brothers, and scold me on the subject of presents:--"Yâkob, if you give
those rascally brothers of Hateetah presents, I shall have to spear you,"
clenching hold of his spear. "_Kelāb_" (dogs), said his jester, "they'll
strip you of everything, leaving you no bread, nor even a water-skin, to
return to Tripoli." I assured Khanouhen I had not given Hateetah's
brothers anything but a bit of sugar for some of their children. "Good,"
said the Prince. Khanouhen now began in the style of _un esprit fort_:
"Yâkob, you're a Marabout. Our Marabouts are all rogues, and are always
exciting the people against us and our authority (as Sultan). Are you
such a rogue?" Here was a glimpse of another contest between the civil
and spiritual power in The Desert. I told the Sheikh I was no priest, but
a taleb. "Ah! good," said the Prince, giving me his hand. "But when you
die, where are you going to? Are you and I going together on the same
camel, or do you take one route of The Desert and I another, with
different camels?" I replied, "What is the use of such conjectures?"
"Right," said the Prince, "don't you remember (turning to Bel Kasem) that
Wahabite the people had here, and how they buffeted him, about? Yâkob,
(turning to me) I saved a poor devil, a Wahabite, from being killed by
the mob in Ghat, and I'm ready to save you. What's the good of killing a
man for his religion?" I thanked the Prince for his noble feelings of
tolerance, and left him and his clown to their _tête-à-tête_. Khanouhen
is one of the few of those strong-minded and right-thinking men, who see
the utter folly and direful mischief of forging a creed for the
consciences of his fellows. Had he been a Christian prince of the times
of Charles V., he would not, like that celebrated monarch, have passed
all his life in binding the religious opinions of men in fetters, and
then at the end of his days, disgusted with his work, repented of his
folly. No, from the beginning of his career, Khanouhen would have
proclaimed and defended with his sword the liberty of the human
conscience in matters of religion.

_16th._--A warm morning and hazy, but the much-dreaded wind got up at
noon. The departure of all the ghafalahs is now fixed for the 25th, and
ours for 23rd. The Rais of Ghadames has sent word for all his subjects to
return together; this I'm sure they will not do. It is extremely
difficult to make up a large caravan. The Soudan caravan is now departing
in small detachments of half a dozen people. Found Said crying to-day.
"What's the matter, Said?" "You are going to Soudan, the Touaricks will
kill you and cut you into bits, and I shall be again made a slave. I wish
to return to Ghadames with the Ghadamsee ghafalah." I had often caught
Said crying, and I imagine his grief came from the same source. I now
told him positively I was about to return to Fezzan, and never observed
him crying afterwards. As at Ghadames, Said is here a great man amongst
the lady negresses, and spends all his money in buying them needles and
beads. Hateetah called and scolded Said for crying, who had not yet dried
his tears. The Sheikh told him the Touaricks were better than the Turks
or Arabs; and I supported Hateetah by reminding Said of what our friend
Essnousee observed, "_Targhee elkoul zain_, (all the Touaricks are good
fellows)." I now spoke to Hateetah seriously about devising some means
for stopping the progress of slave-caravans through the country. He
pretended that the profit derived from the slave-caravans was infinitely
greater than it is, making it some one thousand dollars per annum; he did
not think the Sheikhs would suppress it. "They had carried it on always,
and would for ever," he observed. "But," he continued, and very justly,
"stop it at Constantinople, or at Tripoli, and then it will be stopped
here." Hateetah is right. This is and must be our plan, and I am happy to
see that Lord Palmerston has made, during the present year, a most
decisive effort near the Sublime Porte, to get the demand for slaves cut
off at Tripoli and Constantinople, by the closing up of the
slave-markets. Spent the evening with Haj Ibrahim. The Haj was occupied
in making under-garments for the slaves he has purchased. Moors do
strange things. It is curious to see the richest and most extensively
occupied merchant of the Souk sewing up shirts and chemises for his
slaves.

_17th._--Shafou left this morning for the country districts. The quiet
old gentleman has had enough of the bustle of the Souk, which still
continues. His Highness, before his departure, arranged for the Queen's
letter and the presents. Called early upon the Governor, and found him in
the house of Khanouhen, where there was a full assembly of Sheikhs. I was
obliged to talk politics with them, which were translated as the
conversation proceeded, by the Governor himself, to the Sheikhs. I
surprised them by telling them of the great number of Mussulman troops
employed by the French in Algeira, and how the French Government paid all
the priests of religion, even Mussulmans. They questioned me about, and I
explained to them the existence of deism in France and Europe. Now and
then a solitary Mussulman deist may be found in North Africa. But how few
have courage enough to resist the divine mission of The Prophet! Still
fewer question the probability of a Revelation. In general conversation,
I have always despised the system of running down the Algerian French,
whilst travelling in these wilds. It serves no earthly purpose, but to
increase the arrogance of the Moors and Arabs against Christians of all
nations. Whatever the conduct of the Algerian French, the conquest may
have a salutary influence upon Saharan fanatics, though it increases the
danger of the European traveller. The Moorish Governments of the coast
deserve much censure. They often foster and fan the flame of fanaticism
against European tourists. Besides, the conduct of the Maroquines towards
the Jews ought not now to be permitted by the Governments of France and
England. A missionary to the Jews, (himself a converted Jew,) who visited
Tangier with me, could not help exclaiming, on seeing how badly the
native Jews were treated, "God give the French success in Algeria!" It
is difficult for a philanthropic mind to suppress such feelings, whatever
our national prejudices, and how much soever we may brand the Razzias as
an indelible stigma on European civilization. It would be better, and
certainly more just, to civilize North Africa by civilizing the
established Moorish Governments of The Coast. But if The Coast is to fall
under European domination, it is to be hoped England will secure the Bay
of Tunis for shipping, and the Regency of Tripoli, as being the natural
route of Saharan commerce. The rest may be safely left to France,
excepting our old military post of Tangier, in order to maintain our
influence through the Straits of Gibraltar. The conversation of the
Sheikhs at length turned upon the Turks, and the country of Gog and
Magog--whence they came, whom we all agreed to abuse as much as possible,
since our antipathies were pretty equal. The Sheikhs then began very
naturally to vaunt of their power in The Sahara, and I may embrace this
opportunity of giving some outline of the Touarick nations of The Great
Desert.

