him but the Koubals, who, though very fond of money are much more so of killing infidels, never omit any opportunity of murdering all those who profess a different faith,firmly persuaded that this is the surest way to please the Prophet. Several of the party thus led along, died from weakness and suffering. We marched eight nights following, the Arabs not daring to travel in the daytime, lest some other Koubals should come and tear us from their hands, so as to obtain the proffered reward. During the day they encamped in one of the surrounding woods: when our whole sustenance consisted of a little bread and water, barely sufficient to prevent us from dying. The last stage was marched during the day, for our conductors had nothing more to fear, and we arrived at Mount Felix on the evening of the ninth day. This is the residence of Sheik Osman. He has many inferior sheiks under his orders, each of whom commands a district of two or three different mountains. These mountains are peopled by Arabs who live in Adowars, a name given to several tents, containing from forty to fifty different persons. Each family composes an adowar; and the number of tents serves to denote a village, town, or city. There are no houses in this country, except the palace of Osman, and the prison for his slaves. The sheiks owe a yearly tribute to Osman: it consists of money,wax, honey, elephants' teeth, wool, skins, ostrich feathers, &c. When unable to pay from their own resources, the sheiks attack and ravage the territories of those in the neighbourhood, who are not strong enough to resist; and if the tribute is not deposited at Osman's feet, in fifteen days after it becomes due, the sheik loses his head, should he not be able to justify himself by a proper explanation, of the validity of which Osman is the sole judge. This despot lives in a palace built of stone, two stories high, and terminating in a terrace. Three hundred women are shut up in it, and attended by an equal number of their own sex. They are allowed to walk in the garden, which is very extensive, and filled with fruit trees and flowers, but the prospect is confined within the walls, for the great height of these prevents the possibility of their seeing beyond them. We were presented to Osman on the day after our arrival; he was a fine looking man, about five feet eight inches high, and is now fifty-five years old. His first question was, that of enquiring to what nation we belonged, and our replying that we were Frenchmen; "French,' said he; "Frenchmen! without faith, laws, spiteful and devils! let them be chained." His order was no sooner given than put into immediate execution. I was a perfect cripple by this time, nor were my companions much better, three of them having died some days after we arrived; stripped of our clothes, they threw a small coarse woollen shirt over each of us; this covering reached within a few inches of the knee, in the manner of the Scotch Highlanders: we were then bound together two and two, by a large chain nearly ten feet long, weighing sixty pounds; this was fixed to the ancle by a heavy clasp in the form of a horse shoe, and rivetted, so as to render escape impossible. In order to diminish the fatigue of dragging the chain along the ground, each man procured a sash made of twigs or hemp, with which he tied several links up to his middle, thus leaving a festoon of five feet between himself and companion; this contrivance did not prevent them from working, and they were inseparable till one of the party was exchanged for another, either through sickness or with a view to his receiving some punishment. Thus naked and loaded with irons, were we conducted to the prison, which is situated within half a league of the palace. This building is of an extraordinary length, greatly resembling a stable; there were but two thousand slaves at the time of our arrival, though it would easily accommodate double that number; the walls are about forty feet high, and eight in breadth, the roof is like those of Europe, except that instead FOL. 6.] Dumont's Account of his Captivity of thirty-four Years. of tiles it is covered in with planks overlaying each other in the manner of slated houses in France. The ceiling is composed of a mortar made of lime and sand, and although there are many windows secured by several large bars of iron,the prison is very dark. These openings, which are only breast high, enable the captives to see the various beasts of prey, which are nightly allured by the odour of so many human bodies shut up together, and to which they are extremely partial; these animals are frequently seen within a few yards of the grate, where their roaring is heard for hours together, spreading terror and dismay amongst the horses and other domestic animals in the neighbourhood. The windows are separated by an interval of ten feet each, and are very large. There are a great number of turrets built on the top of the walls, each large enough to contain fifteen persons, these are inhabited by the keepers; the communication to them is by a ladder which rises and falls, like a draw-bridge. On reaching the top, each keeper proceeds to his turret, where a fire is generally lighted to boil their coffee, of which they drink large quantities. Some of these remain on the watch while the rest are employed to superintend the working parties, constantly armed, and without ever taking off their clothes; they frequently discharge their muskets loaded with rock salt at any of the slaves who happen to be noisy or disorderly; they are very like our sentinels in Europe, and during the night often cry out, "Take care of the Christians." There is a channel cut in the middle of the prison, which receives the filth that descends into it from each side, for the floor shelves off towards the centre. The water is kept in several tanks formed of bullocks' hides, suspended from the walls at one end of the prison, and supplied from springs in the neighbourhood. The mode of drawing the water from these tanks is managed by a spigot and faucet fixed on the skin of one of the bullock's fore feet. On our arriving at this abode of wretchedness, the slaves seemed to be greatly pleased with the sight of so many new 77 companions to share in their misery. Having disengaged the chain from our hips, it was secured to an iron ring and padlock about three feet from the ground; a little straw was allowed us to lie on, and each slave had a stone for his pillow; they also permitted us to sleep, if we could; but this was extremely difficult, owing to the quantity of different vermin that fell from the ceiling and crawled about us in every direction. These we destroyed by handfuls on starting from sleep, awakened by their stings and biting. Such was the effect of those unwelcome visitors, that when day-light came to our relief in the morning after arriving at the prison, on looking at each other, myself and companion were not a little surprised to see our bodies covered with blotches of a dark putrid hue and full of blood. We hardly knew, in fact, whether to laugh or cry, on thus beholding ourselves before two thousand human beings almost naked, having beards of a frightful length, and many of whom began the morning's occupation by drinking copious draughts of water out of human skulls for want of more convenient vessels.