TRIPOLY TO BENGAZI. 
231 
Before Ave left Braiga, one of the Arabs of the place brought a pre- 
sent of five lambs to the tents, and gave them in charge to Shekh Ma- 
hommed el Dhbbah, Avho, thinking that this would prove a most excel- 
lent opportunity of showing his generosity to the best advantage, as 
well as his extraordinary influence with the Arabs of the place, in 
being able to procure sheep when we could not purchase them at all, 
made his appearance with great ceremony at the entrance of our tent, 
with two of the lambs above mentioned. After many compliments and 
professions of service, he offered the two lambs as a present from him- 
self, and begged we would do him the favour to accept them. As 
we had lately found reason to be much dissatisfied with the Dubbah’s 
conduct, we did not choose to be under an obligation to him ; and 
having given him to understand the reason of our refusal, declined 
accepting the lambs as a present, but offered at the same time to 
purchase them. The old Shekh looked disconcerted, as we intended 
he should be, and slowly retired from the tent. And now began a 
parley between his avarice and his conscience, which terminated at 
length in favour of the latter ; for, though not very tender on most 
occasions, this inward monitor of our worthy conductor would not 
allow him to r'eceive money for what he knew was already our own, 
although it did not object to let him take the credit of presenting it 
to us. The result was, that he soon after paid us a second visit, 
bringing with him the two lambs as before, but which he now^ 
acknowledged were intended as presents to us, instead of to himself, 
as he assured us he had imagined: he informed us, at the same time, 
that the Arab who brought them was a shepherd belonging to the 