The Arab and Moorish writers of the middle ages, as well as the latest
Saharan pilgrims, who have travelled The Desert from the shores of
the Atlantic to the banks of the Nile, have all given us brief
notices of the Touarick nations; but they have sometimes confounded
Touaricks with strictly Berber tribes, and indeed, not without
reason, for apparently the Touarick and Berber tribes are descended
from one original family, or stock of people. The fairest conclusion
is, that they are the descendants of the ancient Numidian tribes.
The Arabic terms employed here to name the Touaricks are ‮توارق‬
plural and ‮توارقي‬ singular. Vulgarly a Touarick is called
_Targhee_ (‮ترقي‬), by the Touaricks themselves, as well as by the
Moors and Arabs. Indeed, Targhee is the more correct name, and
Touarghee is an enlarged Arabic form. So Leo Africanus speaks of
these tribes of The Desert as "Targa Popolo."

The extent of Sahara occupied by the Touaricks is exceedingly great,
embracing many thousands of miles. The northern line begins at Ghadames,
an hour's journey south of that city. This line extends along the north,
south-west as far as Touat, and south-east as far as the oases of Fezzan
and Ghat. On the western side, proceeding directly south, we find
Touaricks on the whole line of route as far as Timbuctoo; on the eastern
side, leaving Ghat, and journeying southward, they abound in the populous
districts of Aheer and Asbenouwa, as far as Damerghou, the first purely
Negro kingdom of Negroland. On the south, they are scattered in villages
and towns, or wandering in tribes, along the north banks of The Niger. I
have not heard of their being located on the southern banks of the great
river of Soudan, nor do they descend the Niger to the Atlantic, for we
hear nothing of them in Noufee or Rabbah. But they are scattered higher
up through the extensive provinces of Housa, subjected to the Fullans.

In The Sahara, comprehended by these immense lines, they have some large
cities and agricultural districts. The principal of them are Ghat, Aheer,
and Aghadez, in the east, Touat and Timbuctoo, in the west. We have the
three principal cities of Ghat, Aheer, and Aghadez, besides numerous
villages, in Western Sahara, entirely under the authority of the
Touaricks. Everywhere they inhabit the agricultural districts of the
open desert. I have not heard of Touaricks on the western line of the
Atlantic Ocean. Captain Riley speaks only of wandering Arabs, almost in a
wild state. On the eastern line of The Desert, they do not extend beyond
the western limits of the oases of Fezzan, and the southern Tibboo
countries. The names of the great sections of the Touaricks, as far as I
have been able to learn, are,--

1st. The _Azghar_--‮ازقار‬--of Ghat.
2nd. The _Haghar_--‮هقار‬--of Touat.
3rd. The _Kylouy_[88]--‮كيلوي‬--of Aheer.
4th. The _Sorghou_--‮سرقو‬--of Timbuctoo.

The Sorghou is the Timbuctoo name which is given to them by Caillié, and
probably this is not a distinct section from that of the Haghar[89].
There are some lofty ranges of mountains between Ghat and Touat called
also Haghar, the nucleus of these tribes, and whose Sultan is the
Gigantic Bassa. Besides, we have the Touaricks of Fezzan, a very small
section and distinct from those of Ghat, and who may be considered the
pastoral people, the veritable Arcadians of the oases. All these sections
have their respective Sultans, and the Sultans their respective
subordinate Sheikhs, governing the respective subdivision of territory
and tribes of people. The subdivisions of Ghat tribes are the
following:--Tinilleum, Aiaum, Dugarab, Sacana, Dugabakar, Auragan,
Muasatan, Ghiseban, Elararan, Filelen, Francanan, Botanetum, Skinimen,
Deradrinan, Mucarahsen, Keltrubran, Keltunii, Chelgenet, Ilemtein[90].
These various sections of Touaricks, who wander through the vast
wilderness of Sahara, or are located in its oases, may be distinguished
by some general characteristics, agreeing with and arising from their
peculiar location, or habits of trade and life. The Touaricks of
Timbuctoo are the more faithless and sanguinary in their disposition, and
less addicted to commerce or a regular mode of life. Those of Ghat
represent the Touarghee character in its most original type, these tribes
being a brave and hardy people, reserved and using few words in speech,
of a noble chivalric disposition, and carrying on some commerce. Those of
Touat, I imagine, are the same style of people, from what few of them I
saw at Ghadames; but those of Aheer are more effeminate and milder in
their manners, and are a good deal mixed with the Negro nations of
Soudan. The Touaricks of Aheer bear an excellent character as traders,
and companions of travel, always assisting the stranger first at the
well, before their own camels are watered. They seem, besides, mostly
addicted to the peaceful pursuits of commerce, if we except their
occasionally joining in the Razzias for slaves. A full third of the
traffic of the South-eastern Sahara is in their hands, or under their
control. I may add a few words upon their country and chief places, Aheer
and Aghadez.

