A married woman is not allowed to converse with her male relations, not even with her brothers. She may look through wooden grated windows; and she does sometimes throw a note through one of them at the feet of a Christian, as he passes. The Moorish wives are said to "have a decided liking for Christians," which this tender-hearted waiting gentlewoman says" is perfectly pardonable.".

The savage Moorish husbands, however, are not so accommodating; for when this "pardonable preference" is detected, the Christian is immediately beheaded, and the lady with the "decided liking" is tied in a sack, and thrown into the sea.

JOURNEY ΤΟ

CHAPTER XXVII.

TRIPOLI. ACCOUNT OF THE CITY
AND ITS INHABITANTS.

I took leave of the Bey of Tunis with the acknowledgments usual on such occasions, and set out for Tripoli by land. The first part of this journey was to Gabs, by the way I had so lately returned. From Gabs I proceeded to the Island of Jerba, the termination of the state of Tunis, which is about thirty-six miles to the southward. On this part of the coast, I saw no tree, no bush, no verdure, except the short grass which forms the border before we enter the moving sands of the desert. The Wargumma and the Noile, or No

walli, two great tribes of Arabs, are masters of these deserts.

About four days journey short of Tripoli, I overtook the caravan going from Marocco to Mecca, under the conduct of the Emir Hagé. The caravan consisted of about 3,000 men, and, as they said, of from 12 to 14,000 camels, some loaded with merchandize, others with water and provisions for the pilgrims. They were a disorderly, unarmed herd; and when my horsemen, though but fifteen in number, came up with them in the grey of the morning, they shewed great signs of trepidation, and were already flying in confusion. When informed who they were, their fears ceased, and, after the usual manner of cowards, they became extremely insolent.

On my arrival at Tripoli, I was conducted to the house which had been previously engaged for me; and at the end of three days, I was presented to the sovereign, who retains the title of Bashaw, while his eldest son is called the Bey. The word Bashaw, in its strict sense is only Vice-roy; being compounded of the two Persian words, Pa and Schah. My audience of the sovereign of Tripoli took place in a vast saloon, in which he was sitting on a small throne or elevated sofa, with his sons on each side, and a numerous court around him. My present being placed before him, he received me with grace and dignity.

The city of Tripoli, called by the inhabitants Tarables, is situated in latitude 32o 56' north, and longitude 13° 28' east. The sea washes it on three sides; and, on the fourth, a sandy plain, called the Messéah, divides it from the cultivated country. It is said to contain about 14,000 inhabitants.

The land near Tripoli is low and level; the nearest mountains, which are those of Gouriana, are twenty-four miles to the southward. The streets are straight, and wider than those of Algiers or Tunis; the houses are regular and well-built, and are generally of a dazzling white. Buildings of stone are common; and even marble is employed in the construction of the courts, gates, stairs, and mosques.

The houses of Tripoli, like all others in these countries, are built on the four sides of a square court. The part next the street is occupied by a sort of hall, with stone benches on each side, from which a staircase leads to a single grand apartment above, the only one permitted to have windows to the street; this is sacred to the master of the house, and his own family dare not enter it without his leave. The court behind it is, in good houses, paved with white marble, or laid with polished brown cement, and is surrounded by a piazza, over which runs a gallery, inclosed by a lattice of wood. From the piazza below, and the gallery above, doors open into large rooms, not communicating with each other, and receiving light through jalousies of wood, curiously cut, none of the spaces being more than a quarter of an inch. On the celebration of a marriage, or any other great feast, the mistress of the house receives her company in the court, which is then covered with an awning; the walls are hung with tapestry; mats and Turkey carpets are laid on the floor; and rich silk cushions are placed round for seats.

The rooms are very long and narrow, and at each end is a raised alcove for the use of the wife.

One of these contains her bed; the other her wearing apparel and that of her children; under one are kept the provisions and utensils for the table, and under the other various necessaries; so that the middle of the apartment is never incumbered, and in a house containing four rooms, a man may keep three wives.

There are neither springs nor rivers in Tripoli. Water is every where to be found near the surface of the earth, but it is brackish, and the inhabitants drink rain water; for the preservation of which every house has a cistern underneath the court, which is frequently as large as the court itself.

The coast of Tripoli extends from the borders of Tunis to those of Egypt, a distance of about 650 to 680 miles. The whole country contains only about two millions of inhabitants; the greater part of it is a desert; and the whole, except the capital, is peopled by Arabs. No person can travel to any distance without joining a caravan, or having a strong escort.

For some miles to the eastward of Tripoli, the surface of the ground is a white, silver sand, which during the hot winds, is mingled with the red sand of the desert. The cultivated grounds which succeed the sands are inclosed by trees of all sizes, and various sorts, among which the towering date is most conspicuous. These are placed in all directions, and beneath them grow, in confused patches, wheat and barley, turnips and cabbages. The ground is common to all, unless it be inclosed. The gardens of people of distinction are generally inclosed by orange, lemon, and citron trees, and

contain thick groves of orange trees, and a wilder ness of roses, jessamine and honeysuckle.

The Bashaw of Tripoli was formerly appointed annually by the Grand Signior; but these Bashaws considering their appointment only as an opportunity of robbing the people, the last of them was assassinated in the year 1714, and the people chose the grandfather of Seedy Yusuf who was now the sovereign, to rule over them. The Bashaw of Tripoli has three tails carried before him; his eldest son, the Bey, has one. The reigning family reside in an ancient castle within the walls of the town; it is composed of a great number of buildings, and is also inclosed within a high strong wall of its own.

The population of Tripoli consists of Moors, Turks, and Jews. Christian slaves are well treated, and are permitted to serve whom they please, on condition of paying a part of their earnings to the government. European renegadoes are advanced to offices in the state, and at this time the commander of the marine was a renegado Englishman; there were two taverns kept by Europeans, one of whom was a Spaniard, the other a Frenchman; but these did no credit to their respective countries by their attention to cleanliness or accommodations.

There were also a French merchant, a Spanish ship-builder, a Swiss watch-maker, and a Maltese physician. Europeans are not only tolerated, but respected at Tripoli.

Every subject who imagines himself aggrieved may approach the Bashaw; and often while he is sitting upon his throne, the cry of "Justice in