One of Mr.
Interpreter Moknee's wives had also come out here, to have some
settlement with her husband about support before she let him go. The
gentleman has two wives, both negresses; and had already made an
arrangement for the other, who has several children, of six mahboubs per
month. First come, first served. The second wife, who has two children,
only got three mahboubs a month. However, when matters were arranged,
the pair became rather more loving. These settlements are always hard
matters to manage, all the world over, and it is pleasant to get rid of
them. By the way, a son of the worthy Moknee, by a white woman now
dead--a lad of about twelve years of age--accompanies us, at least as
far as Mourzuk.
The most remarkable persons, however, whom I found at the encampment
were a couple of insane fellows, determined to follow us--perhaps to
show "by one satiric touch" what kind of madcap enterprise was ours. The
first was a Neapolitan, who had dogged me all the while I was at
Tripoli, pestering me to make a contract with him as servant. To humour
his madness, I never said I would not; and the poor fellow, taking my
silence for consent, had come out asking for his master. They tried to
send him away, but he would take orders from none but me. I gave him two
loaves of bread and a Tunisian piastre, and also made him a profound
bow, politely requesting him to go about his business.
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