180 
MARKET OF BOHEIM. 
gourds^ and melons of a fine sort; green lucern for the 
horses, and many productions of Europe ; also fowls and 
boiled eggs ; I bought half a dozen of the latter for the value 
of six farthings of our money. I observed sheep of an asto- 
nishing size, covered with very fine white wool. 
Water sellers, with their full bottles, walked to and 
fro in the market, with a little bell to give notice to all who 
wished to drink, for the heat here is most oppressive. There 
is no scarcity of wells in the market, but they are very deep, 
and as strangers have not ropes to reach them, much water is 
sold, though it is rather brackish. I beheld asses and mules 
laden with the productions of nature and industry arriving 
from all quarters, and might easily have fancied myself 
transported into a well stocked European market. I bought 
some figs and raisins for my refreshment, together with a 
small wheaten loaf worth a sous. The Jews are the princi- 
pal brokers : there are merchants established here who pur- 
chase from individuals the woollen goods manufactured at 
home, store them, and export them to other markets. No 
money is current here, except that of Morocco and Spain ; 
the coin of other European countries is taken by weight. 
After traversing the great desert, almost deprived of the ne- 
cessaries of life, the pleasure which 1 experienced in contem- 
plating a market so richly furnished is indescribable, but I 
was obliged to return to the village with the slave to whose 
care Sidi-Boubacar had consigned me, and this man, when 
his purchases were completed, was unwilling to stay anylonger. 
On the ^8th, Sidi-Boubacar, who was become much at- 
tached to me, sent me an invitation to his house, where he 
waited to receive me. He seated me on a fine carpet, spread 
in the court, under a little shed, and then requesting me to wait 
a moment, he went for a friend of his, a Moor of distinction. 
Soon afterwards a slave brought, upon a very clear copper 
waiter, a meat pasty fried in butter, and a fine slice of melon, 
bought on the preceding day at the market of Boheim : Sidi- 
