CHAPTER IV.
RESIDENCE IN GHADAMES TO BEGINNING OF THE RAMADAN.
Arrival at Ghadames.—Welcome of the People.—Interview with the Governor, Rais Mustapha.—Distances of the route from Tripoli to Ghadames.—Geographical position of the Oasis.—First sight of the Touaricks.—Commence practising as Quack-Doctor.—Devotion of the Arabs.—Prejudices of the People, and overcome by the Rais.—Many Patients.—My House full of Touaricks.—The Sheikh of the Slaves.—Character of my Camel-Driver.—I make the tour of the Oasis.—Visit to the Souk.—Prejudices against me diminish.—First sight of Birds.—A young Taleb's specimen of Writing.—My Turjeman's House.—The Negro Dervish.—Touarick Camel Races.—A few Drops of Rain.—Various Visits, Conversations, &c., about Timbuctoo.—Prevalent Diseases, and my Medicine Chest.—Evening previous to the Ramadan.—Houses, Public Buildings, and Streets.
Gradually we neared the city as the day got up. It was dusty and hot, and disagreeable. My feelings were down at zero; and I certainly did not proceed to enter the city in style of conqueror, one who had vanquished the galling hardships of The Desert, in the most unfavourable season of the year. We were now met with a great number of the people of the city, come to welcome the safe arrival of their friends, for travelling in The Desert is always considered insecure even by its very inhabitants. Amongst the rest was the merchant Essnousee, whose acquaintance I had made in Tripoli, who welcomed me much to my satisfaction when thus entering into a strange place. Another person came up to me, who, to my surprise, spoke a few words in Italian, which I could not expect to hear in The Desert. He followed me into the town, and the Governor afterwards ordered him to be my turjeman, ("interpreter"). Now, the curiosity of the people became much excited, all ran to see The Christian! Every body in the city knew I was coming two months before my arrival. As soon as I arrived in Tripoli, the first caravan took the wonderful intelligence of the appointment of an English Consul at Ghadames. A couple of score of boys followed hard at the heels of my camel, and some running before, to look at my face; the men gaped with wide open mouths; and the women started up eagerly to the tops of the houses of the Arab suburb, clapping their hands and loolooing. It is perhaps characteristic of the more gentle and unsophisticated nature of womankind, that women of The Desert give you a more lively reception than men. The men are gloomy and silent, or merely curious without any demonstrations. I entered the city by the southern gate. The entrance was by no means imposing. There was a rough-hewn, worn, dilapidated gate-way, lined with stone-benches, on which The Ancients were once accustomed to sit and dispense justice as in old Israelitish times. Having passed this ancient gate, which wore the age of a thousand years, we wound round and round in the suburbs within the walls, through narrow and intricate lanes, with mud walls on each side, which inclosed the gardens. The palms shot their branches over from above, and relieved this otherwise repulsive sight to the stranger. But I was too much fatigued and exhausted to notice any thing, and almost ready to drop from off my camel. In fact, the distance which I had come since I first saw the dark palms of the city at the dawn, seemed to exceed (mostly the case when exhausted in completing the last mile of the journey,) all the rest of the route. I now proceeded forthwith to the Governor, the Rais Mustapha, being led by the people en masse, who, on seeing me, said, "Es-slamah! Es-slamah! Es-slamah!" ordered me coffee, and gave me a cordial welcome. It was about 10 a.m. His Excellency was sitting out in the street on a stone-bench, under the shade. Some visitors were sitting at a distance, and servants were lounging about. The Governor's house is without the city, in the gardens. It was cleanly white-washed, but small, only two stories high. Before the door it was well watered, and there was a freshness springing up from the water just sprinkled about. Several palms cast gracefully their dark shadows on the street. The Governor was very sick, his face was tied up, and his eyes covered. But he smoked incessantly. He said only a few words through his interpreter. I was equally out of order, and begged him to allow me to go to the house which was being prepared for me. He consented; and two hours after his Excellency sent me a dinner of mutton, fowls, and rice.
If I were asked my opinion as to this journey, and its being undertaken by an European, I would answer for myself, that I would risk it again, because I know my constitution, and how to treat myself. But I could not conscientiously recommend it to others in this season of the year. Were I to perform it again, I would manage much better. I would be better mounted, have a better tent, and a better assortment of provisions. Most assuredly I have great reason to thank Providence that I am arrived in perfect health.
The whole time from Tripoli to Ghadames had occupied twenty-three days, but seven or eight had been consumed by delay in The Mountains. The absolute distances of travelling given me by Mohammed, are:—
| From | Tripoli to Janzour | 3 | hours. |
| " | Janzour to Zouweeah | 9 | " |
| " | Zouweeah to Beer-el-Hamra | 2 | " |
| " | Beer-el-Hamra to Shouwabeeah | 5 | " |
| " | Shouwabeeah to Wady Lethel | 14 | " |
| " | Wady Lethel to Aâyat | 3 | " |
| " | Aâyat to Yefran | 3 | " |
| " | Yefran to Rujban | 18 | " |
| " | Rujban to Seenawan | 4 | days. |
| (sometimes 5.) | " | ||
| " | Seenawan to Emjessen | 2 | " |
| " | Emjessen to Ghadames | 1 | " |
The quickest time, in more general terms, in which the journey can be performed, excluding of course all stoppages, is:—
| From | Tripoli to The Mountains | 3 | days. |
| " | The Mountains to Seenawan | 3 | " |
| " | Seenawan to Ghadames | 3 | " |
The French geographers, for some reason, have made Ghadames situate upon a salt plain, confounding its site with the salt plain of Emjessen. There is no salt plain in the suburbs of Ghadames, or the country near. According to the official letter of the Porte, written by Ali Effendi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the oasis is situate in the Caimakat de Jibel Garbigi. As I did not receive the Porte's memorandum of my recall from Ghadames until my return, I made no inquiries of this mountain Garbigi, but I imagine it exists, though I never heard its name. Ghadames is situate in 30° 9′ north latitude, and in 9° 18′ east longitude.
