TURKISH SYSTEM OF RULE. 
89 
one to hold the country. Perhaps one of the chief 
reasons may be the difference of religion. The 
Arabs and other natives of North Africa cannot 
endure the sight of a ruler of another faith. Some- 
thing, however, may be attributed to the immense 
and sacred authority of the Ottoman Sultan, the 
great chief of the Mussulmans of the East, as the 
Shereefan Emperor of Morocco is the chief of the 
Mussulmans of the West. We may add, also, the 
tremendous severity of the Turkish criminal law, or, 
rather, the inexorable justice with which a crime 
committed against a Turkish functionary is visited. 
The French make their razzias and strike off heads 
enough ; but their criminal code in Algeria is perhaps 
not so summary and sanguinary as that of the Turks. 
Possibly one of the chief reasons of this carious 
contrast may be the fact that the French soldier is 
scarcely to be depended on when isolated. He acts 
well in masses, but considers himself deserted and 
betrayed when left comparatively alone. At any 
rate, the fact is that the Turks hold Tripoli with a 
handful of men, whilst the French, with a military 
force nearly as large as the whole British army, 
can scarcely maintain a feverish and uncertain pos- 
session of Alo-eria. 
The population of Mourzuk numbers two thou- 
sand souls. It is very much mixed, and the people 
vary greatly in colour, so that there is no general 
character. There are more women than children, 
the greater portion of the females belonging to the 
