Hateetah was reported to be on the road; so I
determined to wait five or six days for him, and thus not deviate from
my original plan.
I went to visit the wife of Mohammed Es-Sfaxee, who goes with us to
Soudan as a merchant, carrying a considerable quantity of goods on
account of M. Gagliuffi: this gentleman accompanied me. The object of
our visit was to see whether the Sfaxee had left a sufficient quantity
of provisions with his wife to support her during his absence. It is
necessary to take such precautions with these Moors, who often
barbarously abandon their families, without any adequate provision, for
months and even for years together. We found that he had left dates,
wheat, and a little olive-oil and mutton-fat--the ordinary stock of all
families in Fezzan. Only a few rich people indulge in such luxuries as
coffee, sugar, meat, and liquid butter.
An Arab saying: "You must always put other people's things on your head,
and your own under your arm. Then, if there be danger of the things
falling off your head, you must raise your arm, and let fall your own
things to save those of others." I do not know what things I shall let
fall of my own; but this I know, that during my whole residence in
Mourzuk my mind has been continually occupied in endeavouring to save
Government money. But I have received little assistance.
The weather still continues hot, with wind from the south: however, I
walked in the gardens.
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