DEBATE WITH THE SHEIKHS. 
163 
that place. During the meeting began the first 
prevarication of the Tuaricks. The son of Shafou 
said that he did not agree to conduct us to Aheer — 
an assertion we contradicted strongly. At length 
he exclaimed : " Although I did not agree to this, I 
will nevertheless conduct you," — making a new 
favour of an old bargain. 
When the meeting separated, there was another 
affair brought on the carpet by Hateetah and 
Waled Shafou. They boldly demanded seventy 
reals, or small dollars of Ghat, for the passage of 
our liberated blacks to Soudan. I declared that I 
would not give them a real, and told them to seize 
the people if they chose. Hateetah upon this 
went off in a rage, and Waled Shafou stayed 
behind, pretending to seize our servants. We did 
not take any notice of him, and at last he likewise 
departed. Mr. Gagliuffi had not been able to arrange 
this affair at Mourzuk, — it being left in this posi- 
tion, " that they (Hateetah and Shafou) would say 
nothing about the matter ; but that if others did, we 
should pay a little." The man who has a right to 
this tribute from freed blacks is now absent from 
Ghat, and any claim ought to be made in his name 
by his representatives. When the Governor heard 
of this affair, he sent to tell us " to arrange the 
matter, and give something to these dogs of Tua- 
ricks ;" at the same time expressing his sorrow for 
such a shameful demand : and shameful it was, 
because we had already paid for ourselves and our 
