Narrative of a ten years' residence at Tripoli in Africa : from the original correspondence in the possession of the family of the late Richard Tully, Esq. the British consul. Comprising authentic memoirs and anecdotes of the reigning bashaw, his family, and other persons of distinction; also, an account of the domestic manners of the Moors, Arabs, and Turks.

  • Tully, Richard.
Date:
1816
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Narrative of a ten years' residence at Tripoli in Africa : from the original correspondence in the possession of the family of the late Richard Tully, Esq. the British consul. Comprising authentic memoirs and anecdotes of the reigning bashaw, his family, and other persons of distinction; also, an account of the domestic manners of the Moors, Arabs, and Turks. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    and makes us fear a famine will soon be at the height here, which surely, of all calamities, is the most horrid; the great must pay for it, but what the poor will suffer must agonize every feeling heart. April 20, 1784. During our ride out yesterday, we were struck with the singular appear- ance of the country at a small distance from the town. In Barbary, the burying places are out of the cities, in the manner of the ancients ; and the numerous burying-grounds, from the shape of the tombs, resemble roofs of houses, and appear like towns in miniature. The large mausoleums, be- longing to people of distinction, represent capital buildings, proportionate in size to the little towns by which they are surrounded. In some of them lights are kept constantly burning, with the choicest flowers, the fragrancy of which strike you on approaching the tombs. The numerous Moorish gardens appeared to be so many woods of oranges; these, added to detached plantations of olives and dates, formed a scene totally different to what is met with near the capitals of Europe. We alighted at a farm ; the ladies were admitted into the house, where wTe had fresh and sour milk, and dates just gathered from the tree of the most beautiful transparent brown, and which had the appearance and taste of fruit preserved in the highest manner. Some of the same refreshments were procured to be sent to the gentlemen in the garden. The Moors were obliged to secure a camel that, with much difficulty, was prevented attacking our horses while they stood in the yard, though the camel is in general, with very few exceptions, perfectly mild j this having a young one unable to feed itself, accounts for its ferocity. The camel’s milk is drunk here by consumptive people ; it is extremely salt and ill-flavoured, richer than cow’s milk, and of a red colour. The young camel, when a few weeks old, is remarkably handsome. Nothing can be more distressing than to hear its cry at that age, as its voice then so exactly resembles the cries of a young child, that it is impossible to be distinguished from them. When they are grown up their voice is very loud and rough, and when angry, they make a particular rattling in the throat that cannot be mis- taken, which is a lucky circumstance, as it is a warning of their intention to bite ; for, from the size of their mouths, and their never wearing a muzzle, a bite is nearly fatal: but, fortunately, they are in general so inoffensive and