of water perfectly sweet is found within a few paces from one which
is salt. North of Siwah, on the road leading to El-Mota, I found
many of these salt springs quite close to others which were sweet.
It is not easy to ascertain the general population of a place, with
so little police, and so little regularity of government as Siwah, unless
opportunity occurred of seeing its people assembled at some
general meeting or festival. The number of its warriors, however,
is more easily known; and on such data, further estimate of its
population may be made. According to the ancient constitution
and laws of the state, the government should be vested in twelve
Sheiks, two of whom were to administer its powers in rotation; but
a few years past, twenty other wealthy citizens, forced themselves
into a share of authority, assumed the title of Sheik, and enlarging
the circle of aristocracy, increased the pretensions and disputes for
power. On each matter of public concern, they now hold general
councils. I attended several of these general meetings, held close
to the town wall, where the chiefs were squatted in state; and I
observed, that a strong voice, violent action, great gesticulation,
abetted by party support and interest, gained the most applause, and
carried the greatest influence: perhaps such result is not uncom-r
monin most popular meetings. Whenever these councils cannot
agree ultimately on any point, then the leaders and people fly to
arms, and the strongest party carries the question. Justice is administered
according to ancient usage, and general notions of equity.
Fines, to be paid in dates, constitute the punishments : for instance,
the man who strikes another, pays from ten to fifty kaftas or baskets
of dates ; these baskets, by which every thing in this place is estimated
and appraised, are about three feet high, and four in circumference.
The dress of the men consists of a white cotton shirt and breeches,
and a large calico cloth, striped white and blue, (manufactured at
Cairo,) which is folded and thrown over the left shoulder, and is
called melaye., On their heads they wear a cap of red worsted or
cotton. These caps, chiefly' made at Tunis, are a covering, characteristic
of the Mussulman; and no Jew or Christian on the coasts
of Barbaryis permitted to wear them. At times of festival, the
Siwahans’ dress themselves in kaftans and a beniscb, such as the.
Arabs commonly wear when in towns., j
The women of Siwah wear wide blue shifts, usually of cotton,,
which reach to the ankles, and a melaye (as above described),
which they wrap round their head, from which it falls over the body
in manner of a cloak.
They plait their hair into three tresses, one above the other; in
the lowermost tress they insert various ornaments of glass, or false
coral, or silver,, and twist in long stripes of black leather, hanging
down the back, and to the ends of which they fasten little bells.
On, the crown of their heads, they fix a piece of silk or woollen cloth,
which floats behind. As ear-rings they wear two, and some women
three, large silver rings, inserted as links of a chain their necklace
is glass imitating coral; those of the higher class wear round their
necks a solid ring of silver, somewhat thicker than the collar usually
worn by criminals in some, parts pf Europe; ; f r o m this ring, by
a chain, of the same metal, hangs pendant a silver plate, engraved
with flowers and other ornaments, in the Arabian taste. They further
decorate-their arms and legs, (just above the ancle,) with ring?
pf sjlyer, of qopper, o r of glass;
I can give no favourable account of the, character of the people off
d;