- The Bey mounts, and, going along
about one hundred yards from the spot, he salutes the Arab guards, who
Follow behind him; then, about five or six miles further, overtaking the
Turkish soldiers, who, on his coming up, are drawn up on each side of
the road, his Highness salutes them; and then afterwards the
water-carriers are saluted, being most important personages in the dry
countries of this circuit, and last of all, the gunners; after all
which, the Bey sends forward a mameluke, who returns with the Commander,
or Agha of the Arabs, to his Highness. This done, the Bey gallops off to
the right or left from the line of march, on whichsoever side is most
game - the Bey going every day to shoot, whilst the Agha takes his place
and marches to the next halting-place.
One morning the Bey shot two partridges while on horseback. "In fact,"
says Mr. Rade, "he is the best shot on horseback I ever saw - he seldom
missed his game." As Captain B. was riding along with the doctor, they
remarked a cannon-ball among some ruins; but, being told a saint was
buried there, they got out of the way as quick as if a deadly serpent
had been discovered. Stretching away to the left, we saw a portion of
the remains of the Carthaginian aqueduct. The march was only from six to
eight miles, and the encampment at Tfeefleeah. At day-break, at noon, at
3 o'clock, P.M. and at sunset, the Muezzen called from outside and near
the door of the Bey's tent the hour of prayer. An aide-de-camp also
proclaimed, at the same place, whether we should halt, or march, on the
morrow, The Arabs consider fat dogs a great delicacy, and kill and eat
them whenever they can lay hands upon them. Captain B. was fortunate in
not bringing his fat pointer, otherwise he would have lost him. The
Arabs eat also foxes and wolves, and many animals of the chase not
partaken of by us. The French in Algiers kill all the fat cats, and turn
them into hares by dexterous cooking. The mornings and evenings we found
cold, but mid-day very hot and sultry.
We left Tfeefleeah early, and went in search of wild-boar; found only
their tracks, but saw plenty of partridges and hares; the ground being
covered with brushwood and heath, we soonae lost sight of them. The Arabs
were seen on a sudden running and galloping in all directions, shouting
and pointing to a hill, when a huge beast was put up, bristling and
bellowing, which turned out to be a hyaena. He was shot by a mameluke, Si
Smyle, and fell in a thicket, wallowing in his blood. He was a fine
fellow, and had an immense bead, like a bull-dog. They put him on a
mule, and carried him in triumph to the Bey. When R. arrived at the
camp, the Bey sent him the skin and the head as a present, begging that
he would not eat the brain.
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