CHAPTER XI.

A MOSLEM GATE TO HEAVEN.

A Government Appointment-An act of Treachery-The value of a BeardA healthy Climate-Morning Scene in the Canvas City-Character of the Slaass Arabs--A shaven Horse-A Moslem Gate to Heaven-Description of Cairwaan-Inscriptions from its large Mosque—“ Unbelievers" in "the Holy City"-Our quarters.

My third travelling companion not only gave unlimited latitude to his steed, but he extended the same privilege to every one else with whom he stood in connection. He loved unrestricted independence himself, and he saw no reason why others-man or beast-should not enjoy the same freedom. This proves, undoubtedly, an amiable disposition, but it is one which may do well in theory but not in practice, and most decidedly not among the people of the country through which we were wandering. Poor fellow he allowed our men to have their own way after I started for the Bey's camp, and the consequence was that, instead of joining us at 11 A.M., he only reached the canvas city at 1 P.M., when the thermometer stood at 92° Fahrenheit in the shade. He was half roasted, and glad enough to take refuge from the sun's fierce rays in the large and commodious tent of Dr. Schembri.

With our baggage came my friend Belaarem, who no sooner dismounted than he began repeating, for the hundredth time

"Inshallah ma tinsaneesh, if it please Allah, you will not forget me, my friend."

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'No," I rejoined this time, "I shall never forget you." "Then when will you see our lord the Bey?" he inquired. "I have already seen him," I replied.

"And you have forgotten to make the request I so earnestly solicited," the old man observed with a sorrowful and downcast countenance, shaking his head as he spoke.

"No, Belaarem," I answered, "I have not forgotten you, and it gives me infinite pleasure to congratulate you as Sheikh. Here is your robe, which His Highness has already sent me for you, and it is free of all customary fees and charges."

No deserving, and meritorious, candidate for government employment, in civilised countries, was ever more rejoiced at the success which finally attended his repeated applications for office than this Maajer manifested at the sight of the jibbah. It is impossible to describe his delight and raptures, nor will I ever forget his exhibition of unfeigned gratitude. But methinks I hear some one ask

"Did this Maajer, whom you first knew as a robber-chief, and, for aught you can tell, may still direct the movements of banditti, justify you in employing your influence in his favour?"

My answer is, that I felt bound to serve Belaarem for his extreme kindness to me and my party, and in my application for his Sheikhdom, I distinctly stated that I was influenced by this sole motive. Then, reprehensible as the Maajer's fromer course of life is, he is not a whit worse than any of those who hold appointments similar to that I procured him; and he has an advantage over most of his compeers, for he is intelligent and is able to write and read his own language, which the majority of office-bearers in the country cannot. Besides, I would add that even in civilised countries it is not always the most estimable, the most virtuous, the most competent, who meet with most favour from ministers of the Crown-and if those who are at the helm of the states of Europe are not always exempt from a certain degree of

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venality, and if those who are favoured by them are not always the most immaculate, I think, as the world goes, there is not much ground for complaint either against him who procured, or against him who conferred, the office, nor against the happy Belaarem now rejoicing in his jibbah, or gaudy robe of office.

In the course of the afternoon we took a walk through the moveable city, and among other visits we called at the canvas mansion of Sidy Ali Essasi, formerly a Cadi, and now a Caid; and by this simple transposition of letters in his title, he changed the spiritual for the temporal, the ecclesiastical for the civil. From an expounder of the Coran he is now a governor of Jereed, or the whole of that part of the ancient Gætulia which acknowledges the sway of the ruler of Tunis.

Being a friend of this personage, he gave us a very cordial welcome, and desired us to be seated among a number of governors who were either reposing cross-legged, or reclining, on the carpeted floor. The host I found just as merry now as he was when Cadi of Nefta, and he laughed as heartily now at a joke as he did then. He has acquired much wealth since I last saw him, but he has not gained more gravity, which is rather extraordinary, considering the naturally grave character of the Arabs, among whom that particular deportment is regarded as a mark of wisdom. Juvenal says

"Rarus sermo illis, et magna libido tacendi,"

and this is very applicable to Arabs, for they seldom speak, and give great preference to silence. Essasi, on the contrary, is very loquacious and rather flighty.

