CHAP. VIII. SOCKNA. 321 
r 
object : their head and nose much resembled those of the hawk's- 
bill turtle, and to a certain degree, they changed their colour as 
cameleons do. 
I was rubbed this day with a mixture, which the Arabs consider 
excellent in cases of fever, and which really, though it made me 
very dirty, rendered my skin quite comfortable : it was composed 
of a small aromatic seed, the name of which I have forgotten, with 
lavender from Tripoli, and cloves, pounded together, and mixed 
with oil and vinegar ; it is rubbed over the whole body and head, 
until nearly dry. My doctress was a white woman of TripoH, who, 
in fear of her hfe, had escaped from thence. 
About eighteen months before this period, the Bashaw, one 
evening, surprised his black wives and a party of their female friends, 
making merry, or in other words, very drunk and noisy, and playing 
all sorts of extraordinary pranks ; on sight of him they fled in all 
directions, leaving in his presence, his wife or wives, with this 
Tripoline woman and a Negress slave. The latter had her throat 
cut immediately in the presence of her mistress, the wives were 
threatened with death, and the white woman, named Sleema, the 
doctress above-mentioned, received five hundred bastinadoes ; she 
was then allowed to depart, but the Bashaw afterwards thought 
proper to send after her, with an order that she should be strangled. 
She was fortunate enough to escape, and after wandering about for 
some time, attached herself to Lilla Fatma, who was also exiled and 
given to Sheikh Barood, with whom she arrived safely at Fezzan. 
The poor woman, owing to severe illness, was on the brink of the 
grave during her stay at Morzouk, which made her determine on 
leaving the place, and braving every danger by a return to Tripoh. 
On my coming away, she put herself under my protection, and I 
promised to intercede with the Bashaw for her pardon. As she 
was emaciated and very weak, I allowed her to mount my camels. 
