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Updated: June 29, 2025
Some of them were nearly naked, having only a piece of leather round their loins. Our sending for an escort from Mourzuk seems to have aroused the whole country; all these poor wretches expected, at least, a little hamsa from the Christians, who were reported to have a long train of camels laden with gold and silver, and all sorts of rich goods.
And "Every one of us, some in a greater or less degree, had been seriously disordered; and amongst the inhabitants themselves, anything like a healthy-looking person was a rarity." Denham observes also that to account for the sickliness of Mourzuk was a very difficult matter, and required a wiser head than his. Trona, الطرون, and ترونه "Carbonate of Soda."
There are two seasons and two crops. But the gardens near the city offer no features of beautiful vegetation. At a distance there are much finer specimens of Saharan cultivation. The government of Mourzuk consists of a Bashaw, ostensibly assisted by a Divan of six persons, to whom is joined the Kady. Besides a Kady in this city, there are four Kadys in the rest of the province.
But they had little to eat, and were miserably fed, except those who had the good fortune to be purchased by Haj Ibrahim. For some of these improvident stupid merchants had actually purchased slaves without the means of keeping them. On arriving at The Wady, they sent jointly, through Haj Ibrahim, to borrow a hundred dollars of the Bashaw of Mourzuk. The messenger was Mustapha.
Gagliuffi at Mourzuk, ridiculed the Ramadan, and called those who fasted, fools. He would squat down in Mr. Gagliuffi's house, and take out his pipe at midday, and say, "Come, Consul, let's have a drink of the pipe. These people who fast all day are asses." Other Touaricks, more scrupulous, always set out on a journey during Ramadan, in order to have the relaxation permitted by the law.
Houses in The Wady are of palm-branches, and some of sun-dried mud-bricks, but mostly miserable hovels, the very picture of wretchedness. Palms in The Wady are not very fine. There are many patches of cultivation of grain and vegetables. Water is found near the surface, and the wells are numerous. 20th. I left our caravan early this morning for Mourzuk.
Mukhanee was originally a merchant, and a member of the Divan of Mourzuk. He ruined Fezzan." One of the people of this place said to me, "Better if you were a Mussulman, and ate and drank like us." I replied, "I eat everything good, and never fast to make myself ill." This plain speech amazed them. They, of course, asked me what sort of places were England and London.
The Concubine of His Excellency. Convoy of Provisions for the Troops of Mourzuk. The number of Palms destroyed at Sockna by Abd-El-Geleel. Population of Sockna, and position of the Oasis. Visit to the Sockna Maraboutess. The Lady honoured with "Stigmata," or "Holy Marks." Propriety or impropriety of assuming the Moorish Character and the Mahometan Religion whilst Travelling in Sahara.
Of course, there's not a bit of ordnance in The Sahara. I don't recollect seeing a single piece of cannon at the Turkish fortified places of Mourzuk, or Sockna, or Bonjem. 31st. Took a walk to see the Governor. He was very civil, and I begin to think more of his talent. His Excellency was very busy in weighing gold.
Men 1,000 souls Women 1,500 " Children and slaves 3,000 " Total 5,500 " Sockna is often spoken of as distinct from the districts of Fezzan, and so it really is; but others include both it and Bonjem within the circle of these clusters of oases, forming one province. The Turkish Kaed is more or less dependant on the Bashaw of Mourzuk.
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