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As the Souafee left the threshold of the apartment, his Excellency turned to me, and raising his right hand underneath his chin, drew its back jerkingly forwards, making the sign of the well-known expression of contempt in North Africa. He then said to me: "See what a life I lead, what insults I am obliged to put up with! what beasts are these Arabs!"
The Souafee. "Make haste, give me money." The Governor. "Have none." The Souafee. "Where's the money?" The Governor. "Go to the Ghadamseeah." The Souafee. "They tell me you have all their money." The Governor. "Go to them." The Souafee. The Governor. "Bislamah."
This completely settled them, and exasperated them, as well it might; they said no more. The Mussulmans always have in their memories the conduct of the English when they drove out the French from Egypt, and discussing this kind of politics, it is quite natural. Afterwards I heard a Souafee holding forth to another group.
I omit a great deal about Souf politics, not being anxious to worry the reader with French and Tuniseen Saharan diplomacy. But a Souafee's notion of hospitality is rather, I should think, rigid. I said to a Souafee, whose acquaintance I have made, "I shall come to your country, and write all about it." "If you dare," he replied, "by G d, the people will immediately cut your throat."
His theme was, the Shânbah, Warklah, Touaricks, Tugurt, Souf, and Ghadames, and it was evident to him that besides the people now enumerated there were no others in the world. A respectable Moor observed at the time, "That Souafee is a rascal. He's as great a robber as a Shânbah bandit. Mussulmans are not like Christians. The Christians have but one word, and are brothers.
"No, no," rejoined the Souafee, "the people will tear the amer to pieces, and set the Bey, the French, and all Christians, at defiance." No doubt the Souafah, the most interesting Arabs of all this region, are very fierce of their independence, which explains their jealousy of the French, and their determinedly withholding any mark of sovereignty, in the way of tribute, from the Bey of Tunis.
The conversation which followed, if such it may be called, is characteristic of the bold Arab, and the haughty Turk. The Souafee. "The Shânbah are coming to Ghadames." The Governor. "I don't know; God knows." The Souafee. "My brothers write to me and tell me so." The Governor. "I don't know." The Souafee. "Give me money, and I'll go and look after them." The Governor. "I have no money."
The words in the Cross, which Constantine is reported to have seen in the heavens. When the milk is fresh it is called by the Arabs حليب, when sour, لبن. Gaiety of the Black Dervish. Walking Dance of the Slaves. The Fullans or Fellatahs. Shoushoua, or scarifying the face of Negroes. Terms used in connexion with Slaves. The Razzia. A Souafee Politician.
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