PTOLEMETA TO MERGE. 
393 
another ; there being no end to Arab extortion when you have once 
given them reason to suppose that you will submit to it. We accord- 
ingly arranged that two of our party should set out with all speed 
for Derna, to request Mahommed Bey would furnish us with camels, 
which we knew he woidd immediately do. This manoeuvre suc- 
ceeded, as we expected it would, in bringing about a favourable 
change; but we had determined, in the event of being obliged to 
put the threat in execution, to transport a tent and some provisions 
to Ptolemeta, on the horses, where our time would be employed to 
advantage till the camels from Derna arrived ; and, as the distance 
from Merge to Ptolemeta was only a few hours, and the road could 
not be mistaken, this plan would have been easily effected. 
Abou-Bukra, however, no sooner perceived that we were in 
earnest, than he offered to supply us himself with camels at a price 
of forty dollars ; but as thirty was the sum we had ourselves pro- 
posed, we declared that we would not make any other alteration in 
it than by meeting him half way in his demand ; and as he had 
begun to suspect that we kept to our word he made no further 
difficulty in the matter, and agreed to bring his camels at thirty- 
five. This he accordingly did, and Shekh Hadood not having yet 
arrived we quitted Merge the next day, under convoy of Abou- 
Bukra and our Bengazi Chaous, Kabdi, who had now recovered from 
his illness, and joined us to resume his office. 
During the time of our stay at Merge, we received a present of 
several sheep from Bey Halil, for which we made a suitable return to 
the Chaous who brought them, and took the opportunity of sending 
