GOVERNMENT. 35

Murder, with the exception of negroes, is of very

rare occurrence. One single instance of this crime

occurred in the year 1838 ; the murderer was

detected, and, after a short examination, hmig on a

gibbet erected in front of the house of the go-

vernor. In praise of Mehemed Ali, it must be

stated that there is not at present that danger for

an European travelling through the country as was

the case during the time it was under the govern- ment of Darfour, when no Djelabi could venture to

undertake a journey into this proAdnce, excepting

under the protection of a considerable escort. At

present, any person may traverse the country from

one end to the other without fear. I myself, on

nearly all occasions, travelled alone, or merely ac-

companied by my servant, and never met with the

slightest delay from robberies, or other hindei-ances

;

on the contrary, I was everywhere received with

the utmost hospitality and courtesy,—the more so when it became gradually known that I was no

Turk, although of white colour, but a Frank.

Ca.ses of petty larceny are of frequent occur-

rence ; for thieving is almost a congenital vice with many of the negroes. What they see they wish to

possess, and if it be not given to them freely, they

will watch their opportunity of appropriating it to

themselves ; but we never find several persons con-

spiring together to commit a robbery.

A single mountain,—" Mount Dyre," inhabited

by negroes, who have not yet been brought to sub-

d3