I 
CHAP. IX. RETURN TO TRIPOLI. SS5 
forward to the mighty river before them with wonder and fear, and 
I believe at that moment all the stories they had heard of " the 
people on the great waters who eat the Blacks," recurred to their 
imagination. It blew a heavy gale from the north-east, and the 
white foam added not a Uttle to the imposing appearance of this (to 
them) terrific water. 
The houses of Zleetun are scattered about amongst palms and 
olive trees, which cover a space of ground of three or four miles in 
extent. Corn is cultivated in great quantities. 
Sunday, 19th March. — Tliis place is particularly blessed in pos- 
sessing the remains of a great Maraboot, who is buried in a really 
handsome Mosque, ornamented with minarets and neat cupolas, and 
white-washed all over. The name of the Saint is Sidi Abd el Salam. 
His descendants are much respected, and are called Waled el Sheikh 
^yvAlUH^, " Sons of the Elder ;" they think themselves authorised to be 
the most impudent begging set of people in the whole Kegency of Tri- 
poli. I was on the point of kicking out of my tent one of them 
who would not understand the monosyllable no in answer to a request 
which he made me for some powder in the name and on account of 
his illustrious ancestor ; but luckily Lizari came in at the moment 
and prevented me ; and he afterwards told me I might as well 
have thought of kicking a descendant of the Prophet himself. 
The whole of the surrounding country is most luxuriant in corn, 
dates, and olives, and is quite level. The Castle in which we were 
is of -the true Arab character, built of mud and gravel, and swarming 
with vermin. The rooms are round the large courtyard, and their 
roofs, being flat, are the platforms for one or two four-pounders. 
Two markets are held here weekly ; one on a Friday, in front of the 
Castle, the other on a Tuesday, near the Maraboot's tomb. The 
country is governed by a Mamluke of the Bashaw, who has the 
title of Kaid. If I may judge from the number of drunken men 
