OUR TREATMENT AT MOURZUK. 125 
a man on horseback. The business was of some 
consequence, according to the notions of these people. 
He had sold a female slave, and the poor woman 
was now found to be enceinte by Boro's son, with 
whom she had been living as concubine. The law 
soon despatched the affair, and compelled the Sheikh 
to restore the purchase-money and take back his 
slave. 
A last observation on Mourzuk, before leaving 
it behind in this Saharan navigation. All the Otto- 
man authorities have treated us with attention and 
respect. Mr. Gagliuffi has been hospitable, and the 
people generally have proved courteous in their be- 
haviour. It is rare to remain so long in a place and 
have so few causes of complaint. J ustice, however, 
compels me to say, that the British Consul sometimes 
remembered too vividly that he was also a merchant, 
and a Levantine merchant to boot. I am afraid he 
is not quite satisfied even with the profits he has 
already made out of the expedition. Is it possible, 
however, for Easterns, or people who live in the 
East, to look upon a Government as anything but 
a milch cow? Mustapha Bey, who took a very 
affectionate leave of me, is now engaged in examin- 
ing a tremendous case of peculation — something- 
like a defalcation of two thousand mahboubs. He 
is quite bewildered for the time. The Greek doctor 
came to see us off ; but we started in a little confu- 
sion, for Mr. Yusuf Moknee was drunk, as he was 
nearly all the time of our stay at Mourzuk. 
