TRIPOLY TO BENGAZI. 
1H3 
immediately, but that the men whom they belonged to, on estimat- 
ing the weight of our baggage, had refused to carry it so long a 
journey, unless we would consent to take twenty-five instead ot 
eighteen camels, (the number we had mentioned to him on the pre- 
ceding evening,) and which was fully sufficient for the whole of our 
baggage. To this proposal, however, we gave a very decided nega- 
tive, and a long parley, ensued in which the Dfibbah went through 
* the whole gamut of Arab vociferation, accompanying each tone with 
its appropriate gestures, and expressing himself with an energy 
which almost amounted to frenzy. The whole strength of the 
Dfibbah’s lungs, with all his powers of gesticulation, were, however, 
unable to convince us that his proposal was a reasonable one; 
although it must be confessed, in justice to his logic, that no poissard 
ever screamed louder, and that the most accomplished Neapolitan 
buffoon could not have surpassed him in vehemence and variety of 
gesture. 
The result was that we could come to no satisfactory terms ; for 
the Dfibbah w^as aware that our old camel-drivers were gone, and 
thought we had no alternative but to comply with his demands : he 
concluded by declaring, in the name of the Prophet, that we should 
either have none at all, or else take the whole number of camels 
which he had proposed, and went out of the tent as he delivered his 
final resolve, fuUy satisfied that we should soon call him back and 
agree to his unreasonable terms. 
Had we done so he would soon have found some excuse for 
increasing the number still further, and we should in all probability 