_Aheer_, or _Ahir_, ‮اهير‬ and which is often incorrectly spelt on
the maps Aïr, is the name of a town and very populous district,
including within its territory or jurisdiction the city of
Aghadez. Aheer is also called Azben, and its district Azbenouwa
‮ازبنوة‬--‮ازبن‬ which appear to have been the more
ancient names. The town of Aheer is also called _Asouty_,
‮اسوطي‬ on the maps Asouda, the dentals ‮ط‬ and ‮د‬
being convertible. These districts are bounded on the north by Ghat and
its tribes; on the east by the Tibboo country and Bornou, on the
west by the Negro, Touarick and Fullan countries of the north banks
of the Niger; and on the south, by the Housa districts, vulgarly
called by merchants, Soudan. Aheer is forty short days from Ghat,
the Soudanese merchants who visit the Ghat mart always travelling
much more _doucement_ and in jog-trot style than the Moorish and
Arab merchants of the north. The line of the Aheer stations measures
about thirteen days, from Tidik in the north to Toktouft in the
south[91]. In this portion of the route, and that previous to
arriving at Tidik, there are twenty days of mountains. The Aheer
route also abounds with springs and fine streams, which gush out
from the base of rock-lands of great height, and some of which form
considerable rivers for several months in the year, on whose banks
corn and the senna-plant are cultivated. Aheer is the Saharan region
of senna, where there are large wadys covered with its crops. The
exportation, especially after a season of rain, is very great and
profitable. Asouty is the principal town of the Aheer districts, and
was formerly the capital of all the Kylouy Touaricks. No less than a
thousand houses are now seen abandoned and in ruins. Here in former
times all the Soudan trade was carried on and concentrated; its
population is still considerable. The houses are nearly all
constructed of hasheesh, or straw huts, and the city is without
walls. Nevertheless, the people still honour it with the title of
_Blad es-Sultan_, "City," or "Country of the Sultan," that is, where
the Sultan occasionally resides, answering to our _Royal_ city.

Aheer is the rendezvous of the salt caravan of Bilma, in the Tibboo
country, situate, almost in a straight line, about ten days east, the
route to which is over barren stony ground. A curious story is told of
the manner in which the camel drivers supply themselves with forage over
this treeless, herbless, naked waste. On their way to Bilma, they leave
at certain places or stations a quantity of forage to supply them on
their return; and it is said, the deposit is sacred, no one daring to
touch it. It is probable, however, that the forage is concealed in hiding
places, as wells are often hidden along some desert routes. Even in the
Tunisian Jereed, the sources of water are frequently concealed, a skin
being placed over the water with palm branches laid thereupon, and the
top of the well's mouth covered with sand. So that a hapless traveller
may perish of thirst with water under his feet! Through the hunting
districts of South Africa, amongst the Namaquas, the sources of water are
concealed in a similar manner. However, a short time ago, the people of
Bornou, who were then at war with the Touaricks of Aheer, discovered the
hiding places of the Touaricks' forage, carried off or destroyed the
supplies, and reduced a large salt-caravan to the greatest extremities;
hundreds of camels perished from hunger. These salt-caravans are
sometimes a thousand and two thousand strong. The greater part of Housa
and the neighbouring provinces is supplied with salt from Bilma.

Aghadez, ‮اقدز‬ is the capital of the Aheer districts. This is the
residence of the Sultan of the Touaricks of South-eastern Sahara.
The present Sultan is called _Mazouwaja_, ‮مزواجى‬ who is
represented as a friendly prince. But it was _En-Nour_ ‮النور‬,
deputy Sultan of Aheer, to whom I wrote before leaving Ghat, begging
his protection in the event of my return, to complete the tour to
Soudan. Aghadez is now as large as Tripoli, or containing from eight
to ten thousand inhabitants. In a past period it was four times as
large. A great number of the people have emigrated to Soudan, where
less labour is required to till the soil, and nature is more lavish
in her productions. Aghadez is a walled city, but without any
particular strength; the houses are but one story high, built of mud
and stone and sun-dried bricks. Aghadez abounds in provisions of the
most substantial kind, that is, sheep, oxen and grain. The
government is despotic, but the lesser chiefs have great power in
their respective districts, like those of Ghat. The religion of the
people is Mahometan; not a Pagan, Jew, or Christian, is found within
these districts. Trade is carried on to a great extent, and Moorish
merchants visit Aghadez, proceeding no further towards Soudan. The
most interesting district near Aghadez is that of _Bagzem_ ‮بقزم‬,
(or _Magzem_, the labials ‮ب‬ and ‮م‬ being convertible,)
consisting of an exceedingly lofty mountain, requiring a full day's
journey for its ascent. This mountain figures on the map under the
ancient name of Usugala Mons, but for what reason God knows. The
town is placed a good way towards its loftiest heights, the most of
which heights are both cultivated and inhabited, and there is
abundance of trees, grain, and fruits. Bagzem is three days' journey
from Asouty.

