6 JOURNEY FROM

\^iceroy for our passing from Derna to Alexandria; and we afterwards received a firman from Mahommed Ali, which he considered would

be sufficient to ensure our advance.

These preliminaries settled we began to make preparations for our

journey, and consulted with the most intelligent natives in Tripoly

on the best means of forwarding the objects of the Expedition.

AV^e found them on all occasions particularly obliging, and always ready to afford us every information in their power. From

Sidi Mahommed D’Ghies, in particular, the same well-informed

native who had been of great service to Mr. Kitchie and Captain

Lyon, as well as from his son *, a most excellent young man, we

received at various times much useful advice, and always the most

friendly and cordial reception.

At the house of Sidi Mahommed, we were one day introduced to

one of the most respectable Mahometan traders to Timbuctoo ; who

* This young man, who is the second son of Sidi Mahommed d’Ghies, and is also named Mahommed, is an admirable example of true devotion to the religion of his

country, united with the more extended and liberal feelings of Europeans. He daily

visits the public school where young boys are taught to read the Koran ; and superin-

tends the charitable distribution of food which the bounty of Sidi Mahommed provides

for the poor who daily present themselves at his gate. Besides his acquaintance with

the English and French languages, he is able to converse with the slaves of the family

in several languages of the interior of Africa ; and when it is considered that Mahome-

tans in general seldom trouble themselves to speak any language but their own, this

proficiency is greatly to his credit ; we should rather, perhaps, say, to the credit of his

father, under whose eye he has been hitherto brought up, and who is himself well

acquainted with the French, and we believe with several other languages. The elder .son

of Sidi Mohammed was in England while we were at Tripoly, and must be remembered

by many of the first circles in London.