thickness, which, from their immense weight, had produced callous rings round the legs and arms of the poor infants. They wore silk shirts, composed of ribbons sewed together in stripes of various colours, which hung down over silk trowsers. An embroidered waistcoat and cap completed this overwhelming costume. Their nails, the tips of their fingers, the palms of their hands, and the soles of their feet, were dyed dark brown with henna. ® had viewed with amazement and pity the dress of these poor little girls, borne down as they were by finery; but that of the youngest boy, a stupid-looking child o f four years old, was even more preposterous than that of his sisters. In addition to the ornaments worn by them, he was loaded with a number of charms, enclosed in gold cases, slung round his body; in his cap were numerous jewels, heavily set in gold in the form of open hands, to keep off the effects of the “ Evil Eye.” These talismans were sewn on the front of his cap, which they entirely covered. His clothes were highly embroidered, and consisted of three waistcoats, a shirt of white silk, the women only wearing coloured ones, and loose cloth, silk, or muslin trowsers. | The costume of the Sultan’s court, or hangers on, is strictly Tripoline, and as fine as lace or presents o f cast off clothes can make them. It is the custom with Mukni, in imitation of the Bashaw, to bestow occasionally on his principal people some article of dress. These presents are made with much affected dignity, by throwing the garment to the person intended to be honoured, and saying, “ wear t h a t t h e dress is immediately put on in his presence, and the receiver kneels and kisses his hand in token of gratitude. I once saw the old Kadi, who is very corpulent, receive as a gift, a Kaftan, which was so small for him, that when he had squeezed himself into it, he was unable to move his arms, and was m'that condition obliged to walk home. Each of the Sultan’s sons has a large troop of slaves, who attend him wherever he goes; they are generally about the same age as their master, and are his playmates, though they are obliged to receive from him many hearty cuffs without daring to complain. The suite of the youngest boy in particular forms a very amusing group, few of them exceeding five years of age. One bears his master’s Bornouse, another holds one shoe, walking next to the boy who carries its fellow. Some are in fine cast off clothes with tarnished embroidery, whilst others are quite, or nearly naked, without even a cap on their heads; and the procession is closed by a boy tottering under the weight of his master’s state gun, which is never allowed to be fired off. In Morzouk the luxuries of life are very limited, the people subsisting principally on dates. Many do not, for months together, taste com, and when obtained, they make it into a paste called Aseeda which is a softer kind of Bazeen. Fowls have now almost disappeared in the country, owing to the Sultan’s having appropriated all he could find for the consumption of his own family. The sheep and goats are driven from the mountains near Be- riioleed, a distance of four hundred miles; they pass over one desert, which, at their rate of travelling, occupies five days, without food or water. Numbers, therefore, die, which of course raises the price of the survivors. They are valued at three or four dollars each when they arrive quite skeletons, and are as high as ten or twelve when fatted. | Bread is badly made, and baked in ovens formed of clay in holes in the earth, and heated by burning wood; the loaves, or rather flat cakes, are stuck into the side, and are thus baked by the heat which rises from the embers. Cusscussou, Dweeda, and Mogatta, are the best food they have. The mills are of the same description as the hand-mills of the Arabs. The corn, when ground, is tolerably fine ; but the unavoid
27f 50
To see the actual publication please follow the link above