chap, v.] THE TURKS INSULT THE WOMEN. 225 
thirty-five men, under the command of his lieutenant 
Suleiman. This was a weak detachment in the event 
of an attack, especially as they had no separate camp, 
but were living in the native town, the men quar¬ 
tered in detached huts, and accordingly at the mercy 
of the natives if surprised. The brutality of the Turks 
was so inseparable from their nature, that they con¬ 
tinually insulted the native women to such an extent 
that I felt sure they would provoke hostilities in the 
present warlike humour of the Latookas. The stream 
being nearly a mile distant, there was a difficulty in 
procuring water. The Turks being far too lazy to 
carry it for themselves, seized upon the water-jars 
when the women returned from the stream, and beat 
them severely upon their refusal to deliver them with¬ 
out payment. I found no difficulty, as I engaged a 
woman to bring a regular supply for a daily payment 
in beads. Much bartering was going on between the 
Turks and the natives for provisions, in which the 
latter were invariably cheated, and beaten if they 
complained. I felt sure that such conduct must end 
in disagreement, if not in actual fight, in the event of 
which I knew that I should be dragged into the affair, 
although perfectly innocent, and having nothing to 
do with the Turks. 
My quarters in the town were near an open quack 
VOL. i. 
Q 
