in no other way could he maintain any authority amongst
these semi-barbarian Kailouees. This, nevertheless, cannot excuse the
atrocity of beating his wife with burning fagots. Some say that the
exciting cause of his brutality was the eternal loquacity of the woman,
of which his highness began to be afraid. This may be true, or be only
an excuse invented by his courtiers. Supposing, however, the cause to
have been her _infidelity_, let us examine what can be reasonably
expected from these African women. They are not allowed scarcely to
believe themselves to possess souls; they have no moral motives to be
chaste, and certainly none of family and honour, being mostly slaves.
Then the greater part of the young girls of consequence are married to
old men, who are worn out by their sensual habits and indulgence with
innumerable concubines. These young women are thus left, though married,
like so many widows, without education or religious motives, and with
all their passions alive, to the first opportunity which presents
itself. We know what they do, and we cannot expect anything else from
them.

We have often dancing now of evenings. Yesterday, hearing the
tambourines and other instruments strike up, I went to the house of the
Sfaxee to see what was going on. They were dancing again their Mourzuk
dances before a number of delighted Kailouees, male and female; amongst
the rest Lady En-Noor herself. The whole beauty and appropriateness of
this exercise amongst the Moors consists, as is well known, in gross
imitations of natural acts. No further description or comment can I
permit myself. I have often thought that the present dance must be an
inheritance from very ancient times. There seems to be a part of our
nature to which it is adapted. The performances at European Operas are
often nearly as indelicate.

Evil communications corrupt good manners. One of our servants has
learned to act the Tuarick. He quarrelled with Yusuf, and on being told
to go away replied, "Yes. I will go; but when you get up to Damerghou I
will bring down the people upon these Christians, and they shall be
eaten up!"

_11th._--Zangheema, En-Noor's principal slave, came early this morning
for Dr. Overweg, that he might attend the "beaten wife." My privileged
friend went accordingly, and visited at the same time all the women of
the household. They received him in a very friendly manner: some of them
proved nearly white.

_12th._--This day I finished