MILITARY FORCE. 
87 
these are raised by direct taxation, whilst the 
remainder is produced by customs' dues and 
the date-palm groves, which are the property of 
Government. 
The military force by which theTurks hold posses- 
sion of this vast but thinly-peopled territory — stretch- . 
ing north and south twenty-one days' journey, or 
about three hundred miles — is the very inconsiderable 
number of six hundred and thirty men. The garrison 
of Mourzuk itself consists of four hundred and thirty 
men, of whom about one-half are Fezzanees, twenty 
or thirty Turks, and the residue Arabs or Moors. 
The remaining three hundred are Arab cavaliers, 
living chiefly on their own means, and changed 
every year, who serve as a flying corps, or mounted 
police, for all the districts of Fezzan. The rate of 
pay for this latter class is one kail of wheat and half 
a mahboub per month for those who have no horses, 
and one kail of dates additional for those who are 
mounted. This division, however, is fastidious at 
present, as all those on service in Fezzan are now 
possessed of horses. In the whole regency of Tripoli 
there are but six hundred and sixty of these Arab 
soldiers ; but in Bonjem and the Syrtis they are not 
cavalry, and the detachment at Ghadamez is 
mixed.* I am afraid these janissaries are obliged to 
* The distribution of the corps is as follows : — 
In Gibel 150 
Fezzan 200 
The Syrtis 150 
Bonjem . . . . . . . . 60 
Ghadamez 100 
