WONDERFUL STORIES. 
79 
bad thing committed, he then acts —killing the 
wicked people, if necessary. 
The opinion of his highness of women does not 
flatter the ladies. He recommended us never to 
listen to the advice of our wives ; if we did, we 
should be lost. The women were very well to fetch 
water, pound ghaseb, and cook the supper, but for 
nothing else. He never, himself, paid any atten- 
tion to what they said ; they were awful talkers. 
His highness here touched on a tender point; for, 
as the reader remembers, he has been beating one 
of his wives shamefully lately, because he pretended 
he was alarmed at her continual talking — bewil- 
dered by the length of her tongue ! Proceeding in 
his confessions, the Sultan next related wonderful 
stories of a wonderful maharee which he had in his 
youth. With this maharee he rode to Aghadez in 
one day. With this maharee he chased, and run 
down, and won gazelles, and then cooked and ate 
them, &c. Glorious old fellow ! Our Tanelkum 
Mousa, however, afterwards observed, that this was 
kitheb, " a lie ;" but that he knew a woman who 
could catch gazelles. Many other things of equal 
interest his highness related, and then left us in a 
good humour. 
Two of our camels strayed this evening. En- 
Noor's people soon brought them back. Our ser- 
vants are very careless, and all our mishaps are a 
profit to the Kailouees. We have still, however, 
two camels lost, and, I imagine, shall not now re- 