I shall take the liberty of appending the account given of Aheer and
Aghadez by Leo Africanus:--


DISERTO DOVE ABITA TARGA POPOLO.

     Il terzo diserto incomincia da'confini di Air dal lato di
     ponente, e s'estende fino al diserto d'Ighidi verso Levante; e di
     verso tramontana confina con li diserti di Tuat e di Tegorarin e
     di Mezab; da mezzogiorno, con li diserti vicini al regno di
     Agadez. Questo diserto non è cosi aspro e crudele, como sono i
     due primieri: e truovavisi acqua buona, e pozzi profondissimi;
     massimamente vicino ad Air, nel quale è un temperato diserto e di
     buono aere, dove nascono molte erbe: e più oltre, vicino di
     Agadez, si truova assai manna, che è cosa mirable; e gli
     abitatori vanno la mattina pertempto a raccorlo, e ve n'empiono
     certe zucche; e vendonla cosi fresca nella città di Agadez; e un
     fiasco che tien un boccale val due bajocchi; beesi mescolata con
     acqua; ed è cosa perfettissima: la mescolano ancora nelle
     minestre, e rinfresca molto: penso che per tale cagione li
     forestieri rade volte s'ammalano in Agadez, come in Tombutto,
     ancorchè vi sia aere pestifero. Questo diserto s'estende da
     tramontana verso mezzogiorno trecento miglia.--_Sixth Part_, lvi.
     _chap._

It will be observed, that under the name of _Targa Popolo_, no mention is
made of the Touaricks of Ghat. Indeed, all the notices of the Renegade
Tourist on this part of Africa, are extremely meagre and unsatisfactory.
As to his divisions of The Sahara into so many deserts, 1st, 2nd, 3rd,
&c., this is all arbitrary and most unnatural. The story about the
abundance of manna gathered in the districts of Aheer, seems to have been
invented to please the Christian doctors of Rome; at any rate, nothing of
the kind is now seen or known at Aghadez. But with respect to foreigners
who visit Aheer and Aghadez enjoying good health, I have no doubt the
Renegade is correct, for I have not heard of either of these places being
unhealthy, their salubrity arising, we may imagine, from the elevation at
which they are placed. The Aheer Saharan region is emphatically
mountainous.

Afternoon, visited Hateetah, who has made up his mind to accompany me to
Fezzan, of which I'm glad, not wishing to meet with any more Ouweeks in
this neighbourhood. Was pleased this morning to observe amongst the
children of Haj Ahmed, who were busy reading passages from the Koran,
several girls. This circumstance raises my opinion of the Governor. No
doubt it is because he is a Marabout that he grants this privilege to his
daughters. The Marabout has no less than a dozen small children, of all
complexions, features, and hues, from lily white to sooty black. My
sweetest enjoyment in Ghat is to listen to the song of the tiny singing
sparrows hopping about my terrace. My days of childhood return with their
song, when, if I were not innocent, a little matter made me happy. Sing
on you pretty little things, tune your wild Saharan notes, for you
gladden my sad heart!

_18th._--A fine warm sunny day. The departure of the ghafalah is now
fixed for the 27th. According to some accounts, 8000 Touaricks are being
mustered, to march against the Shânbah. The Touaricks evidently expect
the robber tribe to be reinforced from Souf and the Warklah districts, or
the robbers must number 5000 instead of 500. Haj Ibrahim tells me, he has
just read a letter addressed by the Pasha of Tripoli to the united
Sheikhs of Ghat, offering them assistance against the robber tribe. The
Touaricks have politely declined the proffered aid, feeling strong (and
wise) enough to manage their own battles. Not much troubled with visitors
lately, one now and then. The Touaricks are leaving Ghat to reinforce the
new levies of troops. Soon the town will be emptied of Touaricks. The
Ghadamsee ghafalah is returning, and a small one to Tripoli _viâ_ Shaty
and Misdah.