I last saw this personage in company with Captain Tarleton, who commanded the "Euryalus" at the time His Royal Highness Prince Alfred came to visit the ruins of Carthage. The captain was anxious to have an idea of the interior of a Moorish house, and I therefore introduced him

to the present governor of Jereed. A black cloud was then momentarily darkening his horizon-he was in temporary disgrace, and the cause of his disgrace was of a nature which fully deserves recording.

A few years ago the state of Tripoli was greatly agitated by an Arab patriot named Ghoma. This man, of a very ancient shereef (a sacred) family, was anxious to free his country from the yoke of Turkey. Arabs flocked round the standard of revolt which he raised, and for some time he baffled all the efforts of the Turkish forces sent against him to quell the rebellion. His person was considered sacred and believed to be invulnerable, and the deluded Arabs entertained confident hope in the ultimate success of Ghoma's struggle.

Of this state of things advantage was taken by a certain European party. From it the Arab chief met with encouragement and effectual aid, and this prolonged the conflict. Colonel Hermann, the intelligent British ConsulGeneral of Tripoli, counteracted, and checked, the active interference of the party alluded to; but Ghoma still received advice, and according to that advice he sought to involve the Arabs of Tunis in the conflict. An Arab government in Tripoli versus Turkish usurpation and despotism, was a favourite, and popular, topic with the border tribes, and hence the chief was welcomed with open arms. To avoid a collision with the Porte, or, what was, perhaps, dreaded more still, to prevent losing his own throne, the Bey of Tunis was compelled to send an army to expel Ghoma from his dominions. But the incapacity, and utter inefficiency, of his forces in contending with a chief of consummate skill in the arts of war became soon apparent. At this juncture of affairs Essasi offered to betray Ghoma into the Bey's hands, and the offer was accepted.

Essasi received the necessary powers from the government, and forthwith proceeded to the head-quarters of the army. Here he made arrangements with the general to place, on a

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certain day, a number of men in ambush, whilst he drove off in a splendid French carriage to the camp of Ghoma, with whom he formerly lived on terms of friendship and intimacy. Essasi represented himself as an envoy, authorised to treat with the Arab patriot, who, being himself anxious to come to some understanding with the ruler of Tunis, gave his old friend a most cordial welcome. Having transacted the ostensible negotiations, the two took a walk through the camp, and, as Essasi had anticipated, he found a dense crowd of Arabs collected round his carriage. The vehicle also proved a great attraction to the chief, who examined every part of it with intense interest. The envoy proposed a drive, and the unsuspecting Ghoma readily assented. The horses were instantly harnessed, and in a few minutes after the vehicle rolled over the desert at a tremendous pace. Ghoma was fairly entrapped.

But the Arab chief had, at all times, a number of his cavalry ready mounted, and these, watching the direction which the carriage took, suspected Essasi's treachery.

"Yallah! To the rescue of Ghoma!" shouted the captain, and the words were no sooner uttered, than the whole troop started off, with the utmost velocity, in pursuit of the carriage. The shouts of his own men revealed to the chief the danger in which he found himself, Essasi having kept him so occupied in conversation that he never even perceived the direction the driver was taking. The carriage was brought to a stand close to the spot where the Tunisian soldiers lay in ambush, and only a mile from the head - quarters of the Tunisian army.

The fury of the Arab cavalry was boundless. They desired to sacrifice Essasi on the spot, and begged for permission to cut down the Tunisian soldiers who stood trembling from fear.

"No!" said Ghoma, "leave these men, for they are merely tools of this base wretch, whose perfidy made him