ARABS OF LUDAMAR.

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plunder, they return northwards to their several encampments in the Sahara, where they remain till the drought again sends them towards the negroes. Often, without the smallest provocation, and sometimes, under the fairest professions of friendship, the Arabs seize the cattle of the negroes, and even their persons. The negroes seldom retaliate. The boldness of the Arabs, and the swiftness of their horses, render them such formidable enemies, that the negroes tremble while they are in their vicinity.

Ali always rode upon a milk-white horse with the tail dyed red, and had two or three of these kept constantly saddled, day and night: he never walked, but to prayers. The Arabs set a high value upon their horses; they feed them three or four times in the day, and in the evening they give them sweet milk.

The Arabs of the Desert resemble in their complexion the mulattoes of the West Indies, but their physiognomy is very different. They boast an advantage over the negroes by their knowledge of letters, and are the proudest and most intolerant people upon earth.

An Arab can either fast, or eat three meals in one. Those of Ludamar live chiefly on the flesh. of their cattle. They purchase their corn, and their cotton garments, in exchange for salt, which they dig from pits in the Sahara.

A woman of moderate pretensions to beauty must be one who cannot walk without being supported under each arm by a slave; and a perfect beauty is a load for a camel. In order to become handsome, many of the girls are compelled by their mothers to devour a large quantity of kous

kous, and drink a large bowl full of camels' milk, every morning. Whether appetite demand it, or not, these must be swallowed; and I have seen a poor girl sit crying, with the bowl at her lips, for more than an hour; and the mother watching over her with a stick in her hand, which she used from time to time, without mercy, to enforce obedience to her commands. Strange as it may appear, this super-abundant quantity of food, instead of producing indigestion, soon covers the young lady's person with the degree of corpulence which constitutes beauty in the eyes of an Arab.

The women in general wear a cotton cloth wrapped round the waist, and hanging down like a petticoat; to the upper part of this are sewed two square pieces, one before, and the other behind, which are fastened together on the shoulders. The head dress is a bandage of cotton cloth, with a broader part to draw over the eyes when they walk in the sun. The better sort, however, when they go out, are veiled from head to foot.

The dress of the men differs but little from that of the negroes, except that they universally wear a turban of white cotton cloth. Their hair is always black, and commonly short and bushy. Such as have long beards display them with great pride.

My beard, which was now of an extraordinary length, counteracted, in some measure, the ill impression made by my colour: I believe they thought it too good for a Christian.

Ali was distinguished by the fineness of his dress, which was composed of blue cotton cloth brought from Timbuctoo, or white linen, or muslin, from Marocco. His tent was larger than any of the others, and covered with a white cloth.

ARRIVAL AT JARRA.

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This tent was the rendezvous of the principal people, who conversed with great freedom before their chief, and frequently differed from each other. With regard to himself they were always of one mind, singing in concert songs composed in his praise, and loading him with the grossest adulation.

On the 25th of May, I took leave of Fatima, who, with much grace and civility, returned me a part of my apparel: Ali sent me my horse with his bridle and saddle, and in the night he set out privately for Jarra, attended by about fifty horsemen. In the morning I followed, accompanied by a number of others. About noon we were joined by twelve Arabs riding on camels, and, at a watering place in the woods, we found Ali and his fifty followers. Here we slept, and passed the next day under a heavy sand wind, which at times was so violent that it was impossible to look up. The cattle were so tormented by the sand lodging in their eyes and ears, that they ran about in a state of distraction; and I, for whom there was no room in the tents, was in great danger of being trampled to death by them.

The next morning I was told that my poor boy was to be sent back to Bubakir. I remonstrated with Ali, perhaps too warmly. He made no reply to me; but, with a haughty smile, he said to one of his people, "If he does not mount his horse immediately, I will send him back also." This was a warning not to be neglected, and my boy and I wept, shook hands, and parted.

We arrived at Jarra on the second of June, and, on the eighth, Ali sent his chief slave to inform me that he was going back to Bubakir, but, as he

should stay there only a few days, I had his permission to remain at Jarra till his return. The next day, he and his Arabs left the town; the latter having committed many robberies during the time they were in it, and carrying off three girls, who were bringing water from the wells, at their departure.

Now what was my purpose ? Was it to wait for Ali's permission to pursue my journey? or was it to attempt to proceed without it? Whether my resolution were prudent or otherwise would be decided by the event; but as I was no longer guarded by Arabs, I determined to advance towards Bambarra.

The people of Jarra were informed that the war was approaching to their gates. The men were stationed on the rocks; the women were beating corn, and packing up different articles during the night; and, early in the morning, half the people of Jarra took the road to Bambarra by way of Deena. Their departure was very affecting; the women and children crying, the men sullen and dejected, and all looking back with regret to the huts that had sheltered them, and the wells that had supplied them with water. The next day, the 27th of June, the alarm becoming still greater, I mounted my horse, and placing a large bag of corn before me, I joined the remainder of the people of Jarra, and marched slowly out of the town. Some were driving cattle, sheep, and goats, and carrying scanty provisions and a few clothes; others were attending children and old persons; and others carrying the sick.

On the second day we arrived at Queira, where I remained three days to recruit my horse, which

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the Arabs had reduced to a skeleton. On the afternoon of the last, as I was tending him in the fields, I received intelligence that Ali's chief slave, with four Arabs, had arrived at Queira, to convey me back to Bubakir. I dreaded nothing so much as a second visit to Ali. I therefore did not return to my lodging till about midnight, when I packed my clothes, and hearing that the Arabs were asleep, I stole softly out of the hut, and mounted my horse, without having a single article in my possession to purchase food, either for myself or him.

I proceeded with great caution, surveying every bush, and frequently listening and looking behind, to see whether my intended guides to Ali were approaching, when, at the distance of about a mile from the town, I unexpectedly found myself in the vicinity of a watering place belonging to the Arabs. The herdsmen followed me a mile, hooting, and throwing stones after me. When I was out of their reach, and had begun to indulge the hope of escaping, I heard some person holla behind me, and, looking back, I saw three Arabs galloping after me at full speed, and brandishing their double barrelled guns. As I could not avoid them, I turned back to meet my pursuers; two of them caught hold of my horse's bridle, while the third presented his musket, and told me that I must go back to Ali. They then ordered me to untie my bundle, and, having examined the dif ferent articles it contained, one of them took a fancy to my cloak, and wrapped himself in it. This cloak had been my shelter from the rains in the day, and the musquitoes in the night, and I earnestly begged him to return it; but the party