January 19th.—All this day the Sultan was sitting outside the Castle gate, surrounded by Sheikh Barood and the Arabs, and buying of them, slaves and camels.
The square near the Castle presented quite a novel appearance, being filled with above 1000 Maherries. The town was all alive, and formed a very amusing spectacle. Merchants from neighbouring countries, Tibboo, Tuarick, Arabs, and camels, were all in motion at once, while the poor Negroes, who occasioned the assemblage of so many strangers, sat naked and shivering in the sun, and were oiled all over to better their appearance. Some were paraded for sale, whilst others went about with broken pots to collect the blood of the numerous camels, which people were slaughtering, and which, on being baked over a fire, they eagerly swallowed. Such skeletons as were seen amongst them might really have moved the pity even of their owners. Slaves were selling as low as ever, and the market was full: a fine girl of thirteen years of age was worth about thirty-five dollars; a boy of the same age about fifteen or twenty; occasionally the price was greater for the females, if particularly handsome; but boys seldom rose higher than the sum I have mentioned.
None but the Bedouins appear to approve of these Ghrazzies; their wandering manner of life, and total want of every social feeling, their having no lands to cultivate, or houses to take care of, may account for it. Those who have possessions are aware that these predatory excursions are the ruin of the country and of trade; but their fear of Mukni is even greater than their love of home, and they therefore must engage, however unwillingly, in this service. Every man who attends the Ghrazzies is obliged to furnish himself with arms and provisions, and he is at liberty to make what plunder or captives he can, which, with the exception of one-fourth, is his own private property. A general attack, in which all are engaged, allows of no man appropriating to himself the slaves he takes, as all are carried to the standard, and thus divided; the Sultan has one-fourth, every footman is entitled to one slave, and every horseman to two. Should the number of captives exceed that of the captors, a second sharing is made after each man has received his first portion; but should the number of slaves not amount to that of the captors, they are divided, one between two or three, in proportion. Two little children are considered as equal to a young boy, and two boys of about nine or ten years of age, or one girl of the same age, make a share.
About this time I frequently visited the slave-markets, which are conducted with the same degree of indifference to the feelings of the captives as at Tripoli. There are many auctioneers, as well for slaves, as for other articles of trade; each runs from side to side of the street, crying in a shrill voice the price last bidden, and standing on tiptoes: should he be selling a slave, the poor creature follows him at a trot, like a dog, to the different groups of merchants who are sitting on the sand.
Aboo Becker Boukhalloum ابوبكربوخلّوم, the Sultan’s head man, arrived from Tripoli, bringing with him the Bashaw’s Teskera, continuing Mukni in the command of Fezzan for three years, on condition of his paying to the Bashaw 80,000 dollars. In order to treat this person with great respect, and to show he was “the man the King delighted to honour,” the Sultan’s three sons, and all the horsemen to be found, were sent to meet him at Dgleim, and accompany him to the town; drums and colours preceding him, and the inhabitants, who cared not if he were alive or dead, roaring for joy. This man had been an Augela Arab five or six years before; but now, covered with gold and scarlet, was as great as fine clothes (the African standard of dignity) could make him. On his arrival at the Mezlis, the Sultan received him sitting in his chair of state; and having read the Bashaw’s letter (or affected to do so, for his Majesty is no scholar), he thrice kissed and put it to his forehead. The Fighi then read it in a loud voice to the people, who all exclaimed, “Thank God!”
A fine yellow Bornouse, ornamented with lace, having been sent as a present, Mukni descended from his throne, and after being stripped by his slaves of the one he then wore, he put on the new one, first kissing, and thrice putting it to his head.
I received a large packet of letters by Bookhalloum, who said he had often seen the Consul and Dr. Dickson; he also brought me money from a kind friend, who was aware of our distressed situation.
From a number of persons, who had been on the recent expedition, I obtained the following account of the routes they had taken, which, as the narrators pretty generally agreed in them, I have reason to believe correct.
| Tegerry to Borgoo. | |||
| South. | |||
| Tegerry to Meshroo | 2 | days. | South, a well. |
| Meshroo to El Warr | 2½ | Well amongst rocks. | |
| El Warr to El Fezzn | 2 | A well. | |
| South-east. | |||
| El Fezzn to Aboo | 4 | This is a town of Tibesty, Febaboo of maps. | |
| South-south-east. | |||
| Aboo to Wadey Khareet | 1 | A well. | |
| Wadey to Tow | 1 | Well in a wadey. | |
| Tow to Zooar | 1 | ⎰ ⎱ | Rain water in the rocks. |
| Zooar to Marmar | 1 | ||
| Marmar to Subka | 2½ | Well, and dome dates. | |
| Subka to Turké | 1 | Well. | |
| East. | |||
| Turké to Borgoo | 4 | ||
| 22 | days. | ||
The chief town is called Yen.—The above are not towns, but resting-places.