In the midst of our conversation a lady, one of the Sultan's female relations, came, moved no doubt by curiosity, into the room. She was evidently a fine dame, a person of fashion in this Saharan capital. Her countenance, in due obedience to the requirements of ton, was not "rouged up to the eyes," but "yellowed up to the eyes!" There cannot be a more appalling custom. Imagine a young lady, of brown-black complexion, daubed with brilliant yellow ochre! The paint covers the whole face, from the roots of the hair to the lower jaw, forming two semicircles with the upper lips. Between the eyes are three black beauty-spots, descending perpendicularly on the bridge of the nose. The eyebrows are blackened, and joined, so as to form one immense arch across the face, under the yellow brow. Is it possible to disguise the human countenance more completely?
The dark-blue cotton skirt of this lady was turned up behind over her head, so as to form a kind of hood; but underneath she wore a coloured petticoat. Generally, the women of Tintalous wear a frock, or chemise, and a piece of cotton wrapper over their head and shoulders.[18] This wrapper, which serves as a shawl, is not unlike, in effect, the black veil worn by the Maltese women. The lady we saw at En-Noor's wore a profusion of necklaces, armlets, and anklets of metal, wood, and horn. She gazed about for some time and then went her way. After asking and receiving permission to hoist the British flag over the tents, and to fire a salute, we imitated her example. This is my first success in diplomacy! On returning, we prepared for our evening's festivities, but the tempest assailing us we waited till fairer weather.
At five in the evening we hoisted the British flag, and fired no less than a hundred musket discharges. I do not recollect that this ceremony was ever before performed in the desert, in Bornou or Soudan, although the union-jack certainly now flies at Mourzuk and Ghadamez, on the roofs of the consular houses.
Now I pray God that our great troubles may be over in Aheer—little troubles we must always encounter, and bear with fortitude. Our servants and friends are much rejoiced at our success with En-Noor, and they promise me farther success in Soudan and Bornou. Alas! God alone knows what is reserved for us; but we must not despair after these, events of Aheer. At first all was black, without one solitary ray of light; now, all the Sultans of Aheer are determined they say, conjointly, to afford us protection: whilst the people are showing themselves more friendly every day.
A strange thing is a devoted slave. Zangheema is the devoted slave of En-Noor. He is his right hand, his man of business, his vizier, his shadow, his second self. Alternately Zangheema attends the marts of Mourzuk and Kanou; and, fortunately for us, he is now going to Kanou.
25th.—Whilst we were occupied in drying our clothes after the previous day's tempest, we learned that another Sultan had put himself on the list of beggars. His Excellency Astakeelee of Asoudee has written a long letter to En-Noor, of which we are the subject. The substance is that it is a sin (harâm) to plunder us Christians. En-Noor says we must send him some trifle as a present. There remain yet to come Lousou and some others. I am glad we are not expected to give much in these cases, as our means would not allow us to do so. I sent to Astakeelee a red cloth caftan or long loose gown, a white turban, a fez, a small looking-glass, and a few cloves for the Sultana, the total value about twelve dollars.
Serious news has just come in from the northern frontier. It appears that the Azgher who followed us all the way from Aisou to Aheer, secretly exciting the people against us, have joined with the Kailouee borderers in an attack upon a small Tibboo caravan. Two of the merchants have been killed, and thirty-five slaves stolen and carried away over the desert, in the direction of Tuat.
This news was brought in the afternoon by a caravan of Fezzanees, who have arrived from Ghât. They declare that they buried the bodies of the two murdered men. A servant who escaped gave them the rest of the news. It is probable that the Tibboos made considerable resistance on the road, as they are brave fellows, and this resistance occasioned their being murdered. The news has produced great excitement.
The people begin to see the evil effects of countenancing the forced exactions made upon us. This will be an instructive lesson to the holy marabouts of Tintaghoda, who headed the tribes of the frontier against us unfortunate Christians.
When we met these very small caravans on the road, with only two owners, three or four servants, and some forty or fifty slaves, and all without arms, or perhaps with only a couple of swords, I used to wonder at their apparent security, and could not help observing, when we were night and day pursued by bandits, "These robbers must have an extraordinary affection for Muslims, and be very Deists themselves; for these few defenceless people pass unmolested, and we are pursued continually, although our caravan is full of arms."