Haj Ibrahim continues to repeat his story about the people of Ghadames
having a great deal of money hoarded up. I visited him this morning, and
found him surrounded with a group of Soudanese merchants. The large
court-yard of his house was full of bales of unsold goods, here and there
scattered about, and some unpacked, all in the most business-like
disorder. In one quarter was a cluster of a dozen slaves, waiting to be
bartered for, the poor wretches being huddled up together in this private
mart of human flesh. The Moor was calm and collected amidst the dirt and
noise of Kanou and Succatou merchants, who with violent gestures were
disputing the progress of the bargain inch by inch. Here was a great
assortment of rubbish, for I can't call very coarse paper, green baize
cloth, glass and earthen composition beads, bad razors, and a few common
woollens, and some very inferior raw silk, merchandize. And such rubbish
was offered in exchange for a group of God's creatures, with his divine
image stamped upon them! At length the progress of the bargain came to
what might be called a crisis. The Soudanese merchants jumped up
suddenly, with shouts and curses, as if they had discovered a perfidious
fraud, and rushed to the door, pulling their miserable slaves after them.
I felt shocked at the sight, and my horror must have been depicted in my
countenance. For Haj Ibrahim, who well knew I disapproved of this
traffic, said to me angrily, "Why do you come here now?" I got out of his
way as quick as I could, but did not leave the house. The people of the
Moor followed hard after the runaway merchants, seizing first hold of
their slaves, dragging them back by main force into the court-yard. Then
their owners raised a hideous cry, calling Haj Ibrahim and his people
"thieves," and "robbers," and "cheats," and "accursed," and many other
similar compliments in the way of slave-dealing. This would make a nice
counter-picture to a sketch of one of those Congressional squabbles which
so frequently take place on the presentation of Anti-Slavery petitions to
the American Congress, when there is an occasional flourish of the
bowie-knife, and a good deal of expectoration to damp the ardour of the
combatants, fighting over the victims of Republican Tyranny. After this
came a cessation of every kind of noise, for Haj Ibrahim, disgusted with
the business, (he was a fair-dealing man though a slave-dealer,) said to
Omer, his Arab servant:--"Tell them to be off, and take their slaves with
them." Now interposed a merchant of Ghat, and a friend of the Soudanese,
who thus upbraided them:--"Fools that you are! Do you think Haj Ibrahim
is a cheat? Haj Ibrahim gets nothing by you; Haj Ibrahim buys your
slaves, because Haj Ibrahim will not be at the expense of carrying his
goods back again to Tripoli." The merchants replied, and I dare say with
truth:--"You told us 300, now there are only 200; 20 of this, and only
10; 50 of that, and only 20," &c. This Ghatee was a broker, and a species
of sharper; he had been impudently imposing on the Housa merchants. But,
to cut a long story short, the bargain was finally arranged. Haj Ibrahim
made these quondam merchants a present of some almonds and parched peas,
"to _wet_ the bargain." The poor slaves had been dressed up for the sale,
and, with other ornaments, large bright iron hoops had been hammered
round their ancles. It was a tough job to get them off, and a blacksmith
only could do it. Haj Ibrahim called each new slave to him, and looked at
their features, in order to know them. This he told me he was obliged to
do, to be sure of his own slaves, and prevent quarrels with other
merchants, for the slaves often get mixed together.

During Souk there is going on some petty thieving, mostly done by the
Negro slaves and Arab camel-drivers. They have stolen many little things
from me. It is useless to complain. One must take care of one's things.
But I am informed the Touaricks never steal. At any rate, large bundles
of senna are left out in the suburbs, night after night, and in the open
fields amongst the sand, and no one touches a leaf of it. This could
neither be done in Tunis, nor in Tripoli. The Touaricks are beggars, but
not thieves; they will also beg hard and with authority. Rarely,
however, will a Touarghee take anything away from you without your
knowledge. So, if Touaricks are poor, they are honest, which is so seldom
the case, poverty exciting as much or more to crime than exuberant
wealth. On the whole, this country must be considered free from crime.
Hungry slaves pilfering about, can hardly be designated crime. I saw a
little slave to-day, who had just been brought from Aheer; he was rolling
naked on the sand, with some fresh green blades of wheat before him.
These he was devouring, and this was his food. How can human beings fed
this way be expected to refrain from stealing food when they have an
opportunity? The Touaricks of Aheer, though not cruel masters, feed their
slaves mostly on herbage, which is picked up _en route_. At least, so the
people tell me.

Afternoon, the aged Berka paid me a visit. I gave him his tobacco, or
that which I had promised him. Whenever you promise a person anything in
this country, in reminding you of it, if you forget your promise, he
calls the article his own, and demands it as a right. Berka can hardly
move about, he is so very old a man; I should say the Sheikh is upwards
of a hundred. The Saharan veteran made no observation in particular. He
replied to my questions about Saharan travelling:--"Don't fear, the
Touaricks will do you no harm. You can go to Timbuctoo in safety." I was
making ghusub water, and asked him to drink of it. "No," he said, smiling
with benignity, "you must drink ghusub water with me, not I with you.
This is the fashion of us Touaricks." Ghusub water, is water poured on
ghusub grain after the grain has been par-boiled or otherwise prepared. A
milky substance oozes from the grain, and makes a very cooling pleasant
beverage. Saharan merchants prize the ghusub water chiefly for its
cooling quality in summer. A few dates are pounded with the ghusub to
give the drink a sweeter and more unctuous taste. The aged Sheikh, on
taking leave, begged a little bit of white sugar. "I wish to give it to
my little grandson," he added. I question which was the more childish, he
or his little grandson, so true it is the intellect decays as it grows,
spite of our theories of the immortality of mind. I have now had visits
from all the great chieftains of the Ghat Touaricks, Shafou, Jabour,
Berka, and Khanouhen. The three former are the heads of the great
divisions of confederated tribes. These centres of the large tribes and
families separately constitute an oligarchical nobility, by which the
destinies of this Saharan world are governed.

FOOTNOTES:

[82] _Ghafouly_--‮قفولي‬--_Holcus sorghum_, (Linn). Ghafouly
    grows higher than a man; the stalk is as thick round as
    sugar-cane; the grain is of white colour, and half the size of a
    dry pea, of a round flattened shape. It is much coarser eating
    than maize.

[83] _Arachis hypogæa_, (Linn). This shell fruit has two names in
    Housa, _goújĕeă_, and _gaýda_. Many of the shells are double; they
    are smallish, very soft, and easily broken. The taste of the fruit
    is not disagreeable, a good deal like the almond, but more viscid,
    and a little insipid.

