At noon, although it
was Ramadhan time, we received some dishes of meat, with figs, grapes,
and molasses--really a sumptuous repast. We were not allowed to go out
the first day.
The next morning there was a general meeting of the Sheikhs and people
of the town in our apartments; and from the turn affairs began to take,
we found it necessary to despatch a courier to Aroukeen, to beg the
Tanelkums to wait a few days for us at that place. During the meeting
began the first prevarication of the Tuaricks. The son of Shafou said
that he did not agree to conduct us to Aheer--an assertion we
contradicted strongly. At length he exclaimed: "Although I did not agree
to this, I will nevertheless conduct you,"--making a new favour of an
old bargain.
When the meeting separated, there was another affair brought on the
carpet by Hateetah and Waled Shafou. They boldly demanded seventy reals,
or small dollars of Ghat, for the passage of our liberated blacks to
Soudan. I declared that I would not give them a real, and told them to
seize the people if they chose. Hateetah upon this went off in a rage,
and Waled Shafou stayed behind, pretending to seize our servants. We did
not take any notice of him, and at last he likewise departed. Mr.
Gagliuffi had not been able to arrange this affair at Mourzuk,--it being
left in this position, "that they (Hateetah and Shafou) would say
nothing about the matter; but that if others did, we should pay a
little.
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