94-AFRICAN WANDERINGS.

in low tones ; on his waking, all still remained reverently standing, nor did they seat themselves, till he requested it. He was again all smiles and most friendly, but did not offer us any refreslimcnt. He, like all Sheiks of high rank and Faki, neither smokes nor drinks any kind of spirituous liquors, not even merissa, but yet takes snuff in large quantities. He examined most closely our basket-hiked dragoon swords, and said they were good. We complimented him on being known everywhere as a warrior, even by the Franks ; he shook his head, said, he had seen on the Salt Sea, near Sauakinn, large ships with cannons, but that he did not desire aid from the Ingleb (English), and added some more words that were not translated to us. I unthinkingly asked, how many his people might number. " Count the trees ! " he replied, looking proudly round him. Our talk having to be carried on through an interpreter soon wearied us, and we took our departure.

CHAP. VI.

Merissa Huts. — Arab Gratitude. — Splendid Soil. — The Pascha's Grand Projects. — A Pleasant Servant. — Turkish Eating. — Turkish Faith. — Arabs of Hedjas. — Mehemet Ah's Campaigns.

On one side of Mitkenab there is held every morning a great market (sukh), to which the natives come in streams, from all parts round, to dispose of cattle, grain, honey, butter, cotton cloths, &c., but all trading is by barter, and by him who has no top, or dogk*, or such cotton stuffs as are made by the natives themselves, or at least some durra, no business is to be done, or purchases made. And even, though we had possessed all these we could not have traded, as in these villages the hatred against the army was so great, that it seemed as if all the inhabitants had mutually agreed, to allow the foe to procure nothing they could possibly prevent, by the strictest care, nor could we obtain the smallest mor-sel of flesh, and now much lamented we had not accepted the sheep proffered us in the morning. It is true, it only required a sign from JMohammed Uin, * Top, in plural Topchan—pieces of cotton cloths twenty or thirty ells long and one yard and a half broad, which come from Ilcdjas. Dogk—pieces twice as broad, from Habcsch, of two reals value.