the Israelites, if discovered, are liable to be severely bastinadoed, and to have their sweetmeat confiscated. True to the instincts of his race, having thus conciliated our good will, our friend, with a very knowing look, pulled out a carefully-tied patch from some corner of his dress, and, producing some old coins of no great value (late Roman denarii), solicited us to purchase at an extravagant rate.

The kouskousou of the M'zab fluctuates like the funds of Great Britain. To-day it had fallen again in quality. There was evidently depression in prosperity. Its quantity and quality are, moreover, the measure of the honour awarded to the stranger, so through Omar we made complaint of the want of respect shown us, and were deluged with apologies from the whole Senate, who returned, one with a pot of rancid butter, another with a bunch of dates, and a third with two hot cakes, as peace offerings. But their apologies and plea of poverty did not assuage the menaces of our cavaliers, who declared they would complain at Laghouat of the way in which the "bons alliés" of the French were treated, and bring a flying column down on the devoted city. The whole body of the elders were almost on their knees to these two wild Arab horsemen. So much for being under the protection of the Suzerain power. To calm their alarms we announced our intention of departing in two days; doubtless somewhat to the relief of our thrifty entertainers.

After another day's ramble we found substantial preparations for our journey, rather owing, it is to be feared, to the threats of our mekhasni than to the spirit of hospitality, on which we had already too largely drawn. Various members of the djemmâa were awaiting our return, but as soon as salutations had passed, after a

short dialogue with Omar, they retired, and we ascertained to our annoyance that he had uncourteously informed them there would be no coffee this evening. Omar apologised for his rudeness by telling us he had been refused water by one, and bread by all; and no wonder, when he confessed to having demanded twenty barley-cakes, eight measures of barley, and all sorts of provision for our journey, on the avowed principle that the larger our demands the greater would be our consequence, and that, if a traveller wished to be respected, he must proudly call for everything without offering payment. But the kouskousou was most savoury and of the whitest flour, and while we were discussing it our old friend the Kadi Hadj came in robed in his best, and was profuse in his apologies for the barbarism of his townsmen, who, not having travelled as he had, had no idea of the proper way in which a stranger from a civilized country should be received. Now, on the eve of our departure, he urgently pressed us to stay a month, and, doubtless, when he sees our horses' tails to-morrow outside the gates, the month will distend itself into a year, if not for ever.

The next morning, dates, bags of corn, ghee, and flat barley-cakes, came pouring in, and our kadi, who stood by, confidentially expressed to Omar his hope that we were really going. Having distributed our score of parting gifts, too generally, I fear, by the instigation of our interpreter, proportioned rather to the rank than to the services of the recipient, we moved about noon— the imposing procession of camels, drivers, and horsemen creating no little sensation as they paraded along the narrow streets. The kadi on foot, with two huge keys in his hand, preceded us till we were about 100 yards outside the walls, when with repeated expressions of

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regret, and much touching of hands and kissing of fingers, he gracefully pressed his hand to his heart and returned.

We passed up the dry ravine of the Wed Ballouh, were soon in the rocky Chebkha again on our two days' march to Ghardaïa, and camped just before sunset in a spot where we could gather a few desert herbs and camels' dung for fuel to cook our doves.

CHAPTER IX.

A narrow escape - A suspiciously-faithful guard — Omar on theology - Future of Islam - Frost in the desert - A morning scene by our camp-fire- View of Ghardaïa Street scene The guest-house -Political system of the Beni M zab- Unpaid officials - Zickar, or wedding-dance- A deserted city-The Wed M'zab - Gardens Commemoration of founders - A funeral feast-Largesse - Spiritlicence Maine liquor-law Value of coffee and tea The lost found- Return of Achmed - My ratcatcher - Lizards and mice Jewish jewellers Markets Manufactures Tannin- Dyes

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Caravans - M'zab toilet - Slavery.

I HAD a very narrow escape during our ride. Having seen traces of gazelle on the left, I had ridden off in pursuit, accompanied by our younger cavalier. Far out of sight of our caravan, we were riding on a plain in full stride, upon the track of the game, when I felt the pinge of a ball past my eyes, and with it heard the report of my companion's gun. Turning sharply round, I saw him in the act of taking down his piece from his shoulder, and, rushing upon him, asked what he meant. He coolly replied that he was firing at the gazelle, which, however, were ahead instead of abreast, and, on my remarking this, pretended he had done it in sport. Drawing my revolver, I begged him to give me the flint from his gun, as he was not fit to be trusted with it; and he reluctantly surrendered. I never was able to ascertain his object, or whether he really did intend to murder me, and then ride off with my double-barrel and revolver to his tribe, who were only two or three days to the south of us; but though I learnt a lesson of caution, and never again trusted myself with him alone, the man proved a faithful guard for weeks afterwards, and in times

of great danger willingly exposed himself when he might easily have avoided all risk. My belief now is, that it was an intentional act, but not premeditated, the sudden opportunity having proved too strong for his impulsive Arab nature; and that he sought by subsequent fidelity to efface the bad impression from my mind.

This circumstance had agitated me too much for early slumber, so, sitting over the embers at the tent door, I had a long conversation with Omar, in the still starlight night, on religion and politics. He made no secret of his sanguine hope that the French would never take Kabylie, and indignantly asked what business they had there, seeing that the Kabyles had done them no harm, were content to trade, and had never acknowledged the supremacy of the Dey of Algiers.

As for religion, he had been two years a servant in Italy, in the family of a Roman princess, and had seen enough of Romanism. He would as lief be a heathen, far sooner a Jew. He had been told, by an English gentleman with whom he had travelled, of our religion, which he knew was not idolatrous, and next best to his own. He bewailed the fact that Islam was growing weak, but it was not yet finished. If it had not been true, how could Providence have permitted it to gain back so much ground that once was Christian. Man had outgrown the mission of Jesus, and therefore it had been superseded by that of the Prophet, as in its time. it had superseded Moses. For the rest, he was not a learned man, and believed what the Imaums taught him; for though the Arabs might lie, their wise men did not, and no Moslem could lie like a Frank.

He had met at Constantinople a Hindoo Mussulman, who had told him how the English reverenced the