from these kind-hearted people, who had, to the best of their abilities, often befriended us, and to whom We owed so many and weighty obligations. The day was fine, our camels good, and we set out at a brisk pace. The Shreef Sadig, who had been encamped at a little distance from us, now became our messmate. His Kaffle consisted o f four girls, three men, four camels, and three Arabs. Lizari and myself joined our stock, which Rahmata his Negress, who was an excellent cook, made into a nice mess for ns every night., j Had I trusted to Mukni’s professions, I should have been in some danger of starving on my road homeward. He told me repeatedly not to think of preparing food for my journey, as he had commanded his slaves to make for me cusscussou, flour, and dried meat. H e also assured me, that on the day of my departure, I should receive from him an order on all the towns through which I should pass to supply myself and animals with dates, &c.; but, after all, no one part of these fine promises was fulfilled, which added one more proof to the many I had before received, of Mukni’s falsehood and insincerity. Our road lay over a desert, without the least sign of a shrub, or any living creature. A strong cold east wind blew with great force, as it met with no impediment, and quickly chopped our lips and skin. The Negroes wore their travelling dresses, which being new and dean, looked very neat. The girls have green or yellow caps, with a large flap on each sid e ; shirts of blue or white cotton, a petticoat or wrapper of the same, and a good' warm jercad or barracan. It is to be observed, that masters do not, at all times take equal care,of their slaves; but that fearing the bad effects of cold weather, the merchants are in winter more attentive to their comfort than at any other season; and this for their own advantage, since it prevents the Negresses from becoming thin and consumptive (which want of clothing would otherwise subject them to be), and makes them bring a better price to their owners. The males are not so carefully attended to, having generally only a long shirt and barracan. Both sexes have sandals of camel’s h id e ; the girls walk by themselves, and the men follow the camels. A t one o’dock they are all watered like cattle, out of large bowls, placed on the ground, from which they kneel and drink. Children are thrown with the baggage on the camels, if unable to walk; but if five or six years of age, the poor little creatures are obliged to trot on all day, even should no stop be made for fourteen or fifteen hours, as I have sometimes witnessed. We passed a Kaffle of about twenty camels from Tripoli, with a chowse of the Bashaw, loaded with corn for Morzouk; they informed us that the Bashaw had sent an army against Augela, and that the plague ba<j ceased at Tunis and Jerba. A t four we turned from the road to go to a well, Ghroodwa being considered too long a journey for the slaves,: we had travelled until that time north 40° east nineteen miles.. At 7. 80. we arrived at Neshoua (a Wadey running east-north-east), having cleared north by west seven miles. A well of good water was here, and we lay down amongst the palm bushes. In unloading the camels, Belford’s Maherry took fright, and running on to the desert, his saddle fell off, and the beast lamed himself sadly by striking his toe against i t : some Arabs from the neighbourhood seeing us cooking, came and supped with us. The mess of the slaves is provided before that of their masters; it consists of Bazeen, of which each one has a portion about as large as the double fist; and a bowl is filled with grease and pepper, into which they occasionally dip their paste. The daily allowance of food is a quart of dates in the morning, and half a pint of flour made into Bazeen at night. Some masters never allow their slaves to drink after a meal, unless at a watering place. . W hen the meal is finished, they all he down, the
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