316 
HORSES NEWS FROM TRIPOLI. 
neck. I should observe that the Sultan requested 
Yusuf to taste the medicines before he delivered 
them up to him, to see that there was no blood in 
them. So he tasted the salts and the jalap ; but I 
told him that the acetate of lead was poison, and we 
wrote sem upon all the packets. It surprised him 
that we should administer poison to the eyes. 
After the interview his servants showed me his 
horses. They were but ill-formed animals, some 
heavily built, and others miserable-looking creatures. 
Yet these are the pick of the whole country, and 
some have been lately brought from Sakkatou, as 
the best which could be exported from that quarter. 
In the afternoon another slave of Haj Beshir 
arrived from Zinder, seeking for me. He had 
brought a letter, but had orders if he did not find 
me to return it to Kuka ; so that I shall be without 
news until my arrival. He, however, just knows 
that a caravan came from Mourzuk in thirty-nine 
days, bringing this letter, which was forwarded to 
me. It comes direct from Tripoli. There are 
three letters for me ! 
This evening my new interpreter came with a 
long trumped-up story, as to what the Sultan had 
said respecting my quarrel with Yusuf. His high- 
ness was represented to have expressed a strong 
desire that we might be reconciled before we 
arrived at Kuka. I cannot tell whether this be 
true or false. Probably they have attempted to 
get the Sultan to speak to me about Yusuf. This 
