TRAVELS IN BARBARY. 
243 
cheeks, painted a deep red, small black eyes, and 
a countenance entirely devoid of expression. Her 
complaint was a cold, brought on solely by the vehe* 
ment desire of seeing an European physician. 
When the prescriptions were over, she immediate- 
ly proceeded to examine minutely his dress, and 
make particular inquiries as to his person and coun- 
try. Tea was then served, and he departed, but 
was immediately called in to Lalla Douyaw, at pre- 
sent the favourite wife. This lady was a native 
Genoese, and being shipwrecked on the coast of 
Barbary at the age of eight, was introduced into 
the emperor's harem, and compelled to change 
her religion. Her beauty and accomplishments 
soon raised her to the rank she then held. As 
she could write and read, she was viewed by all 
the rest as a sort of superior being. She retained 
so much of her European recollections, as to ob- 
serve, that " she was among a very uncouth and 
" ignorant people/' 
The number of females composing the harem 
were from fifty to a hundred, besides domestics 
and slaves. They lived in about twelve squares, 
each consisting of four rooms, surrounding an in- 
ferior court. The two principal wives had each 
an entire square, the rest only a single apartment. 
The rooms were ornamented with beautifully carv- 
ed wood, the walls hung with rich damask, and 
the floors covered with beautiful carpets. The sa- 
