MOURZOUK ^FEZZAN. 
'439 
Containing many rich merchants. It was said to 
have been anciently the capital of Fezzan ; and 
the ruins, as well as a great part of its circuit un- 
occupied, seemed to bear testimony that it had 
once been more considerable than at present. 
In a short time they arrived at Mourzouk, the 
capital, which terminated their tedious journey of 
seventy-four days. The sultan, according to his 
usual custom on the arrival of a caravan, was 
posted on a rising ground in front of the city. 
He was seated in an old elbow chair, covered with 
a cloth striped red and green. Each traveller 
pulled off his slippers, and approaching barefoot- 
ed, kissed the royal hand, then went and seated 
himself behind. The pilgrims raised a chaunt of 
gratitude for their prosperous journey, which was 
continued till they were dismissed by the Sultan, 
who sent afterwards a present of dates and meat 
to each of the tents. 
Fezzan, according to Horneman, is about 300 
miles in the greatest length of its cultivated part, 
and 200 in its greatest breadth. The climate is 
not agreeable ; in summer, insupportably hot ; in 
winter, often extremely cold. It seldom rains, 
and there is not a river, or even rivulet, which 
deserves the name. Dates are the staple product 
of the soil ; though fit for grain, it does not, from 
the defect of cultivation, produce sufficient for 
the consumption of the inhabitants. Little atten- 
tion is paid to the rearing of animals. The ass 
