For the present, however, leaving him confined in his castle, I shall speak more of the people of Morzouk. The ablest person of our sick party always went to the gardens to shoot pigeons, which had been numerous, but which now had emigrated to the countries to the southward. These visits to the date groves gave us many opportunities of observing the manner of cultivating the grain and esculents. The wells are generally about 20 or 30 feet in depth, and more resemble large deep ponds than what we call wells. The water lies on a stratum of grayish clay, is salt, and generally smells very badly: it is raised by means of sheers made of date trees, lashed together, and placed slopingly over the centre of the pit. One or two asses, according to the number of buckets used, are attached by a light harness and run down a steep bank, which renders their work less laborious. The men who attend also draw with them, and quicken their pace by pricking them on the flanks, with their small reaping hooks, in so rude a manner, that many of the poor animals are quite scarified. The water runs into small channels, which are formed round the garden, while the women and children, with scoops, distribute it as it may be wanted. In some places where it is intended to allow the ground to “drink,” the embankments are opened, and the garden is completely flooded; thus the labour is very great, and absolutely necessary, as rain is unknown, and no dews ever fall. The people who attend the gardens, live in little huts constructed of palm branches, and about six feet in height. The dates, when quite dry, are buried in square holes, dug in the sand, and are afterwards covered over with it. Corn is made into little sheaves, and laid out until wanted: it is then beaten with long date-sticks, and asses are made to run over it. The ground on which these operations take place is a circle firmly clayed and quite clean: much sand is, however, unavoidably mixed with their corn. Pomegranate and fig-trees form an agreeable shade near some of the wells; they are so planted, as to stand in the centre of the water channels. The gardens are, as I have before stated, very small; yet it sometimes happens, that one alone produces all the vegetables and fruits peculiar to the country. Near our house was the principal Mosque, to which the Sultan and ourselves went every Friday, as a matter of course; and every other day, we found it necessary to appear there once or twice. It is a low building, having a shed projecting over the door, which, being raised on a platform, is entered by a few steps. A small turret, intended to be square and perpendicular, is erected for the Mouadden to call the people to prayers. One of the great lounges is on the seats in front of the Mosque; and every morning and evening, they are full of idle people, who converse on the state of the markets, and on their own private affairs; or, in a fearful whisper, canvass the Sultan’s conduct.