they rushed forward, and surrounded the Sultan, to kiss his hands. After these ceremonies, they divided themselves into small parties, and expended a great deal of powder in sham fights. We arrived at 10 in the town of Sockna, UA-, and were directed to the house which had been prepared for us. In the evening our camels also arrived; and now we arrayed ourselves in our most costly dresses, and went to pay our respects to the Sultan. We found- him surrounded by some hundred Arabs, all talking at once, and disputing about money matters, while Mukni appeared to listen to them with extraordinary patience. We now had become better acquainted with Arabic, and I profited much by teaching the Sultan’s little son Yussuf to speak English. Sockna stands on an immense plain of gravel; bounded to the south by the Soudah mountains, at about fifteen miles; by the mountains of Wadan about thirty miles to the eastward; a distant range to the w e st; and those I have already mentioned on passing through to the north. The town is walled, and may contain 2000 persons: more than half the people we saw this day were from Hoon and Wadan. There are small projections from the walls, having loop-holes for musketry. It has seven gates, only one of which will admit a loaded camel. The streets are very narrow, and the houses are built of mud and small stones mixed, many of them having a story above the ground floor. A small court is open in the centre; and the windows, or more properly the doors, which open from this area, give the only light which the rooms receive. The water of Sockna is almost all brackish or bitter. There are 200,000 date trees in the immediate neighbourhood of the town, which pay duty ; also an equal number, not yet come info bearing, which are exempt. These dates grow in a belt of sand, at about two or three miles distant from the town, and are of a quality far superior to any produced in the north of Africa. Owing to their excellence, they are sold at a very high price at Tripoli. The adjoining country is entirely destitute of shrubs, or any kind of food for camels, which are therefore sent to graze about five miles o ff; while in the town all animals are fed on dates. Sheep are brought here from Benioleed, and are, in consequence of coming from such a distance, very dear. In the gardens, which are about three miles from the town, barley, maize, and gussob, are cultivated, as well as a few onions, turnips, and peppers. The quantity of flies here is immense, and all the people carry little flappers, made of bunches of wild bulls’ hair, tied to a short stick, in order to keep these pests at a distance. The dates all being deposited in storehouses in the town, may account, in some degree, for the multitude of these insects ; which, in a few minutes, fill every dish or bowl containing any liquid. The duties paid by this place amount to 2000 dollars annually, exclusive of a tax of one dollar on each two hundred date trees. All the people attached to the Sultan, and ourselves also, received food twice a day from the Sheikh, who collected it from the inhabitants ; our horses likewise got a daily portion of dates. The costume here is the same as that of the Bedouins, consisting generally of a shirt and barracan, a red cap, and sandals : a few, whose circumstances allow of it, dress in the costume of Tripoli. The neat appearance of the men, in general, is very striking, compared with that of the Arabs about the coast. The women are considered exceedingly handsome; indeed, one or two whom I saw at. Eatma’s were really so, and as fair as Europeans; but they are noted for their profligacy and love of intrigue. When the kingdom of Fezzan was governed by a native Prince, this town and the two neighbouring ones were, in a manner, independent ; the distance from their own capital, as well as from Tripoli, securing them from surprise. All discontented or disaffected
27f 50
To see the actual publication please follow the link above