S4 TRAVELS IN NORTHERN AFRICA. CHAP. I. 
and in consequence, they imagine that our ships sail about with 
great lanterns attached to them. They also believe that Chris- 
tians use the milk of pigs as a beverage, and in fact, that it forms 
their chief subsistence. That we have horses, cows, and sheep, is 
not at aU credited by them ; and that our country should be de- 
stitute of dates excites their greatest commiseration. They cannot 
at all conceive how we avoid faUing off our islands and rolling 
into the sea, or how, being surrounded by water, we have suf- 
ficient room for animals to graze. There are some on the other 
hand who think highly of our wealth and dignity, until they are 
told that our country is an Island, when their admiration decreases 
considerably. Buonaparte, or as the Arabs call him, Bono barto, 
is in great estimation amongst them, not on account of his miU- 
tary achievements ; but because they have heard that he has 
200,000 dollars an hour, and that he sits on a golden throne. 
The Arabs are good and bold horsemen, and though in 
general but poorly provided with food for their horses, they make 
them perform very long journeys. The inducement to all exertion, 
however, is now nearly at an end, their wars having ceased ; but 
in the time of the AValed Suliman, ^J;UJJ^ j^jI who infested the 
road from Tripoli to Fezzan, and committed every excess, jour- 
neys were made and difficulties overcome which equalled any 
of the stories of the Arabs of old. This once powerful tribe 
had formerly possession of every pass from Tripoh to the inte- 
rior, and were so much dreaded, that few traders would venture 
amongst them, even when they were at peace with the Bashaw. 
These are the people whom Lucas mentions as having de- 
clared war against Tripoh, and prevented the Kaffle, to which 
he was attached, from proceeding from IMesunata to Fezzan ; 
but they are now completely destroyed. About eight years 