[84] Mostly with the mark "_porco_" on the packets.

[85] Mostly with the mark "_tre lune_" on it. I complained to a
    merchant that the paper was very coarse, and asked him why he did
    not purchase finer paper. He replied, "_It's all the same in
    Soudan, fine or coarse._" The same answer would be given to every
    complaint about the coarseness and bad quality of these imports
    into Africa. Fine or coarse cloth, and fine or coarse silk, sell
    much the same in Negroland.

[86] This is frequently the case. When a Touarghee wears his
    _litham_, and when he pulls it off, he undergoes a complete
    metamorphosis, so that strangers cannot recognize the parties in
    their change of dress.

[87] ‮איש בץניו הישר יעשה‬ Judges xxi. 25. The conduct
    of the Sheikhs and their tribes is much like that of the
    Israelites under the Judges.

[88] Sometimes called, Killiwah.

[89] Different Negro tribes call Touaricks by different names.

[90] These names are but imperfectly given, and they must be
    pronounced in Italian style, being written from the dictation of a
    Targhee chief by Mr. Gagliuffi, according to that language. To
    these may be added _Haioun_, a tribe of Marabouts.

[91] For the rest of the Stations see the Map.




CHAPTER XXI.

CONTINUED RESIDENCE IN GHAT.

     Parallels between The Desert and The East.--The Divine Warranty
     for carrying on the Slave Trade discussed.--Visit from Aheer and
     Soudanese Merchants, and present state of Soudan.--Form of the
     Cross on Touarick Arms.--Boy taught to curse The
     Christian.--Medina Shereef's opinion on my giving Presents.--A
     Negress begs in the name of Ouweek.--Visit to the Governor and
     Hateetah.--Streams of Water and Corn-Fields in the Fabled Region
     of Saharan Desolation.--Kandarka will recommend me to his
     Sultan.--Parallel things between Africa and Asia.--Atkee turns
     out a Scamp.--Visit from Berka.--Arabic is the Language of
     Heaven.--Khanouhen ridicules Hateetah to his face.--Hospitality
     of the Governor towards me, and interesting Conversations with
     him.--Moorish reckoning of Time clashes with mine.--Medina
     Shereef turns Beggar like the rest.--Meet The Giant begging at
     Haj Ibrahim's.--Affecting Case of the cruelty of one Slave to
     another, and compared to the Jews of Morocco.--Chorus Singing of
     the Slaves.--Mode in which Ostriches are Hunted.--Arrival of
     Senna and Ivory from Aheer.--Christians are not Liars.--Farewell
     Visit from Jabour.--Quick Route to Timbuctoo from Ghat.--Kandarka
     turns Comedian, and satirizes the Touaricks of Ghat.--Mercantile
     Transactions of the Governor.--Want of a strong Government in The
     Desert.--Assemblage of the Sheikhs, and preparations for War.


_19th._--DID not go out to-day, but amused myself with noting down in the
journal several parallel things between The Desert and The East, which
are mentioned in The Scriptures.

"And she said, As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an
handful of meal in a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I
am gathering two sticks, that I may go and dress it for me and my son,
that we may eat it, and die." (1 Kings xvii. 12.) We have in Sahara
parallel ideas to all and every part of this simple and affecting
discourse. The widow speaks with an oath. When anything particular and
extraordinary is to be said or done, the people of Sahara must use an
oath. The meal is the barley-meal of our people; the oil is used to cook
it as we cook our bazeen. The sticks are gathered from The Desert every
day to dress our food. The blank and absolute resignation of the woman is
the same with every one here, not excepting those of immoral lives.

"And lo in her mouth, was an olive-leaf plucked off," (Gen. viii. 11.)
"And Noah began to be a husbandman, and he planted a vineyard," (Gen. ix.
20.) The olive and the vine are still the choice fruit-trees in North
Africa, and were the Mussulmans a wine-drinking people, the country would
be covered with vineyards. In the beautiful parable of Jotham, (Judges
ix. 8-15,) the third, and the three choicest trees of North Africa are
separately mentioned, the olive, the fig-tree, and the vine. These are
the only fruits valued or cultivated by Tripoline Arabs in their
mountains. The jennah or "paradise" of the Koran is also planted with
"palm trees and vines."

"And Asahel was as light of foot as a wild roe." (2 Sam. ii. 18.) In this
way Arabs speak of one another. Every person who is conversant with
Eastern pictures and scenes in Arabic has met with a scrap of poetry of
some sort or other, in which the Arab woos his mistress, by comparing her
loved eyes to the fine dark full eye of the gazelle. An Arab also, like
us Europeans, calls a cunning fellow "an old fox," and stupid fellow "a
donkey."

"And it came to pass, in an evening tide, that David arose from off his
bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house; and from the roof he
saw a woman washing herself, and the woman was very beautiful to look
upon." (2 Sam. xi. 2.) Everybody now knows, or ought to know, that the
roofs of Barbary and Saharan houses are flat, where the people walk and
enjoy "the cool of the evening," or "the evening tide" after getting up
from their naps or siestas. Here the women gossip and the men pray, but
the latter are often disturbed in their devotions by the intruding
glimpses of some Desert beauty. Love-matches and intrigues are equally
concerted here on house-tops. The flat-roofed house-top, as before
observed, is the Ghadamsee woman's entire world; here she lives, and
moves, and has her being.

