astonished to hear of his determination to depart; and,
apprehending that he might want an increase of pay, he offered to
increase it: but Bel Kossem told him that an imperious duty
devolved on him to revenge the blood of his ancestor. Accordingly
he received his wages, and departed forthwith for Suse. A few
months afterwards he found an opportunity of killing his enemy,
which being done, it was expected that this Shelluh would now
return to Mogodor, and resume his place again; but by a parity of
reasoning, it devolved to the next of kin of the man recently
killed to seek revenge for his murdered relation, but Bel Kossem,
to avoid the like fate, went into a distant country. This duty of
revenging death, is rigidly pursued among the Shelluhs, so that one
murder often produces ten, or even twenty deaths; each revenging
his relation or next of kin.
293
_Travelling in Barbary._

It is extremely difficult, whilst travelling in this country, to
ascertain from the natives the distance of any (_douar_) encampment
of Arabs: the general answer to such a question is (_wahud saa_),
"an hour," but this is a very indefinite term, being used for a
distance from two to twelve miles, or more; therefore, as these
people have no definite notions of time or distance, the only way
of ascertaining distances, is by knowing the rate at which the
caravan goes, which is a regular pace, and consulting your watch;
by this means, the distance of any journey, however long, may be
accurately ascertained.

_Anecdote displaying the African Character, and showing them to be
now what they were anciently, under Jugurtha._

A Muhamedan was sent to prison, for having killed a man; and after
remaining there some time, it was expected that the Emperor's order
would come to have him shot, or to have his right hand cut off,
with which it was presumed he killed his enemy. A friend of the
prisoner, willing to liberate him, that he might escape the
punishment that awaited him, engaged a person well acquainted with
the prison to procure his enlargement; accordingly he promised him
294 a sum of money, if he would effect this purpose. It was agreed that
the money should be paid. The liberator was then to prove to the
man advancing the money, that he had accomplished his purpose. The
ni