66 
MR- LUCAS'S 
of the coaft, brought them to Zuleteen, an inconfiderable towii^ 
where they found that a boat, to which a part of their baggage 
was intruded, had been compelled by a ftorm to depofit her cargo. 
From this circumftance, and the neceffity which followed it, 
of hiring fix additional camels for their goods, the departure of 
the caravan on the next day (February 6th) was retarded till two 
o'clock in the afternoon. At the end of the firft hour's march, 
they were informed by fome friendly Arabs, who were moving 
their tents and cattle, for the fake of protection, to the fuburbs 
of the town, that on the preceding afternoon a party of the rebel 
tribe of Hooled Benfoliman, from the neighbouring hills, had at- 
tacked a fmall caravan belonging to Mefurata, and after killing 
four of the people, had carried off the camels and baggage : — 
and they were alfo informed, that on that very morning two 
men, who were going from Mefurata to the market, which is 
held at fome diftance from the town, were robbed and killed by 
the fame party. At this news a Council was fummoned to de- 
termine on the prudence of attempting to proceed ; for the She- 
teefs began to diftruft the fufficiency of that title to an exemp- 
tion from the violence of war, on which, when the danger was 
diftant, they had fo confidently relied. The opinion of Mr. Lu- 
cas being alked, he obferved, that as the party which committed 
the depredations were defcribed as not more than forty or fifty 
in 
