It Is Merely Threatened As A Terror; Whilst It Is Not To Be
Overlooked, That The Soles Of The Feet Of Arabs, And The Lower Classes
In This Country, Are Like Iron, From The Constant Habit Of Going
Barefoot Upon The Sharpest Stones.
Severe punishments of any kind are
rarely inflicted in Tunis.
The country was nearly all flat desert, with scarcely an inhabitant to
dissipate its savage appearance. The women of a few Arab horsehair tents
(waterproof when in good repair) saluted us as we passed with their
shrill looloos. There appeared a great want of water. We passed the
ruins of several towns and other remains. The camels were always driven
into camp at sunset, and hobbled along, their two fore-legs being tied,
or one of them being tied up to the knee, by which the poor animals are
made to cut a more melancholy figure than with their usual awkward gait
and moody character.
We continued our march about ten miles in nearly a southern direction,
and encamped at a place called Heelet-el-Gazlen.
One morning shortly after starting, we came to a small stream with very
high and precipitous banks, over which one arch of a fine bridge
remained, but the other being wanting, we had to make a considerable
_detour_ before we could cross; the carriages had still greater
difficulty. Here we have an almost inexcusable instance of the
disinclination of the Moors to repairs, for had the stream been swollen,
the camp would have been obliged to make a round-about march by the way
of Hamman-el-Enf, of some thirty miles; and all for the want of an arch
which would scarcely cost a thousand piastres!
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