312 
TRAVELS IN NORTHERN AFRICA. 
CHAP. viir. 
nominal Kaid of Sockna, came out to welcome him ; and I, as his 
friend, received every attention. We had good houses provided 
for us ; and the Kaffle arrived soon after ; but notwithstanding 
the respect shown us by some of the inhabitants, there were others 
who very much molested us ; and the boys were, I think, the most 
impudent I ever met with, even in the most riotous and disorderly 
streets in London. Finding we were strangers in the country, they 
amused themselves with rushing by dozens into our room, to stare at, 
and to rob us, if they could. When their curiosity had ceased, their 
talents for tormenting commenced ; and a good camel whip became 
at last my only resource against their impertinence. After I had 
succeeded in turning them out, they surrounded the door, all being 
ready for a run, and called out, " Bring the whip, bring the whip I 
d n your father ! here are plenty of boys peeping !" At last 
I was obliged to rush out upon them, and catching two of the 
offenders, flogged them heartily ; they then began to discover, that 
though a stranger, I was not to be trifled with. 
I must observe that some of the men of Sockna were also most 
intrusive and impudent beggars. They crowded in upon us ten 
and twenty at a time, one party leaving us only to make way for 
another equally troublesome ; one asked for powder, another for 
flints, knives, scissars, and all kinds of articles : at first I felt 
ashamed to turn them out, and therefore had recourse to entreaty 
that they would go away ; but this had not the shghtest effect, and 
I was obhged finally to show that I had profited by Mukni's 
instructions, and to get rid of them by main force. 
Sunday, February 27th. — To my great dismay I was again 
attacked by hemma, and was also under the painful necessity of 
killing my largest Maherry, finding he had broken his toe. I had 
intended him for Sir Joseph Banks. He was the finest I had ever 
