74 
AHMED TYLMOUD. 
is airy and well protected from the sun. A number 
of little wicker baskets, the handiwork of his wife 
served as so many clothes-presses. The baskets of 
Fezzan are perfectly water-tight. 
This Kaid, called Ahmed Tylmoud, is quite a cha- 
racter, and looks very droll with his single eye. He 
has twenty soldiers only under his command through- 
out the valley. The Turks do not waste their men, 
making up by severity for want of numbers. Like 
the commandant of Shaty, this Ahmed Tylmoud 
insisted on " playing at powder" with his men 
for our edification ; but was also obliged to beg his 
ammunition. It is singular, that although these 
people are only armed with matchlocks, and are 
supposed to be ready for service, either to defend 
the country or levy contributions, they seem en- 
tirely destitute of all necessary provisions for that 
purpose. 
We were pestered with two very modest requests, 
which were not in our power to grant. In the first 
place, the native inhabitants sent a deputation to 
ask us to use our influence with the Governor of 
Mourzuk to procure a reduction of their taxes ; and 
then the Arab troops desired that we should procure 
for them their discharge. Our refusal even to take 
the charge of these verbal petitions seemed very 
harsh. An impression had evidently got abroad 
that we came to bring about a general redress of 
grievances ; or^ at any rate, that our influence was 
far greater than we chose to avow. 
