These poor Arabs are dreadfully oppressed by the Bashaw, who has reduced them all to a most miserable state of poverty. Those who remain in the country are in rags; the others who let their camels out to hire, and accompany traders to the interior, are somewhat better off. They were once a brave daring set of men, who defied the government of Tripoli; and, during the youth of the present Bashaw, fully protected him from his father’s troops. Their services to him have, however, been but ill requited; for he persecutes them more than any others of his subjects. They have (and I believe not without deserving it) the character of being the greatest robbers and rogues in the neighbourhood of Tripoli. The Wadey produces but little corn, as the crops are all sown in the desert to the eastward; and in harvest time the owners go in bodies to bring in the grain. Much oil is made here, and the palms and olive-trees are very flourishing. We observed that of the latter there were no young trees, and learnt that the Bashaw taxed them, wherever found, as large ones,—a system, which, if pursued, will in a few years more destroy all the olive groves in his dominions. The water here is excellent; the wells are of great depth, many being 100 feet, and others above 200 feet: in fact, the labour requisite in drawing water, makes it a scarce article. This is the most southerly town in the Bashaw’s dominions on the road to Fezzan, to which it is nearer than the other routes. I took a drawing of the valley, which very much amazed the Arabs, and collected round me an immense crowd. We here discovered that our living amongst these people had not contributed much to our cleanliness, and that one of Pharaoh’s curses was but too evidently upon us.