ght and act. To each of the ten slaves was given a lunch of bread;
while both the inhuman buyers and sellers, after chuckling over their
bargains, went to offer up their prayers to Heaven, before they took
their daily meal. Can such unhallowed doings be permitted to endure
longer! Oh, Spirit of Civilization, hither turn your eyes, and punish
the purchasers who ought to know better, for thus only will the sale be
stopped."

[33] I asked a Moor, "Who built this castle on the sands?" He replied
pertly, "Iskander!" Whenever the Moors see anything marvellous or
ancient, they ascribe it to Alexander the Great, to Pharaoh, to Solomon,
or even to Nimrod, as caprice leads them, believing that these three or
four personages created all the wondrous and monstrous things in the
world. But we have an instance here, how soon through ignorance, or the
want of records, a modern thing may become ancient in the minds of the
vulgar. This fort was built after Mogador, which town is not yet a
century old.

[34] Certainly, to establish relations with the Southern provinces of
Morocco, that is, Sous and Wadnoun, would greatly injure the trade of
Mogador, and, therefore, the Consuls, as well as the Moorish
Authorities, set their faces against any direct intercourse being opened
with the South.

[35] Graeberg says Noun means the "river of eels," Davidson derives the
name from a Portuguese queen called Nounah; but his editor says the name
is properly Nul, was so written when the Arabs possessed Portugal, and
that Queen Nunah is a modern invention.

[36] Whatever may have been Mr. Davidson's faults, I scarcely doubt that
the first impressions of Mr. Consul-General Hay were correct. He says,
"I _fear, however, that I am not to expect much assistance from him_,"
(Mr. Hay); and hints, in other parts of his Journal, that Mr. Hay was
rather disposed to throw difficulties in his way, than to render him
efficient aid. Mr. Hay's son (which is very natural) attempts to
exculpate his father in an appendix to his "Western Barbary," and some
will, perhaps, think he has done so successfully. My experience of the
diplomatic skill of the late Consul, does not permit me to coincide with
this favourable opinion. The greater probability is, that if Mr.
Davidson had been left to his own "inspirations," and allowed complete
liberty of action, he would have succeeded in reaching Timbuctoo; but
his health doss not appear to have been sufficiently robust, or himsel