CHAP. II. 
JOURNEY TO MORZOUK. 
79 
scarcely able to follow us. His frame was quite emaciated, and his 
feet and legs much swelled. His inhuman master, notwithstanding 
tlie deplorable state in which he was, invariably sent him out all 
night to attend the camels, and he only brought them back to 
commence another sad day's journey, during wliich he was fre- 
quently beaten. On arriving at Sockna he was sent on to. the desert 
with the animals, and returned to the town this day in a high fever, 
and in a most miserable condition. His master, according to 
custom, beat liim severely with a stick, and finding the poor black 
unable to cry out, actually took stones and beat him on the head 
with them, another Arab assisting in the cruel task. So much 
unnecessary barbarity induced me to endeavour to defend the poor 
sufferer ; but my interference was greeted with no very polite 
expressions, and my endeavouring to prove that the poor black was 
a human creature as well as his master, exposed me to much 
laughter and contempt. I pursued my point, however, and imme- 
diately went to Mukni's chief black, swearing by the Sultan's head, 
that he should instantly punish the master of the slave. To my 
great satisfaction he immediately complied, giving the wretch a 
very severe bastinado, as hard as two men could lay it on. When 
I returned to our house, the other Arab laughed at and taunted me 
to such a degree, that I was obliged (to his great astonishment) to 
give him a good thrashing, not a little apprehensive, I must own, 
lest some revenge should be taken on me in consequence ; but I 
soon found I had nothing to dread, for these very men never after 
omitted coming daily to kiss my hand ; and, while I was in sight, 
always caressed the poor slave, who from that time became a kind 
of pensioner on us. 
The Arabs of Sockna are of the tribe Eiahli There are also 
some wanderers from TripoH and the Syrtis, who frequent these 
towns on the soofra or frontier. They are of the tribes Waled 
