good memories, and by constantly repeating sentences of the Koran for thirty or forty years, manage to know it by heart The lower classes work neatly in leather; they weave a few coarse barracans, and make iron work in a solid though clumsy manner. One or two work in gold and silver with much skill, considering the badness of their tools ; and every man is capable of acting as a carpenter or mason. The wood being that of the date tree, and the houses being built of mud, very little elegance or skill is necessary. Much deference is paid to fhe artists in leather or metals, who are called (par excellence) “ Sta,” or master ; as, “ leather master,”—“ iron master,” &c. N o individuals arrive at any eminence of character, or, from their abilities, are exalted above the people, except such Maraboots as have most cunning and hypocrisy. They become privileged, courted, and revered while living, and prayers are addressed to them for their mediation, after they are dead. The language here is Arabic, but differs materially from the dialect of Egypt. ' From the constant communication with Bornou and Soudan, the languages of both these countries are generally spoken, and many of their words, are introduced into the Arabic. The family slaves, and their children by their masters, constantly speak the language of the country whence they originally come. Their writing is in the Mogrebyn character, which is used, I believe, universally in western Africa, and differs much from that of the east. The pronunciation also is very different, the Khf j being pronounced as a G, and only marked with one nunnation, thus <_i, and the F is pointed below _i. They have no idea of arithmetic, but reckon every thing by dots on the sand, ten in a line; many can hardly tell how much two and two amount to. They expressed great surprise at our being able to add numbers together without fingering. Though very fond of poetry, they are incapable of composing it. The Arabs, however, invent a few little songs, which the natives have much pleasure in learning; and the women sing some o f the Negro airs very prettily while grinding their com. The lower class and the slaves, who, in point of colour and appearance, are the same, labour together. The freeman, however, has only one inducement to work, which is hunger; he has no notion of laying by any thing for the advantage of his family, or as a reserve for himself in old age; but, if by any chance he obtains iponey, remains idle until it is expended, and then returns unwillingly to work. The females here are allowed greater liberty than those of Tripoli, and are more kindly treated. The effect of the plurality of wives is but too plainly seen, and their women in consequence are not famed for chastity. Though so much better used than those of Barbary, their life is still a state of slavery. A man never ventures to speak of his women; is reproached if he spends much time in their company; never eats with them, but is waited upon at his meals, and fanned by them while he sleeps; yet these poor beings, never having known the sweets of liberty or affection, are, in spite of their humiliation, comparatively happy. The authority of parents over children is very great, some fathers o f the better class not allowing their sons even to eat, or sit down in their presence until they become men: the poorer orders, however, are less strict. There are no written records of events amongst the Fezzanners, and their traditions are so disfigured, and so strangely mingled with religious and superstitious falsehoods, , that no confidence can be* placed in them; yet the natives themselves look with particular respect on a man capable o f talking o f “ the people o f the olden time.” Several scriptural traditions are selected and believed.
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