"Woe to thee, O land," &c., "And thy princes eat in the morning."
(Eccles. xi. 16.) The principal meal is in the evening, and no people of
these countries think of eating a hearty meal "in the morning" like what
Europeans are accustomed to eat in the morning. To eat a hearty meal in
the morning would be an act of downright gluttony. Here, then, is
strikingly brought out the sense of this passage of the Preacher's
wisdom.

"We will not drink of the waters of the well." (Numbers xxi. 22.) The
Israelites being a numerous host, were obliged to make this promise, for
if all had drank, they would soon have emptied the wells, and left the
people of the country without water, and their flocks and cattle to die
of thirst. The caravans now returning to Ghadames are obliged to go in
very small numbers, that they may not exhaust the wells. Having many
slaves with them more water is required, which they cannot in any way
dispense with. The Israelites renewed their promises about the drinking
of the water to other people, through whose country they had to pass.

"He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha!" (Job xxxix. 25.) It is very odd
that the horsemen of Morocco, when they gallop to the charge, always cry
"Ha, ha!" So the Arabian poet of The Book of Job puts the wild cry of the
rider into the mouth of the horse whom he rides. This I frequently
witnessed on the parade of Mogador. The wild cavalry of Morocco is the
boldest idea transmitted to us of the ancient Numidian horse. In Morocco
the horse is both the sacred animal and the bulwark of the empire; for
this reason it is the Emperor prohibits the exportation of horses. Even
the barley, on which the horses are generally fed, is not allowed to be
exported for the same reasons.

    ‮ויאמר ארור כנען עבד עבדים לאחיו‬

"And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be to his
brethren," (Gen. ix. 25.) This portion of Scripture will occur naturally
enough to the mind of a biblical reader, who takes up his residence for
some weeks at a slave-mart, and is seeing slaves bought and sold every
day. It is the famous and much abused text of the slave dealers of the
last three centuries, and is now continually quoted in the pulpits of the
United States parsons, who, like the devil himself, quote Scripture to
support the wickedness of themselves and their slave-holding and
man-selling countrymen. The most approved commentators properly apply the
text to the Canaanites, whom Providence afterwards dispossessed of their
territories in Palestine, and gave them to the children of Shem, and so
the Canaanites became the slaves of the Shemites for a limited period.
But to prove that it does not refer to the Negroes of North and Central
Africa, I may be allowed to produce the following reasons:--

1st. Of all the children of Ham, Canaan only is mentioned.

2nd. The prophecy was fulfilled in the descendants of Canaan, and there
is no occasion to extend it beyond the early history of the Jews, when
they took possession of the land of Canaan, and reduced its people to
servitude.

3rd. The descendants of Canaan were all white people, and the Negroes I
need not say are black. But if it be a question of colour, there are red
Indians and black Indians, who have been from unknown ages the sons of
freedom, and who, when discovered, would not and could not be reduced to
slavery. I guess the Yankees have not reduced the Indians to slavery,
(although, after robbing them of their hunting-grounds, they have in the
most Christian spirit exterminated many,) on the contrary, they are
equally free men with the Yankees, and have the same privilege of
reducing free men to slavery with their Republican neighbours. The Black
Indians, following the precept and example of the White Republicans, have
now an immense number of slaves; and in this case, it is not the more
civilized who holds his fellow man in bondage, but the less civilized,
indeed, savages. So the world is improving and progressing in the
Western Hemisphere! The Southern Ocean is peopled with many tribes as
black as Negroes. But to return to the Canaanites, they at length mixed
with the Israelites and became one people, and the relations of master
and slave were lost in equality.

4th. Many of the descendants also of Cush were white people, for he was
the father of Nimrod, who founded Babylon, and became the father of all
the Babylonians. Were the Babylonians Negroes?

5th. None of the children of Ham, but Canaan, became servants or rather
slaves to the rest of the human race in any remarkable degree, during the
early period of the Mosaic world. For,

Cush was the alleged father of the Babylonians and the Ethiopians, (the
people of Upper Egypt,) but neither of these nations were slaves to
conquerors more than any other people of that period of the world;
whilst, on the other hand, the Babylonians were great conquerors in their
day, and the Ethiopians had princes of their own even down to the days of
Solomon. If now the Abyssinians are to be considered the descendants of
the Ethiopians, we all know they are not slaves, but like the Yankee
States themselves, slave-dealers and slave-holders. The Abyssinians,
moreover, enjoyed advantages of civilization when a great portion of
Europe was overwhelmed with barbarism. So much for the Cushites and
Ethiopians, the lineal descendants of the accursed Ham!

Mizraim was the father of the Egyptians. These ancient and celebrated
people, whose country was the cradle of civilization, cannot surely be
branded as the slaves of the human race! This was also the lineal
descendant of the accursed Ham!

