They
Are Strict Observers Of The Law, And Very Hospitable To Strangers.
Captain B., However, Thought That, Had He Not
Been under the protection
of the Bey, his head would not have been worth much in these districts.
Every traveller
Almost forms a different opinion, and frequently the
very opposite estimate, respecting the strangers amongst whom he is
sojourning. A few Jewish artizans have always been tolerated here, on
condition of wearing a black handkerchief round their heads, and not
mount a horse, &c. Recently the Bey, however, by solemn decrees, has
placed the Jews exactly on the same footing of rights and privileges as
the rest of his subjects.
Nefta is the intermediate _entrepot_ of commerce which Tunis pours
towards the Sahara, and for this reason is called by the Arabs, "the
gate of Tunis;" but the restrictive system established by the Turks
during late years at Ghadumes, has greatly damaged the trade between the
Jereed and the Desert. The movement of the markets and caravans takes
place at the beginning of spring, and at the end of summer. Only a
portion of the inhabitants is devoted to commerce, the rich landed
proprietory and the Shereefs representing the aristocracy, lead the
tranquil life of nobles, the most void of care, and, perhaps, the
happiest of which contemplative philosophy ever dreamed. The oasis of
Nefta, indeed, is said to be the most poetic of the Desert; its gardens
are delicious; its oranges and lemons sweet; its dates the finest fruit
in the "land of dates." Nearly all the women are pretty, of that beauty
peculiar to the Oriental race; and the ladies who do not expose
themselves to the fierce sun of the day, are as fair as Mooresses.
Santa Maria left for Ghabs, to which place there is not a correct route
laid down in any chart. There are three routes, but the wells of one are
only known to travellers, a knowledge which cannot be dispensed with in
these dry regions. The wells of the other two routes are known to the
bordering tribes alone, who, when they have taken a supply of water,
cover them up with sand, previously laying a camel-skin over the
well-mouth, to prevent the sand falling into the water, so that, while
dying with thirst, you might be standing on a well and be none the
wiser. The Frenchman has taken with him an escort of twelve men. The
weather is cooler, with a great deal of wind, raising and darkening the
sky with sand; even among the dategroves our eyes and noses were like so
many sand-quarries.
Sheikh Tahib has been twice subjected to corporal punishment in the same
way as before mentioned, with the addition of fifty, but they cannot
make him bleed as they wish. He declares he has not got the money, and
that he cannot pay them, though they cut him to pieces. As he has
collected a great portion of the tribute of the people, one cannot much
pity the lying rogue.
We were amused with the snake-charmers. These gentry are a company under
the protection of their great saint Sidi Aysa, who has long gone
upwards, but also is now profitably employed in helping the juggling of
these snake-mountebanks. These fellows take their snakes about in small
bags or boxes, which are perfectly harmless, their teeth and poison-bags
being extracted. They carry them in their bosoms, put them in their
mouths, stuffing a long one in of some feet in length, twist them around
their arms, use them as a whip to frighten the people, in the meanwhile
screaming out and crying unto their Heavenly protector for help, the
bystanders devoutly joining in their prayers. The snake-charmers usually
perform other tricks, such as swallowing nails and sticking an iron bar
in their eyes; and they wear their hair long like women, which gives
them a very wild maniacal look.
Three of the mamelukes and ourselves went to Wedyen, a town and
date-wood about eight miles from Toser, to the left. The date-grove is
extensive, and there are seven villages in it of the same name. We slept
in the house of the Sheikh, who complained that the Frenchman, in
passing that way, had allowed his escort to plunder, and actually bound
the poor Sheikh, threatening him on his remonstrating. What conduct for
Christians to teach these people!
One morning before daylight, we were on horseback, and _en route_
towards the hills, for the purpose of shooting loted, as they call a
species of deer found here. The ground in the neighbourhood of Wedyen is
tossed about like a hay-field, and volcanic looking. About four miles
off we struck into the rocks, on each side of our path, rising
perpendicularly in fantastic shapes. On reaching the highest ground, the
view was exceedingly wild. Much of the rock appeared as if it had only
just been cooled from a state of fusion; there was also a quantity of
tuffo rock, similar to that in the neighbourhood of Naples. The first
animal we saw was a wolf, which, standing on the sky-line of the
opposite hill, looked gigantic. The deep valley between, however,
prevented our nearer approach.
We soon after came on a loted, who took to his heels, turning round a
mass of rock; but, soon after, he almost met as, and we had a view of
him within forty yards. Several shots were fired at him without effect,
and he at last made his escape, with a speed which defied all our
attempts at following him. Dismounting, the Sheikh Ali, of the Arab
tribe Hammama, who was with us, and who is the greatest deer-stalker in
the country, preceded us a little distance to look out for deer, the
marks of which were here very numerous. After a short time, an Arab
brought information of a herd of some thirty, with a good many young
ones; but our endeavours to have a shot at them were fruitless, though
one of the Arabs got near enough to loose the dogs at them, and a
greyhound was kicked over for his pains.
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