Daggers and stillettos are generally worn: if any one disputes with his comrade, and becomes irritated, the daggers are drawn, and one stabs the other, without premeditation, whilst under the influence of passion. Revenge, or retaliation for injuries, is so precise, and so eagerly followed, as to become hereditary in a family. Thus if a man be killed or stabbed, it devolves on the next of kin to him to seek retaliation, and to obtain satisfaction, who accordingly seeks every opportunity of destroying the man who killed his brother or relation; when he dies the charge devolves on his next of kin. In the mean time, if the officers of police discover that any sanguinary assault has been committed, they pursue the aggressor, and oblige him to attend the wounded man, at his own expense, till he recovers; but if he dies, the aggressor is condemned, by law, to death, unless the next of kin to the deceased chooses to grant him a pardon, in consideration of some pecuniary compensation, regulated according to the circumstances of the aggressor. There is but one prison in this extensive city, where the prisoner is not confined, but suffers the bastinado, or pays a fine, and is liberated. Robberies attended with personal violence, stealing cattle, or provisions, are capital crimes, and are thus punished by decapitation: The criminal sits down on the ground, and whilst a person engages his attention, by pushing him on the back or shoulder, the executioner seizes that opportunity of striking off his head with a sabre, at which he is very adroit. Strangling is seldom practised. Bastinadoing, when the crime is extremely aggravated, is sometimes practised till the criminal expires under the chastisement. A debtor may be arrested and sent to prison, but on proving his insolvency, he is liberated, but still remains accountable to his creditors; and, in the event of his becoming afterwards a man of property, his creditors may claim and sue him to the extent of the debt previously contracted. The Diwan, when the King is in the town, sit in his presence round the throne, and examine capital culprits. The king never decides contrary to the opinion of the Diwan, or El Alemma. Slaves may complain to the Alemma of illegal severity received from their masters, of want of food or cloathing, either of which, if substantiated, he is ordered to liberate him. A native of Timbuctoo cannot be a slave; he must necessarily have been born in another country, and these are generally captives taken in battle. The children of slaves are inherited by the masters of their parents. Slaves of different masters cannot marry without the consent of the latter: the master of a negress endeavours to purchase the negro to whom she is attached.