his complaint, by means of old Hadge, I prescribed a couple of grains of calomel and a dose of salts; which I have no doubt produced the desired cure.

At last, our Moorish fellow-traveller produced his stewed fish, which was really very good, and, with the assistance of a few bottles of wine we had brought ashore with us, we made an excellent supper. Old Hadge could not be prevailed upon to touch the juice of the grape, and he is one of the very few I have met with in Barbary who observed in this the law of the prophet; but he had performed two pilgrimages to Mecca, and had a reputation for holiness to maintain. After supper, we thought of turning in: although I had not expected a four-post bed, I did not look forward to be shoved into a room about twelve feet square, with a dozen other people as bedfellows, for we all occupied the same bed-viz., the floor, which was certainly matted, but nothing further. Here the whole of our party, (with the ex

258

SUMMARY JUSTICE.

ception of Hadge, who would have considered himself polluted by sleeping with infidels,) together with some Jewish traders from Gibraltar, were huddled together, like sheep in a pen; but I had often had a worse bed than a clean mat, with a boat-cloak, and a carpet-bag for a pillow, and could have slept very well but for the riotous conduct of two young scapegraces of the party, who, not content with keeping us awake by singing and other noises, at last blew out the lights, and began to pelt the Jews with boots or whatever else came to hand. At last my ire was fully roused, and finding remonstrance of no avail, I sent the lamp at one fellow's head, some brass dishes and a bowl full of milk at another, and at last, after no small difficulty, succeeded in restoring order about one o'clock in the morning. But in thus dealing out justice in the dark in so small and crowded a space, I fear her blows did not all fall on the heads of the culprits, for after sending my missiles, I heard several groans,

sup

that sounded much more Jewish than the pressed tittering which was faintly audible in one corner of the room. However, I had accomplished my object, and we were enabled to have a few hours' sleep till daylight.

260

MARCH TO TETUAN.

CHAPTER XXVI.

March to Tetuan-Distant appearance of the townExtensive plain-Costume of the Moorish women -Their unprepossessing appearance-Arrival at Mr. Bendurlack's-Breakfast there-His houseMoorish arches-Jewish costume-Mine host's lovely daughters-Magnificent dresses of Esther and Seemah.

Sunday, 20th May, 1838.

I ROUSED the party at daybreak, and as the messenger from the Bashaw, authorizing our entrée to Tetuan, had arrived during the night, we made the best arrangements we could for our march of about four miles across the plain separating us from the city, which we could distinctly behold on the brow of the first hill, in appearance more like the white

MOORISH HOUSES.

261

tents of an encampment than anything else. In fact, all the Moorish houses, from being completely whitewashed, give one, at a distance, this idea, and when many are congregated together the deception is still more complete. The morning was cloudy and overcast, which added, perhaps, to the grandeur of the scene as we advanced up the level plain, with the stupendous hills (although only the spurs of Mount Atlas) on our left, Tetuan in front, and the less lofty, but no less celebrated, Mount Abila, (the brother column of Calpe,) on our right.

Although we had given directions for horses to be sent, none had arrived, even for our baggage; we therefore set out on foot, leaving the latter in charge of old Hadge, who had still some business to transact at the Custom-house, and who promised to forward it.

Nothing particular attracted our attention during this rather uninteresting march across a level, though fertile plain, except, perhaps,