6th. But even the Canaanites, so far from remaining slaves, after the
alleged curse was fulfilled in them, recovered from their degradation and
rose into consequence, filling the world with their fame. The children of
Canaan were undoubtedly the founders of Tyre, whose bold navigators,
braving the ocean and the tempest, scoured and ploughed up the waters of
the Mediterranean, planting colonies everywhere, and founded Carthage!
The Carthaginians, their more renowned sons, passed the Straits of the
columns of Hercules, doubled Cape Spartel, and, some say, coasted the
entire continent of Africa, returning by the Red Sea. It is monstrous to
call such people slaves, branded by the hereditary curse of the
inebriated patriarch of mankind. In truth, of all the people of
antiquity, the accursed and enslaved race of Ham were the most free-born,
enlightened, and enterprising! Never was such a perversion of Scripture
interpretation to palliate and bolster up the systems of wickedness of
this and former days! Shall we compare the Model Republic and the
miserable and degraded nations of Brazils, Spain, and Portugal, the
present enslavers of the alleged posterity of Ham, with the once mighty
Egyptians and Carthaginians?

7th. But it may be said that Central Africa was peopled from Cush or
Ethiopia, and that this Cush, who peopled that portion of the Continent,
was the son of Ham. To this I have already replied, that the curse was
pronounced not on Cush, but on Canaan his brother, and it is arguing in a
circle to extend the subject. After all, we are not sure that Central
Africa, and the western coast, the theatre of the principal trade, was
peopled from Ethiopia. Where is the proof? And besides, Central Africa,
the _bonâ fide_ Negroland, possesses states and powerful confederacies,
whom no power in Europe or America has yet been able to subjugate to
slavery.

8th. The Africo-European slave-trade is only of extremely modern date. It
is too late to look for the fulfilment of this prophecy amongst the
European transactions of the last three or four centuries, in this and
any particular reference to Africa. But finally, up to a late period,
slavery was co-extensive with the human race, in all times, ages, and
countries. All classes and races of men were made slaves alike, without
any relation to Africa and Africans. The Greeks and Romans, if they made
slaves of Africans, did not so enslave them because they were Africans,
for these ancient people made slaves of all, and even of their own
countrymen, it being a constituent element of their society.

I have omitted purposely to question the Divine commission of the Yankee
parsons to uphold slavery as the basis of their Republic. But it is
difficult not to question the right of an incensed father, awakening from
a drunken debauch, to condemn an innocent grandson (for what we know) to
everlasting slavery and degradation.

With regard to the word Δοῦλος, _Doulos_, used in the Greek
Testament to denote either a slave or a servant, there can be no
doubt of the application of the term to both these relations of
ancient society. The word corresponds to ‮עבד‬ in the Hebrew, and
‮عبد‬ in the Arabic, both being the same consonants, which terms are
used, according to their application, to denote both slaves and
servants. Slavery existed amongst the Jews as amongst the Greeks
and Romans, in the beginning of the Christian era; so we have
allusions to "the bond and the free," as well as "the Greeks and the
Barbarians," the former phrase distinguishing slaves and free men,
the latter, nations of arts and science from those of uncivilized or
semi-civilized people. The question is not, then, the meaning of the
term _Doulos_, or its application to slavery at the period of the
promulgation of the Christian religion; but, whether, because
slavery was not then reprobated by the teachers of Christianity, it
was not therefore a very great evil. First of all, there are many
things of ancient society not reproved or reprobated by the founders
of Christianity, which are inconvenient to, and inconsistent with,
our moral sense, and which would violate the laws of modern society.
Such are the laws and customs of usury and polygamy. No man in his
senses would attempt to establish polygamy in modern society,
because it is not prohibited and condemned by the writers of the New
Testament. To argue, therefore, that slavery is congenial with the
spirit of the Christian religion because it is not condemned by its
apostles and evangelists, is an utterly fallacious system of
reasoning. But even supposing the apostles themselves practised
slavery, and received into their communion slave-holders,
men-dealers and men-stealers, it does not therefore follow that we
should imitate them, and become men-stealers likewise. What, was
good or right for them and their state of society, may not be good
or right for us and our society. The liberties of mankind require to
be guarded in these our days by the most intense hatred, and the
broadest and clearest denunciations of slavery, in every shape and
mode of its developement. But let any people imbibe the spirit of
Christianity, and slavery cannot exist amongst them; let all nations
imbibe the spirit of Christianity, and slavery would become
immediately extinguished throughout the world.

_20th._--A fine morning; the Desert around is fair and bright, save where
the Black Mountains are casting their mysterious shades. Visited by some
Succatou merchants, amongst whom were several Touaricks of Aheer. The
Housa people and Aheer Touaricks both speak the Housa language, these
Touaricks having abandoned their Berber dialect so far as I can learn. It
is also difficult to distinguish the one people from the other when they
wear the litham. One is nearly as dark as the other, but the features of
the Touaricks are much more, and often quite in the style of Europeans. A
few of the Aheer merchants are also, I have observed, tolerably fair. How
different are the airs and consequence of these merchants, and some of
them pure Housa Negroes, from the slaves which they lead into captivity;
they talk, and laugh, and feel themselves on a level with us, whilst
their slaves are moody and silent, without confidence, and slink away
from observation. Such is the impress of slavery on men in whose veins
runs the same blood as our own. The Soudanese merchants gave me some
account of the reigning Sultans. Ali is the Sultan of Succatou, and
succeeded the famous Bello, to whom Clapperton was dispatched in his last
mission. Daboo is the Sultan of Kanou, and Ghareema, Sultan of Kashna,
but both subjected to the Succatou Sultan. Besides these cities, the
districts of Beetschee, Kaferda, Kasada, Sabongharee, Ghouber, Dell,
Yakoba and Noufee,