320 FRAGMENTS Cruz, in Suse, diiring the rainy season, from November till February inclusive, live in caves and excavations in the rocks and earth ; laying up provisions sufficient for that period, until the snow begins to melt. The Berebbers of North Atlas have followed the same custom from time immemorial.

Police of West Barbary, When the present Emperor came to the throne, he gave indefatigable attention to the police. He wished, he said, to make the roads safe for travellers, from the Desert, or Sahara, to the shores of the Mediterranean. He was vigilant in discovering thefts, and rigorous in punishing them. If any one was robbed, he had only to report it to the Emperor, who would forthwith order the douar where the robbery was committed to restore the sum stolen, and to pay a fine to the treasury of the same amount. By adhering strictly to this system, he improved the revenue, and made travelling perfectly safe ; so that one may travel now (1805),Vithout danger, with property or money, from one end of the empire to the other. Before this system of policy was renewed, (for it is an old law of the land,) travellers with property were obliged to have a statta : thus, if a caravan was going from Terodant or Marocco to Fas, it took a statta ; that is, two men, natives of the district of Rahamena, who accompanied the caravan in safety