on one she leans; and others remove out of her way any thing which might annoy her, as she walks about, to overlook the cookery, and give directions. The daughters of the Bashaw, and the wives of his sons, are not exempt from this duty. Ladies of the highest rank attend upon their husbands while at dinner; and the wife of one of the princes, when sent for by his mother, returned for answer that she could not come because her husband was eating.

Nothing can be more splendid than the costume of the court of Tripoli, and its magnificence extended to the costume of the horses. During my stay in this city, the Bey returned from Mesurata, where he had been collecting the tribute, with four hundred cavalry. His approach was announced by the band of music, which plays only for the Bashaw and for him, and by the festive song of Loo, loo, loo, from the people, as he passed. As he drew near, his horsemen galloped at full speed, backwards and forwards, on the sands before him.

The Bey was resplendent with gold and jewels. His turban, which was very large, was of the finest muslin; a crescent, chiefly composed of diamonds, glittered in front, and a shawl of purple and gold was crossed over it; the two ends, which were embroidered with gold, nearly half a yard deep, hanging over his left shoulder. His caftan, or loose upper garment, was of pale yellow satin, lined with ermine, and ornamented with silver, and his vest was of green and gold tissue. The gold necklaces of his horse nearly covered the chest.

The sides of the outer tent of the Bey were

FURNITURE OF HORSES.

479

ined with light blue silk, and the top with crimson satin, with embroidered flowers of gold and silver. The inner tent in which he slept, was chiefly composed of blue and white silk. On one side of the entrance of the former was placed the colours; and on the other the silver stick bearing one tail.

As the Bey reached the gates, a courier, mounted on a dromedary, arrived from Egypt. He was fastened to the animal with large ropes, to prevent his being thrown off by the swiftness of its pace; yet he had been twenty-five days in coming from Cairo, a distance of about 900 miles; a rate of travelling which does not accord with the usual expedition of the dromedary.

I afterwards saw the Bashaw and the Bey go to the principal mosque. The horses on which they rode were buried in their trappings. Their saddles were of embossed gold; the stirrups were of gold, and weighed thirteen pounds each pair; the horse of the Bashaw had five necklaces of solid gold, that of the Bey had three. At another time, I saw two of the younger sons of the Bashaw riding on the sands near the town. The eldest wore a caftan of gold and silver brocade, with purple flowers; and, over this, a jacket without sleeves, of crimson velvet and gold. His girdle was of gold, and very broad; the handle of his sabre was gold and silver, set with precious stones; the front and back of his saddle were covered with plates of gold. The first housings of his horse were of crimson velvet with gold embroidery; the second of purple, with a broad silver lace, and a rich gold fringe; the third of dark velvet, with a broad lace of dead gold. The younger prince was equally

splendid, as were also the principal attendants of both.

The stirrups are a flat plate, widening at each end, with high sharp edges on the sides. They measure more than half a yard in length; the sides cut like a razor; and those of the poor horse are frequently obliged to be dressed, when he arrives at his stable, in consequence of the wounds he has received from them.

If my reader be already weary of gold and jewels, silk and velvet, silver and embroidery, he will do well to pass the following chapter, in which there will be a repeated display of them all. Its contents are furnished by a lady, the sister of a British Consul*, who resided ten years at Tripoli, and was admitted to an intimacy with the ladies of the Bashaw's family, and those of some of his principal officers. The information thus obtained is curious, and could only be derived from such a

source.

* Mr. Tully.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

DRESS AND DOMESTIC MANNERS OF THE LADIES OF TRIPOLI.

FROM the gate of the castle at Tripoli the British Consul and his family entered a court which was crowded with guards. At the farther end of this, they passed through the hall in which the Kaiya, the chief officer of the Bashaw, sits during the whole of the day. In the next court, stood the hall of audience, finished on the outside with Chinese tiles, a number of which formed one entire painting. A flight of steps, of variegated marble led to the door. After this, the numerous buildings of the castle formed several streets, and beyond them was the bagnio where the Christian slaves were kept. Here the gentlemen of the party remained, not being allowed to proceed any farther; while the ladies were conducted by eunuchs through long vaulted passages, so dark that they could scarcely see their way, to one of the courts of the horem. This court they found very gloomy; it being covered with a close, heavy, iron grating, and the galleries before the chambers were shut in by very small lattice.

The English ladies were introduced to the wife of the Bashaw, whose title is Lilla Kebeera, Greatest Lady. The cap of this lady was so richly embroidered that it looked as if formed of a solid plate of gold. Her shift was covered at

the neck with gold embroidery. Her under waistcoat was of gold and silver tissue, and without sleeves; her upper waistcoat was of purple velvet, with gold lace, buttons of pearl and coral, and short sleeves with a gold band. The rest of the arm was covered with the wide loose sleeve of the shift, which was of transparent gauze, with stripes of gold, silver, and ribband. The barracan was of crimson gauze, with silk stripes of the same colour. The trowsers, and, by the way, a pair of trowsers to be handsome, must be seven yards wide, were of pale yellow and white silk, confined round the ancle by a band, three inches broad, formed of gold thread; and immediately below these were a pair of rings an inch and an half broad, and the same in thickness. Each of these rings weighs four pounds; and the gold is so fine that it is bent with one hand to the leg in putting on, and remains without any fastening, till it is opened, and taken off. A lady walks little, and with great caution, when she wears such fetters. The wife of the Bashaw had two rings through the bottom of each ear, and three through the top, all set with precious stones.

The apartment of Lilla Kebeera was hung with dark green velvet, with coloured silk damask flowers; and sentences from the Koran, in silk letters, formed a deep border at the top and near the bottom; the latter was finished with landscapes on tiles. On the walls were large lookingglasses in frames of gold and silver. The floor was covered with curious matting, and this with rich carpets. Mattrasses and cushions, covered with velvet, and embroidered with gold and silver, served for seats.