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THE TUARICKS. 161 
Moor, born at Tuat. He is a marabout, or saint, 
but is looked up to by the people for the settle- 
ment of all municipal concerns. The Ghateen 
derive their subsistence almost entirely from the 
caravans, although their little oasis is not unfertile. 
But the political authority of the country resides 
entirely in the hands of the Azgher Tuaricks. 
Azgher is the name of the tribe or nation, and 
Tuarick is a generic title, which scarcely implies 
even community of origin, assumed by nearly all 
the vrandering people of the Sahara. There are 
the Haghar Tuaricks, to the west of Ghat and 
south-west towards Timbuctoo ; and the correspond- 
ing people of Aheer are called the Kailouee Tua- 
ricks. At Timbuctoo itself are found the Sorghau 
Tuaricks. 
The chief of the Tuaricks of Ghat is nominally 
the venerable Shafou, whose son came with Hatee- 
tah to escort me from Mourzuk ; but the virtual 
sultanship resides in Khanouhen, the heir-apparent, 
or son of Shafou^s sister : for this is the order of 
succession in Ghat. Every Tuarick, however, is 
in some sort a chief, and more or less influence is 
acquired by age or personal qualities. The prin- 
cipal men have divided the sources of emolument 
which the peculiar position of their country supplies 
them with. Hateetah claims to afford protection to 
all private English travellers, and to receive pre- 
sents from them ; another patronises the inhabitants 
of Tripoli, a third those of Soudan, and so on. 
VOL. I. M 
