not have been able to get away without twice as many camels as we
had any occasion for.
We were, however, determined not to submit to this imposition
while any means remained of avoiding i t ; and Shekh,Mahomtned
had no sooner left the tent than we ordered two horses to be saddled
immediately, and despatched one of our party, accompanied by the
Chaous, to bring back the Mesurata camel-drivers, who we knew
could not have been far advanced on their journey. The old Shekh
now imagined that we were going to send express to Tripoly to
complain of his conduct to the Bashaw ; although such an embassy,
had we waited for the reply, must have detained us much longer
than it would have been advisable to delay the expedition for
any point so comparatively trifling. As he had however fallen
into this error, and was evidently much disturbed at the idea, we
did not of course undeceive him ; and when he had most solemnly
promised to abide by our decision on the subject in dispute, he
begged that we would allow him to recall the two horsemen, who
had already made some little progress : no sooner had he obtained our
permission to do-so than he mounted,his mare in all speed, which he
had contrived to have saddled in the interval, and riding after the
envoys as fast as he could gallop,, overtook them .as they were nearly
out of sight. By this time the day was half gone, and our departure
was consequently deferred till the following one, which, as the weather
turned out, saved us a good wetting. We left Boosaida on the
morning of the 22nd, and passing through Sharfa, stopped for the
night at Shedgane, having only made -good twelve miles, in consequence
of the delays occasioned by the young camels which the
Dubbah had provided for us, which were continually throwing off
their loads. The ground was besides so full of holes, made by the
Jerboa, that both horses and camels were continually tripping.
At Sharfa commences another salt lake which extends to Houei-
jah, a remarkable promontory, taking the appearance at a distance of
a castle in ruins, and which may possibly be the cape called Liconda.
Between the lake and the sea is a narrow slip of land occupied by a
party of Arabs, who were so completely concealed among the hills,
that we were close upon them before we were aware that any living
soul was in the neighbourhood. The cattle of this place were
closely attended by the men, to prevent their ranging on the heights,
and, consequently, becoming visible to those who might be passing ;
a manoeuvre which they probably had adopted from supposing us to
be some of the Bashaw’s people, whose observation they hoped by
such means to elude, and thus escape the payment of the tribute which
in the event of their discovery would have been exacted from them
by the soldiers of His Highness. We were however received by these
people very kindly, and they brought us out milk and dried dates,
unasked for; in return for these attentions, we gave the men some
gunpowder, with which they were highly delighted, and presented
the women with some strings of beads of different colours, which
were accepted with many smiles of acknowledgment.
So well practised are the Arabs in eluding observation, from the
nature of the wandering life which they lead, and the little security
which there is for property in the country they inhabit, that , even
those who are well acquainted with their usual haunts are often
8 B