ANDT ANECDOTES* 35 possess. Abdrahaman ben Nassar, bashaw of Abda, was perfectly acquainted with Livy and Tacitus, and had read those works from the library at Fas. It is more than probable that the works of these authors, as well as those of many other Romans and Greeks, are to be found translated into the Arabic language, in the hands of private individuals in West and in South Barbary. This library was dispersed at the accession of Muley Soliman, and books commenting on the Koran only were retained ; the rest were burned or dispersed among the natives.

Deism.

Deism was very prevalent throughout the empire. When the present Emperor Soliman came to the throne, the deists went about in large numbers, exclaiming. La Allah ila Allah, " There is no God but God.'' The Emperor soon silenced these people, by proclaiming that if any should be found uttering this truth, without adding, " Muhamed is his prophet,'* should (* ekul lassah) be beat. The sect soon disappeared.

This punishment is inflicted by two men, one on each side ; the culprit is stretched naked on the ground, and beat on the back unmercifully, with sticks two yards long, and as thick as a finger.

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