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tents, and every circle was surrounded by a hedge 
of briars, containing, apparently, all the first bran- 
ches of the families. One of the circles was remark- 
ed to me as belonging to the minister Salaoui. Every 
circle has from four to twelve tents, the covering 
of which is made of camel's hair. They are black, and 
as ugly as the inhabitants, who are of a copper colour, 
or yellow, of a very low stature, lean,* with a dull and 
suspicious look; it resembled that which a man might 
be supposed to wear who knows that he was born for 
liberty, but who feels that he is crushed by despotism. 
The women are a little more lively, and seemed to 
be of a mild good-natured character; they are very small, 
their faces are broad, their eyes sharp, and their gait 
less, disagreeable than that of the women in the towns; 
those whom I saw were as black, from the sun, as the 
men. Their dress consisted of a petticoat, a vest, and 
a handkerchief on their head. The men are drest 
only in a hha'ik; the richest have also drawers and a 
woollen shirt under the hhaik; but they seldom have 
any thing on their heads. 
These inhabitants of the douars, and of the moun- 
tains, are particularly known and pointed out by the 
Moors, under the name of El Aarab (Arabians), or El 
Bedaoui (Beduins). Several of them are always on 
horseback, armed with a gun and sword, and it is very 
rare to meet any of them without a sword or dagger. 
On my road many of them came to meet me in or- 
der to kiss my knees, or my hand, when I presented it 
to them; some asked me to pray for them; but none of 
them begged. I saw none fat, or of a high complexion; 
nor of a wealthy, and even middling appearance. They 
that have money hide it, and still affect poverty. 
VOL. I. % 
