HISTORY OF ACHMET MOCTAR AND SIDI ALL 11 
From his ferocious aspect, you would suppose him to be 
meditating the means of revenging the death of his ancestors, 
and delivering himself from the tribute that has been im- 
posed upon him. The death-yell set up by these barbarians, 
when penetrating into a camp which they design to plunder, 
resembles, as the Moors informed me, the roaring of wild beasts ; 
and they shudder with horror when it is imitated in their 
presence. 
To attain the rank of a chief among the Moors, it is ne- 
cessary to be either a warrior or a priest. The latter, invested 
with the respectal^le garb of religion, possess the never-fail- 
ing means of enforcing obedience to their commands. 
Ambition whirls his torch amid the deserts of Africa, as 
in the most fertile regions of the other quarters of the globe ; 
and the wars waged by her- kings exhibit feats of valour 
and barbarities not less extraordinary than those of Europe. 
The following is an example which occurred during my 
residence on the banks of the Senegal. 
Achmet Moctar, prince of the Trarsas, had been ap- 
pointed guardian to his nephew Sidi Ali. The victories which 
he owed to his courage, and the ability with which he had 
administered the affairs of the Moors, had gained him in the 
highest degree the affection of the people. He resolved to 
profit by this disposition. Among the Moors, royalty is 
sometimes put up for sale to the best bidder. Achmet knew 
liow to make the best use of the presents which he received 
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