TRIPOLY TO BENGAZL 
197 
wells above mentioned ; about which we observed considerable 
remains of building, of which nothing however now remains but the 
ground-plans. 
Hudia was a few years ago so much infested by parties of maraud- 
ing xirabs, that although they had been completely destroyed or 
dispersed by the vigorous measures of the Bashaw, yet the dread 
which had been created by their former depredations still continued 
to be felt in the place which was once the scene of them. Decoy- 
fires were carefully placed by our Arab escort, in various directions, 
at the suggestion of Shekh Mahommed, and that worthy personage 
could not resist from bestowing a few hearty curses on poor Morzouk, 
our watch-dog, who he said was too fond of barking. He related to 
us, looking round every now and then as he spoke, the massacre 
which was made among the robbers by Mahommed Bey, the eldest 
son of the reigning Bashaw, and which the number of piles of 
stones, which marked the graves of these unfortunate people, too 
evidently proved to have been very extensive. It appears, however, 
to have been very necessary ; and the consequence is, that the route 
is now safe which was before its perpetration impassable. 
Mahometan policy considers only the end without caring for the 
means which may be used for its accomplishment, and the most 
summary mode of getting rid of obnoxious persons is usually consi- 
dered by Mussulmen as the best. If we did not approve this indis- 
criminate slaughter, we certainly experienced the advantages which 
resulted from it, and we slept much more quietly among the tombs 
of the robbers than we should probably have been allowed to do had 
they never been occupied. 
