We had brought with us several papers for Bey Halil from the
Bashaw, all of which, when presented (with the exception of one),
he put into the hands of his secretary Hashi, his excellency not
being himself quite au fa it at deciphering the contents of his letters.
The paper retained was the teskeré from the Bashaw (already mentioned)
for five hundred dollars; and it is probable that the frequent
arrival of similar orders had rendered their appearance so familiar to
Bey Halil, that he was able to distinguish them without the assistance
of his secretary, though he could not read a word of other
matter.
A slight change of countenance, when he first cast his eyes upon
the teskeré, was, however, the only visible effect which it produced
on the exterior of the Bey of Bengazi ; and his good breeding did
not allow him to manifest in any other way that our visit was not in
all respects perfectly agreeable to him. We may add, that the sum
sans s’imaginer que c’étoit nn chemin qui conduisent à quelque riche dépôt ; une statue
colossale a été pour eux le gardien.de l’argent déposé à ses pieds, et le vengeur implacable
de toute entreprise formée contre la sûreté de ce dépôt. Ils ont-donc eu recours
à toutes sortes d’artifices pour détruire ces statues et les dégrader ; ils en ont - mutilé
les figures, comme des gens qui espéroient par-là atteindre leur but, et qui çrai-
gnoient, en les attaquant ouvertement, de s’ attirer leur propre ruine : ne doutant point
que ce ne fussent autant de coffres forts remplis de sommes immenses ; ils se sont aussi
enfoncés dans les fentes des montagnes, semblable aux voleurs qui pénètrent dans les
maisons par toute autre voie que par les portes, et qui saisissent avidement une occasion
inconnue à tout autre qu’ à eux.”—(Rél. d’Egypte, p. 197.)
In this passage it clearly appears how much credulity and superstition was mixed up
with the idea in question ; and these exist in conjunction with it, to the present day,
among the various Arab tribes of Asia and Africa, and in a great degree among the
-Turks.
was punctually paid to us, after some little (possibly unavoidable)
delay, by the hands of secretary Hashi; and the credit of his excellency
was in no other way diminished, than by the discharge of the
five hundred dollars at several times, instead of being made at one
payment.. Had we known at Tripoly »o' much of the Bey’s private
history, as we have already stated above, this teskere might have
been spared him; for we should certainly not have been induced to
accept any order upon him, however trifling, could we have supposed
that its payment might be inconvenient.
Soon after we left, the coast of Africa, Bey Halil was removed
from the government of Bengazi, and it is probable that he had
reason to rejoice at his dismissal; for had he remained there: much
longer than he did, the continued demands for money and cargoes,
so unmercifully made upon him by his Highness, could scarcely have
failed to- ruin him. In addition to these, he had sustained a considerable.
loss in. the eapture of one of the vessels which he had
freighted, by the Greeks, as we were informed^ at Bengazi; and also
in the destruction of the jewels and wardrobe of his wife, which the
Bashaw had ordered! to be burnt (it was said) after the death of that
unfortunate princess.
In compliance, we presume, with the practice of the court of Tri-
poly, tea wan served to us with the sherbet," instead of coffee, at the
interviews we had with Bey Halil; as we have already mentioned it
to have been in that with: the Shekh pf Mesurata.,
In the course-of our first visit, we took occasion to mention to his
excellency the careless manner in which Shekh Mahommed el Dfib