CH. xm. PEACE EE-ESTABLISHED. 333 



expected from the pious, but decidedly unwarlike, cha- 

 racter of the leader. The Haha people explained to El 

 Hadj that they were more than a match for him and his 

 men, and that his wisest course was to return by the 

 shortest road to Mogador. The mind of the commander 

 was always open to prudent counsel, and he professed 

 himself convinced ; and to save him and his men from 

 trouble by the way they were escorted to the gates of 

 Mogador by ten men from Haha. 



Policy, however, soon effected what valour had failed 

 to achieve. A virtual blockade was established, and all 

 communication with Haha suspended. This may have 

 been inconvenient to the Mogador people ; but, at the 

 worst, they coLild always obtain supplies from Shedma by 

 the road which we had followed from Ain el Hadjar. To 

 the Haha people it soon became intolerable. Mogador is 

 their chief market. There they sell their provisions, and 

 it is the Mogador merchants who purchase their oil and 

 hides and other exports. An envoy was sent to re-estab- 

 lish friendly relations, and to entreat the foreign Consuls 

 to mediate in their favour. In token of entire submission, 

 they proposed that 2,000 men from the province should 

 come to make a peace-offering. The Governor judiciously 

 thought that number excessive — there was no knowing 

 what these wild hill people might do, if they fancied 

 themselves masters of the town — and agreed to receive a 

 deputation of 200 representatives of the Haha tribes. On 

 the appointed day they came, driving before them several 

 bullocks ; and, on arriving before the Sultan's palace, pro- 

 ceeded to hamstring and slaughter them as a propitiatory 

 offering to the sovereign authority, whereupon friendly 

 relations were at once re-established. 



While these events were imdeveloped, the thoughts of 

 the Mogador people, European as well as native, were 

 fully exercised, although they felt secure from positive 

 danger. A part of the day was occupied by us in taking- 

 leave of our escort and attendants, and in distributing 



