Friday, 24th March.—I found myself very weak, but much better. Belford continued quite deaf, but we were in high spirits at the idea that our journey would soon be at an end, and that we should once again behold our dear friends. We proceeded at seven, our road being chiefly along the sea-coast. At eleven passed Wad el Ramle, or “the sandy river,” which is a small stream, running through sand hills: on its borders are luxuriant fields of corn. At three the man whom I had sent forward with a letter to the Consul brought me news that he proposed coming out to meet us. At four we entered Tejoura تاجوره. I was on a camel anxiously looking out for him, when himself, his two sons, Dr. Dickson, and Messrs. Carstensen, came galloping towards us. I soon slipped down on my legs, but was obliged to stop them, for they would otherwise have passed on without recognizing either Belford or myself, so much was our appearance altered. We pitched our tent in a space near the great Mosque, and passed the evening most agreeably. The Consul’s sons remained with me, but the rest of the party were obliged to go on to Tripoli, promising to meet me on the morrow, and to accompany me into the town. We had a fine Arab supper cooked by Lizari’s Negress, and were all Kaffirs enough to drink wine, and even to eat some pork, when Lizari was out of the way.
Saturday, March 25th, 1820.—Exactly one year from the day we left Tripoli, we re-entered the town, accompanied by the Consul and Mr. Carstensen. All our friends received us most kindly, and I was fortunately enabled on that evening to send a letter to Lord Bathurst, informing his Lordship of our safe return. I lodged our goods in the Portuguese consular house, with which Col. Warrington had kindly accommodated us, though not without having repeatedly pressed us to make his own house our home.
Notwithstanding my happiness at once more joining my Christian friends, I really felt no small regret at taking leave of our poor fellow travellers, many of whom I knew were destined to proceed to Tunis and Turkey. Their good humoured gaiety and songs had lightened to me many hours of pain and fatigue, and their gratitude for any little benefits I had it in my power to confer had quite warmed my heart towards them. Even when so exhausted as to be almost unable to walk, these poor creatures showed few instances of sulkiness or despondency; the first stanza of a song having been sung by one, enlivened the whole Kafflé, who immediately joined in chorus. Their patience under fatigue, and endurance of thirst, was very extraordinary. Khalīfa’s girls were allowed to drink only once in twenty-four hours, yet they were always cheerful.
I was frequently amused by observing the pains taken by these innocent savages to adorn themselves; their love of finery never ceasing, even when no one was near to admire them. Though overcome by privation of every kind, and by the fatigue of a long day’s journey, they employed themselves in converting into neck ornaments, snail shells, berries, or any other whimsical objects they could meet with. Those who possessed rings, bead bands for the head, or silver ear-rings, never failed to put them on when they stopped for the night, washing and oiling their skins whenever they had an opportunity; they also constantly used Kohol to blacken their eyelids, and to make different marks on the face.
One of the women of the Fellāta had a little male child, which was carried by turns by the whole Kafflé. Her milk had failed her, and this poor infant had nothing to nourish him but a mixture of cold water and flour, unless I sometimes gave him some cusscussou. He, as well as his mother, was a shade lighter than a mulatto, which is generally the colour of their tribe.
Several of the girls carried with them an instrument called Zantoo. It is a long gourd hollowed out, having a hole at each end, and is played by striking one end against the calf of the leg, and occasionally stopping the other by a quick blow of the open hand. It has a very pleasing effect when well played, and the glass armlets, which are sometimes worn to the number of eight or ten on each arm, add to it a pretty tinkling sound. Whenever a party had a little outwalked the Kafflé, and sat down to rest, the Zantoos were set in motion, and were accompanied by their plaintive national airs. The wild music and picturesque appearance of these resting-parties was very pleasing, and I seldom passed one of them without having a lively chorus addressed to me.
There is a small bush found on the Desert, called by the slaves Wussawussa, with leaves resembling those of box in form, but tender, and having a very salt taste; these the slaves collected whenever they could, and boiled with their evening meal; and the flavour is not unpleasant.
In some of the wadeys were many thorny bushes bearing small black berries, called Dummagh ظماخ or “brains,” which have a very sweet, but at the same time astringent taste, and of which these poor girls always brought me large supplies, in return for my assisting those who were fatigued or thirsty. In fact, Belford and myself, being the only persons who did not beat or ill treat them, became great favourites; and my talents in particular were so highly appreciated, that not a male or female slave tore or wore out their sandal leathers, but they were immediately brought to me to be repaired, as I had always some leather in my pocket for that purpose: I thus became cobbler to the whole Kafflé.
None of the owners ever moved without their whips, which were in constant use; that of Hadje Mohammed more so than the rest: in fact, he was so perpetually flogging his poor slaves, that I was frequently obliged to disarm him. Drinking too much water, bringing too little wood, or falling asleep before the cooking was finished, were considered nearly capital crimes, and it was in vain for these poor creatures to plead the excuse of being tired; nothing could at all avert the application of the whip. No slave dares to be ill or unable to walk; but when the poor sufferer dies, the master suspects there must have been something “wrong inside,” and regrets not having liberally applied the usual remedy of burning the belly with a red hot iron; thus reconciling to themselves their cruel treatment of these unfortunate creatures.
I settled with my camel-men the day after my arrival in Tripoli, and having great reason to fear that Belford’s health was too much injured to proceed immediately, I agreed to remain there a short time, that he might be benefited by the advice of my friend, Dr. Dickson, who had kindly taken him under his care: he had been for six months afflicted with dysentery, was quite deaf, and so reduced as to be nearly a skeleton.