The bastinadoes with which he
had been treated were inflicted on his bare person, cold water being
applied thereto, which made the punishment more severe.
After receiving
one hundred, he said he would shew his hiding-place; and some people
being sent with him, dug a hole where he pointed out, but without coming
to anything. This was done several times, but with the same effect. He
was then locked up in chains till the following morning. Millions of
dollars lie buried by the Arabs at this moment in different parts of
Barbary, especially in Morocco, perhaps the half of which will never be
found, the owners of them having died before they could point out their
hoarded treasures to their relatives, as but a single person is usually
in the secret. Money is in this way buried by tribes, who have nothing
whatever to fear from their sovereigns and their sheikhs; they do it
from immemorial custom. It is for this reason the Arabs consider that
under all ancient ruins heaps of money are buried, placed there by men
or demons, who hold the shining hoards under their invincible spell.
They cannot comprehend how European tourists can undertake such long
journeys, merely for the purpose of examining old heaps of stones, and
making plans and pictures of such rubbish. When any person attempts to
convince the Arabs that this is the sole object, they only laugh with
incredulity.
Went to Nefta, a ride of about fourteen miles, lying somewhat nearer the
Sahara than Toser. The country on the right was undulating sand, on the
left an apparently boundless ocean, where lies, as a vast sheet of
liquid fire, when the sun shines on it, the now long celebrated Palus
Libya. In this so-called lake no water is visible, except a small marsh
like the one near Toser, where we went duck-shooting. Our party was very
respectable, consisting of the Agha of the Arabs, two or three of the
Bey's mamelukes, the Kaed of the Jereed, whose name is Braun, and fifty
or sixty Arab guards, besides ourselves. On entering Nefta, the escort
immediately entered, according to custom, a marabet (that of Sidi Bou
Aly), Captain B. and R. meanwhile standing outside.
There were two famous saints here, one of whom was a hundred years of
age. The other, Sidi Mustapha Azouz, had the character of being a very
clever and good man, which also his intelligent and benevolent
appearance betokened, and not a fanatic, like Amour Abeda of Kairwan.
There were at the time of our visit to him about two hundred people in
his courtyard, who all subsisted on his charities. We were offered
dates, kouskousou, [39] and a seed which they call sgougou, and which
has the appearance of dried apple-seed. The Arabs eat it with honey,
first dipping their fingers into the honey, and then into the seed,
which deliciously sticks to the honey. The Sheikh's saint also
distributed beads and rosaries.
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