452 ON THE liANGUAGE 



but the Arabic language is unknown amongst them, except 

 by those who travel abroad. He appeared to be well ac- 

 quainted with the Tuarycks, who, he said, were a formida- 

 ble naion of robbers, inhabiting the desart, and speaking the 

 same languaij:;e as his nation. I showed him the coloured 

 prints of the Tuarycks in Lyon's travels, which he named 

 immediately, examined them attentively, and said they were 

 a most perfect resemblance of that terrible people. I find 

 the names of the districts composing this nation laid down in 

 major Rennell's map between the thirty-first and thirty-third 

 degrees of north latitude, which makes the distance shorter 

 fiom here than that given me by my Thaleb. unless a day's 

 journey of a caravan be only fifteen miles, and boih are lial)le 

 to error. I found this tnan reserved, and disposed to equi- 

 vocate in his answers to my questions, as they all are, excs^pt 

 the Kabyles, from some vague fear of committing themselves, 

 and particularly with a consul. My dragoman came in dur- 

 ing this interview, which completely disconcerted the Tha- 

 leb. I tried to verify with him the list of words which I had 

 collected ; he contradicted several of them, and gave me the 

 Arabic terms in their stead ! I have never been able to see 

 again the Jew who first assisted me in forming a list of the 

 words of this language, and who may probably entertain the 

 same foolish apprehensions. 



I am, ^c. 



William Shale r^ 



