210 AFRICAN WAXDERINGS.

defeat, as far as possible, the constant attempts at theft. Roun the hut the soil was thrown up a foot high, and a kind of wall formed, and ditch to save it in case of any high flooding, from the rains. Above, in front, was a round hole, and two doors with pointed gothic arches formed the entrance ; so that the whole, when looked at from the front, was not very unlike a Gothic chapel. We had bought one of the here common large carpets of coarse wool, which at night, on the inner side, covered doors and window, and was fastened to the ground by some small posts. The interior of the hut was divided into tAvo compartments, the front one having on right and left of it our angarebs, that served us as sleeping places and divans. In the back part, that had also a small door, was our store of provisions, and many chests and cases placed on stones : these took it all up, save a passage. This we called our sanctum. Behind this our recuba were the huts of our servants, made by themselves in their usual careless manner. Our chateau so pleased the Pascha, that he gave me the employment of superintending the building of a recuba for him, that was to be as large as a castle (kasr). He himself fixed on length and breadth, a heap of the longest Dom-palms were dragged in, and the carpenters (baltaichi, sappers*) set to work to sink them in the ground ; and these Avere then bound to one another, and from one side to another, with long ropes, to prevent their giving Avay, as cross beams of such length could not be found, and the Pascha would have no partition in the interior. The spar work of slender palms was laid on, and fastened in the joinings with long rails, which for this purpose were sunk into the great tree. I would have added supports, but the Pascha rejected these with an "Allah Kerim ! " and thus was formed a house far surpassing all the rest. Hardly was this erection finished, than my brother was summoned to the Pascha, to inspect two female slaves purchased for him by Mohammed Ehle (Ehle, white, innocent). According to my brother's report, they were both very pretty, of bright brown colour, free from blemisli, very young, and from the land of Basa. The poor girls sat in one corner of this larger recuba, behind a great curtain ; they were totally ignorant of the Arab language, and, trembling in every limb, awaited their fate. Ere * From balta, axe.