southern parts of the kingdom ; but the general supply is furnished
by the bordering Arabs, The wool is manufactured into abbes, or
coarse woollen cloths, the general clothing throughout the country;
with the meat the very skins are roasted, whilst fresh, and eaten.
The horses are but few: asses are the beasts of general use, whether
for burthen, draught, or carriage. Camels are excessively dear, and
only kept by the chief people, or richer merchants. All these
animals are fed with dates or date kernels.
The commerce of Fezzan is considerable, but consists merely of
foreign merchandize. From October to February, Mourzouk is the
great market and place of resort for various caravans from Cairo,
Bengasi, Tripoly, Gadames, Twat, and Soudan, and for other
smaller troops of traders, such as Tibboes of Rschade, Tuaricks,
and Arabs. The trade from Cairo is carried on by the merchants
of Augila; that from Tripoly, chiefly by the inhabitants of Sockna,
and but by few either of Fezzan or Tripoly. The commerce with
Soudan, is conducted by way of the Tuarick Kolluvi, by the native
Agades; the trade with Bomou is managed by the Tibboes of BiU
ma. The caravans coming to Mourzouk from the south or west,
bring, as articles of commerce, slaves of both sexes, ostrich feathers,
zibette, tiger skins, and gold, partly in dust, partly in native grains/
to be manufactured into rings and other ornaments, for the people
of interior Africa. From Bornou copper is imported in great quantity.
Cairo sends silks, melayes (striped blue and white calicoes),
woollen cloths, glass, imitations of coral, beads for bracelets, and
likewise an assortment of East India goods. The merchants of
Bengasi, who, usually join the caravan from Cairo at Augila, import
tobacco manufactured for chewing, of snuff) and sundry wares fabricated
in Turkey.
The caravan from Tripoly, chiefly deals in paper, false corals,
fire-arms, sabres, knives, and the cloths called abbes, and in red
worsted caps. Those trading from Gadames, bring nearly the same
articles. The smaller caravans of luarifks and Arabs, import butter,
oil, fat, and corn; and those coming from the more southern
districts, bring senna, ostrich feathers, andcamels; for, the:.slaughterhouse.;
Fezzan is governed by a sultan, descendant from the family of
the. Shereefs. , The tradition is, ¡that the ancestors of the feigning
prince, coming from ¡western Africa* invaded and conquered Fezzan
about 500 years past. The sultan reigns over his dominions With
unlimited; power, but he holds them tributary to the Bashdw of
Tripoly¡: the amount,of tribute was formerly $ooo dollars, it is;now
reduced to, 4009; ¡and an officer o f the; bashaw, comes annually to
Mourzouk, to ¡receive this sum, or itSvalue in gold, senna, or slaves.
This- officer, -jvhilst in commission, is called Bey-el-nobe. On his
departure from Tripoly, which is everyyear.in November, he takes
all travelling merchants under his ¡protection; and returning from
Tripoly to Mourzouk, I shall avail myself o f the opportunity.
•' The present sultan assumes thedtitle “ ¡Sultan Muhammed-ben
Sultan Mansur;" and this title is engraved on a large seal, which
he applies to acts of authority or correspondence within his realm,
but when writing to the bashaw; of Tripoly* he uses a smaller
t s e a k « «.which,ipsteadiof the;paipe SvUm.Xh^-vTSbeikonly*,.is
engraved.? ; bstoubnoo ■■■■■.- . 1 .,r - -i Cffq-Hc
bod ysM - .luuqm /ihiBaaooni orivr ¡aovfiia naav/tad warms
t; iEh^'ihrQng[pfi.;Fezzan?is,,hereditary;::;the.crown, howevqr, descends,
not?iij;all;cases, djrec% from, father to s o n ;it,is.the eldest
prince o f : the .royal. ; family* who [Succeeds j * and», such; may be a
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