S22 , TRAVELS IN NORTHERN AFRICA. chap. viil. 
and I fed her during the journey. She certainly was not a very 
interesting figure, being much marked with the small-pox, and 
resembhng, in form and person, a little fat man ; and I was well 
aware that I should not make a very beautiful or virtuous addition 
to the TripoH ladies : feeling, however, great pity for her, I con- 
sented to take her under my charge. Lilla Fatma, whom this un- 
fortunate female had served for a whole year, allowed her to come 
away without giving her even a shirt, or money to help her on her 
journey. 
Thursday, March 2nd. — We left Sockna, and rested for the day 
at some palms and sand hills, called Hammam, four miles 
north of the town, where we found our former fellow-travellers 
already lying with their Kaffles. I last night had one of the yellow 
rats brought me, much resembhng those found in Morzouk, having 
a sandy red back, and white belly ; I put it into the cage with the 
other, who killed and partly ate it before morning. The first is called 
Guntsha LlJui . Before we set off this day, our friend Abd el Rahman 
gave us a fine bowl of milk and dates. My camels were hired at the 
rate of two dollars the Kantar, the drivers feeding themselves : some 
of the animals carried six Kantar, and were very fine creatures, in 
excellent condition. I perceived here that my Maherry, which I had 
sent out while we were at Sockna to feed in company with the camels, 
had received some injury in his foot, and was again lame. None of the 
camel men would allow Sleema, the white woman who had escaped 
from Tripoh, to ride, even though I offered three dollars for her 
passage, their animals being too heavily laden. The poor creature 
was therefore, in despair, obliged to return to Sockna. I gave her 
all the money I could afford, which was three dollars, promising to 
mention her to the Consul, in case she came to Tripoh and took 
refuge under our flag. She was all gratitude, and went crying back 
again to the house of a woman she had known when at Tripoli, and 
who had maintained her while we were at Sockna. 
