TRIPOLY TO BENGAZI. 
61 
necessary to give up our base on the grounds of so ridiculous an 
objection. The attempt was accordingly made, and the base pro- 
perly measured, without either of the dreadful results which had 
been anticipated ; and the parties, on descending, received the 
serious congratulations of the Arabs on having had, what they called, 
so unexpected and providential an escape. 
This formidable personage is the Marabut mentioned by Della 
Celia as having threatened to eat him alive ; and the Doctor was 
assured, by a black slave who stood near him, that he was perfectly 
capable of fulfilling his extraordinary threat *. 
So much has been written on the subject of these knavish fanatics, 
that we shall not here attempt any description of them : every book 
of travels in Mahometan countries contains more or less notice of the 
wondrous feats which are attributed to them, and of the no less 
remarkable creduhty of those- whom they impose uponf. We may, 
however, observe that the country between Lebida and Mesurata, 
and more especially the neighbourhood of the last-mentioned place, 
is much infested by these artful and unblushing pretenders to piety 
and supernatural powers. 
* II mio abito Europeo attiro subito lo sguardo del Marabotto, il quale fattosi inanzi, 
con aria truce, accompagno il suo gesto minaccioso con parole ch’ io non intesi : ma un 
Nero che aveva accanto, avendole fedelmente tradutte, portavano ch’ egli voleva man- 
giarmi vivo. Il traduttore aggiungeva che il Marabotto ne era capace, perche questo 
complimento era stato talvolta fatto da questa gente a qualche Ebreo ! — (Viaggio da 
Tripoli, &c., p. 45). 
•f In the work of Capt. Lyon, in particular, a good deal of curious matter connected 
with Marabuts will be found. 
