As We Journeyed Onward, We Saw Much Less Vegetation And Very Little
Cultivation.
An immense plain lay before and around us, in which,
however, there was some undulating ground.
Passed a good stone bridge;
were supplied with water near a large Arab encampment, around which were
many droves of camels; turned up several hares, partridges, and
gazelles. One of the last gave us a good chase, but the greyhounds
caught him; in the first half mile, he certainly beat them by a good
half of the instance, but having taken a turn which enabled the dogs to
make a short cut, and being blown, they pulled the swift delicate
creature savagely down. There were several good courses after hares,
though her pursuers gave puss no fair play, firing at her before the
dogs and heading her in every possible way.
Rode to Kairwan. Few Christians arrive in this city. Prince Pueckler
Muskau was the fourth when he visited it in 1835. The town is clean, but
many houses are in ruins. The greater part of a regiment of the Nitham
are quartered here. The famous mosque, of course, we were not allowed to
enter, but many of its marble pillars and other ornaments, we heard from
Giovanni, were the spoils of Christian churches and Pagan temples. The
house of the Kaed was a good specimen of dwellings in this country.
Going along a street, we were greatly surprised at seeing our
attendants, among whom were Si Smyle (a very intelligent and learned
man, and who taught Mr. R. Arabic during the tour) and the Bash-Boab,
jumping off their horses, and, running up to an old-looking Moor, and
then seizing his hand, kissed it; and for some time they would not leave
the ragged ruffian-like saint.
At last, having joined us, they said he was Sidi Amour Abeda, a man of
exceeding sanctity, and that if the Bey had met the saint, his Highness
must have done the same. The saint accompanied us to the Kaed's house;
and, on entering, we saw the old Kaed himself, who was ill and weeping
on account of the arrival of his son, the commander of a portion of the
guards of the camp. We went up stairs, and sat down to some sweetmeats
which had been prepared for us, together with Si Smyle and Hamda, but,
as we were commencing, the saint, who was present, laid hold of the
sweets with his hands, and blessed them, mumbling _bismillas_ [33] and
other jargon. We afterwards saw a little house, in course of erection by
order of the Bey, where the remains of Sidi Amour Abeda are to be
deposited at his death, so that the old gentleman can have the pleasure
of visiting his future burial-place. In this city, a lineal descendant
of the Prophet, and a lucky guesser in the way of divining, are the
essential ingredients in the composition of a Moorish saint. Saints of
one order or another are as thick here as ordinary priests in Malta,
whom the late facetious Major Wright was accustomed to call
_crows_ - from their black dress - but better, cormorants, as agreeing
with their habits of fleecing the poor people. Sidi Amour Abeda's hands
ought to be lily-white, for every one who meets him kisses them with
devout and slavering obeisance. The renegade doctor of the Bey told us
that the old dervish now in question would like nothing better than to
see us English infidels burnt alive. Fanaticism seems to be the native
growth of the human heart!
We afterwards visited the Jabeah, or well, which they show as a
curiosity, as also the camel which turns round the buckets and brings up
the water, being all sanctified, like the wells of Mecca, and the
drinking of the waters forming an indispensable part of the pilgrimage
to all holy Mohammedan cities.
We returned to the Kaed's, and sat down to a capital dinner. The old
Governor was a great fanatic, and when R. ran up to shake hands with
him, the mamelukes stopped R. for fear he might be insulted. We visited
the fortress, which was in course of repair, our _cicerone_ being Sidi
Reschid, an artillery-officer. We then returned to the camp, and found
Santa Maria, the French officer, had arrived, who, during the tour,
employed himself in taking sketches and making scientific observations.
He was evidently a French spy on the resources of the Bey. It was given
out, however, that he was employed to draw charts of Algiers, Tunis, and
Tripoli, by his Government. He endeavoured to make himself as unpopular
as some persons try to make themselves agreeable, being very jealous of
us, and every little thing that we had he used to cry for it and beg it
like a child, sometimes actually going to the Bey's tent in person, and
asking his Highness for the things which he saw had been given to us.
We went to see his Highness administer justice, which he always did,
morning and evening, whilst at Kairwan. There were many plaintiffs, but
no defendants brought up; most of them were turned out in a very summary
manner. To some, orders were given, which we supposed enabled them to
obtain redress; others were referred to the kadys and chiefs. The Bey,
being in want of camels, parties were sent out in search of them, who
drove in all the finest that they could find, which were then marked
("taba,") _a la Bey_, and immediately became the Bey's property. It was
a curious sight to see the poor animals thrown over, and the red-hot
iron put to their legs, amidst the cries and curses of their late
different owners - all which were not in the least attended to, the wants
of the Bey, or Government, being superior on such occasions of
necessity, or what not, to all complaint, law, or justice. About two
hundred changed hands in this way.
The Bey of Tunis has an immense number of camels which he farms out.
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