The old gentleman is always merry and loyal, in spite of the
treatment from his imperial taskmaster.
Very funny stories are told by the masters of the small craft, who
transport the bullocks from hence to Gibraltar. The government of that
place are only allowed to export, at a low duty per annum, a certain
number of bullocks. The contractor's agents come over; and at the moment
of embarking the cattle, something like the following dialogue
frequently ensues.
_Agent of Contractor_. - "Count away!"
_Captain of the Port_. - "One, two, three, &c. Thirty, forty. Ah! stop!
stop! too many."
_Agent of Contractor_. - "No, you fool, there are only thirty."
_Captain of the Port_. - "You lie! there are forty."
_Agent of Contractor_. - "Only thirty, I tell you," (putting three or
four dollars into his hand).
_Captain of the Port_. - "Well, well, there are only thirty."
And, in this way, the garrison of Gibraltar often gets 500 or 1,000 head
of cattle more than the stipulated number, at five dollars per head duty
instead of ten. Who derives the benefit of peculation I am unable to
state. An anecdote recurs to me of old Youssef, Bashaw of Tripoli,
illustrative of the phlebotomizing system now under consideration.
Colonel Warrington one day seriously represented to the bashaw how his
functionaries robbed him, and took the liberty of mentioning the name of
one person.
