dustry. What bandit could
ever settle down into a tiller of the ground?

_8th._--The people came this morning, in a great hurry, to take off the
luggage, and afterwards pretended that I should go to-morrow, whilst the
baggage must be forwarded to-day. This arrangement I positively refused
to comply with, being determined to stop no longer.

I went to take leave of the Sarkee. His highness had nothing to say, and
we as little to him. We just shook hands, and that was all. He is not
very well pleased with his late man-hunt. He still owes twenty thousand
dollars, which it will require a dozen such speculations to pay off. The
castle outside was besieged with soldiers, all lounging and listening to
two or three drummers. I am disgusted to see so many idle people. The
only novelty was four or five singing-women, who sung choruses inside
the walls to a drummer. All the soldiers in undress, or not going on
razzia, are bare-headed, and also nearly all the inhabitants of the
town. A few persons, mostly women, wear a piece of blue cotton cloth
over their heads, tied tight, so as to have the appearance of a cap. The
common sort of women go with their breasts bare; others, of higher rank,
drag up their skirts to cover their breasts; and a few add a piece of
cotton cloth, which they throw over their shoulders like a shawl.

The Sarkee has presented Yusuf with a horse, blind with one eye, and not
much bigger than a jackass, in return for the present Yusuf made to him.
In fact, this potentate is now as poor as a rat, and has nothing to give
away. When he has anything, he soon parts with it, being generous to
prodigality. The title Sarkee is used for men of inferior rank, and is
something like Bey.

I waited till three o'clock, P.M., for my servants, and Said of Haj
Beshir, to come and bring the oxen for the rest of the baggage--the boat
and the heavy baggage left in the morning; and seeing no signs of their
preparation, I determined to be no longer duped by them, and told the
servant of Haj Beshir that I would start to-day, be the consequence what
it might. So off I went to the Shereef, and told him I must go at once,
to follow the Kashalla, who had taken away the box in which was the
chronometer, and I must go to wind it up early in the morning. He
immediately informed the Sarkee, and asked for a soldier. A soldier was
forthwith brought, and a message from the Sarkee, that the horse which
had been sent for me to ride upon was a pr