close by the tent, and are sheltered by a shed made of the leaves of the date-tree. Each sheik is answerable to the Bashaw for the conduct of every individual of his tribe.

The barracan forms the clothing of the Arabs by day, and their bed and covering by night. The two corners of the same side are fastened together on the left shoulder, with a wooden, or iron bodkin; the rest is folded round the body, sometimes very gracefully. It is not easy for those who are unaccustomed to wear it to put it on well, and a stranger is discovered by the folds of his barracan.

The skin of the Arab women here is very dark; their eyes are black, their teeth white, and their features, in general, handsome. Their faces, particularly their chins, have been scarified, and rubbed with gunpowder. One of those I visited had beads set in her cheeks and round her mouth. They grind the corn, dress the food, and weave the cloth, without taking off any of their ornaments; and these consist of rings for the ears, arms, and legs, the weight of which a European lady could scarcely support.

When the Arabs converse, they sit in a circle on the ground. The speaker makes a smooth place on the sand with his hand, and marks upon it, with his finger, every stop in his discourse; and when the spot is filled with these substitutes for semi-colons and periods, he smooths it over and begins again. In the town, if an Arab talk to a Christian, he will take his hand, and mark upon it the periods in his discourse; or, if this be not permitted, he will make the necessary strokes on his own, and smooth it over at certain intervals.

He will denote the aspirations by an elevation of his head.

I received a visit from the Sheik of the Noile, one of the great tributaries of the Bashaw. His colour was nearly black, his features were regular, and strongly marked, and his countenance expressed habitual cheerfulness and vivacity. His figure was of the middle size, his air was noble, and his gait firm. His woollen barracan equalled the finest muslin in beauty and whiteness; it was many yards in length, and lay in ample folds round his head and body. His belt was woven in Arabic characters, and was wound several times, tight and even, round his waist. He wore sandals, which he took off, in compliment to me, when he entered my apartment.

The conversation of the sheik was lively and interesting, except when he talked of war; when, with fierceness in his eyes, and wildness in his manner, he dwelt with delight on the havock he had made, and recounted the number of chieftain's heads he had sent to the Bashaw. His people, he said, traversed the deserts for many days, with no other provision than a small bag of meal, and some water; and at night, during heavy rain, they threw their thick garments over their horses, on the preservation of which their own lives depended, and lay under the animals for shelter. When exposed to the hot winds of the desert, he said, they lay down with their mouths close to the sand for some hours, and inhaled from the earth a cooler vapour than that of the burning atmosphere around them.

The sheik's attendants were clad in the huge,

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thick, brown barracan of their country, six yards long, and two wide, and were on foot; the Sheik himself came mounted on a beautiful milk white horse.

At a time when the Arabs were in a state of revolt, and the Bashaw had sent out troops against them, it happened that an officer, in flying from a party of Arabs, lost his way; and, exhausted with fatigue and thirst, and benighted, he stopped at the tent of one of his enemies, and implored a lodging. The Arab bade him enter. Their supper was of the best of a fat lamb, and baseen, which latter was prepared by the wife, for this occasion, in the following manner: Flour and water were kneaded into a paste, which was laid on the embers, and half baked. It was then broken in pieces, and kneaded again with new milk, oil, and salt, and made up in the form of a pudding; small pieces of salted and dried mutton were laid round it. The dessert was composed of dates and dried fruit.

When the repast was ended, the two chiefs related the exploits of their ancestors, till the host turned pale, and quitted the tent. He sent word to his guest that his bed was prepared for him, and that, as his horse was fatigued, he should find á fresh one at the side of the tent before sun-rise, when he would be expected to depart with all pos sible expedition. In the morning, the Moor was roused; his breakfast was ready for him; but he saw none of the family, till he quitted the tent, when he found the master holding the bridlé of the horse he was to mount. The Arab performed the last duty of hospitality, the holding the stirrup

while his guest mounted, and then addressed him as follows:

"Last night, in one of your ancestors, you discovered to me the murderer of my father. There lie the habits he was slain in, over which, in the presence of my family, I have sworn to revenge his death, and to seek the blood of his murderer

The sun has not yet

from sun-rise to sun-set. risen; it will have no more than risen when I pursue you. You have not mounted a horse inferior to that which stands ready for me; and on its surpassing mine in swiftness depends the life of one or both of us." He then shook his enemy by the hand, and they parted. The officer, who was called Hage Bey Hassuna, reached the Moorish camp in safety, and he himself recounted the adventure; the Arab followed him closely, and as far as possible. Here the Arab has lost little of his independence, and nothing of his generous spirit.

When the Bey of Tripoli returned from an expedition against the Arabs, he brought with him the heads of several of the hostile chiefs, preserved with salt.

From Tripoli I made an excursion to the salt lakes, and village of Tajura, which lie to the east, and are about twelve miles distant. In my way, I passed a number of olive plantations, which formed a shade impervious to the sun; and near them were reservoirs of marble to receive the oil, which is as clear as spring water.

The Moorish peasantry, though slaves to their lords in every thing but the name, seemed contented. Whole families were lying around the doors of their cottages, smoking, laughing, singing, and telling romantic tales. They brought us

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fresh dates, bowls of new milk, and jars of palmwine.

Six miles to the south-east of Tripoli is the residence of the greatest saint, or marabut of the country. He is called the Lion, and possesses a walled village with a mosque, which is an inviolable asylum for people guilty of the greatest crimes. The sanctity and dignity of this personage is hereditary. The reigning Lion was about forty years of age.

I now quitted Tripoli, on a visit to Mesurata; and as the Arabs were at war with the Bashaw, I joined two shereefs, who were going to that city; it being said that their green turbans would afford me protection. Mesurata borders on the coast, and is about 150 miles to the eastward of Tripoli.

Having passed through Tajura, which I had visited before, we proceeded on our journey, and encamped for the night on a sandy eminence. The camels, when unloaded, were left to their own discretion, which conducted them to the stubble of the valleys, and the bushes of the hills, but prevented them from straying farther than three hundred yards from the camp. The loads were piled in a circle, leaving only a narrow entrance. Within this circle, fires were lighted, and cuscasoe was prepared; after which, coffee being brought, my two companions, the shereefs, lighted their pipes, and smoked and drank alternately. They then lay down on the sand, and conversed till they fell asleep. The others spread their mats or carpets, and covered themselves with their hayks. Wet garments are little regarded by these people, and seem to be attended with little inconvenience.

On the third day, after travelling upwards of