+ Although my wounds, particularly that occasioned by the lance, gave excessive pain, I was obliged to go to work like the rest every morning, also to collect (for they were thrown to us as if we were dogs,) three ears of Indian corn daily, which were to serve for breakfast, dinner, and supper. The corn is generally pounded, and then mixed up with water, if that can be procured; but the keepers will not allow the slaves any for this purpose while out in the fields. After having assisted in drawing in a cart, accompanied by a dozen others, for the whole day, I was taken back at night, worn out with excessive fatigue passed without my seeing a single new slave; * The eleven first years of my captivity this long interval was at last interrupted by the appearance of a Spaniard, who had fallen into the hands of an inferior sheik, and was thus conducted amongst us.---DUMONT. + There were some other details commu nicated in this part of the narrative, of such an offensive nature, that the French editor could not insert them without doing what he considered a violence to public decorum. and dreadfully bruised by the blows received from the keepers, while endeavouring to obey their orders; but their rule is never to address a Christian without having recourse at the same time to the whip. An Italian who happened to be chained near me, was so touched with my sufferings, that he procured some hemp, which being steeped in water of marshmallows, kept in a skull for the purpose, was frequently applied to the lance wound, and though the most dreadful torments attended its application, I soon found myself entirely recovered; it now only remained for me to extract the ball, which was still a source of great pain; this I fortunately effected by the aid of an old knife; and when once out, the wound soon closed. Amongst the two thousand slaves there were a number of old men. These had only half-chains put on them. Their occupation consists of clearing out the prison, sweeping the filth into the sewer that runs through it, drawing water from the skins, and burning the vermin with lighted torches made of straw, and fastened to the end of long sticks. Thus it is, that the old men are much worse off than their younger brethren in misfortune; for in addition to the ill usage experienced from the keepers, they are, as it were, the slaves of other slaves! whose impatience, irritated by bad treatment, seeks a prompt vengeance; this desire is gratified either by spitting in the old men's faces or throwing stones at them. When no longer able to work they are shot by the keepers. Such is also the mode of getting rid of those young men, whose maladies leave but slender hopes of their recovery. They are then thrown out into an adjoining field, where the body is immediately torn to pieces by lions,tigers, or leopards; nor did it unfrequently happen that panthers, wolves, and wild boars contended for carcases thus exposed. The fierce combats which usually took place whenever a dead body was the object of contention, used to be a source of great amusement to the Arabs, who would sometimes cry, "Do you see that Christian? God knows nothing of him, or he would not let him be devoured!" It is mostly the skulls of those who are shot by the keepers that serve as drinking vessels and other utensils to the slaves; for the body of any one who committed suicide was carried to the top of a neighbouring mountain, and left there to be devoured. Such an event never occurred without being followed by a volley of blows on the persons of those nearest the man who had bung himself (this was the ordinary mode of self-destruction); nothing could be more criminal in the eyes of the keepers than for any slave to adopt the above plan of obtaining freedom. As we were, according to this doctrine, bound to prevent suicide, it soon came to my turn to save the life of my chain comrade, a young Italian seaman, who, in consequence of a resolution to die, contrived to hang himself while unobserved, shortly after dark on a Friday night, the Mussulman's sabbath: but owing to the cord being very weak, merely consisting of some hemp badly twisted together, I found very little difficulty in pulling him down by a sudden shake; for the bone which he had fastened in the wall and attached the hemp to, was too high for me to reach it. The only inconvenience arising from the attempt was that of my companion carrying his head awry for nearly two months. But the same whim happening to seize him some time after, the notice I received of the event, a severe kick in the pit of my stomach, just as he threw himself off, induced me to let him bang undisturbed till daylight, when the usual salary of a bastinado was followed by my being forced to carry him off on my shoulders. Another of my comrades, who fell sick, was shot by oue of the keepers, after which his skull served me to drink out of for fourteen years. I brought it with me to Marseilles, as will be seen in the end. I lost three companions in all during my captivity, two of whom were shot, and the Italian just mentioned. Although I had not less than thirty different ones, they took care never to chain a Frenchman up with me, thinking that such a plan might lead to plots. This afforded me the means of learning several languages, so that I can now speak VOL. 6.] Time's Magic Lanthern, No. I. the Arabic, English, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, with as much facility as French; I also understood a little German and Dutch. The slaves generally rise at two in the morning, to avoid the hastinado,applied by large supple canes,that are kept steeped in water to prevent their getting too light. Some work in the sheik's garden, while others bew wood, till the ground, or draw, yoked to a plough. I was frequently employed five or six leagues from the prison, with several more of the slaves, in ploughing, It was customary, on those occasions, for a party of Koubals, taken from the adowars (who are obliged by law to furnish guards for the slaves) to form a circle round us, not to prevent escape, for that was impossible, but in order to protect us from the beasts of prey, some of which were constantly on the watch to seize the unarmed captive. 79 There are always a hundred and fifty armed men to watch over the safety of a hundred slaves. But although there are sentinels incessantly on the look out, it does not prevent the lion from carrying off his prey if greatly pressed by hunger, as I saw proved in the case of an unfortunate Spaniard, who once happened merely to go the length of the chain from his companion, when suddenly a lion rushed from a thicket and proceeded to carry him off. On the nearest Koubal giving the alarm, the ferocious animal was instantly surrounded and shot, but too late for saving the poor Spaniard's life,as he bad already expired,his entrails being torn completely out by a single grasp. It is remarkable that the cries of men drive the beasts of prey back into the woods, whereas they are attracted by the sound of fire-arms,as if curiosity formed some part of their instinct. Continued in our next. TIME'S MAGIC LANTHERN. This is to be a series of dialogues, in which we propose to introduce remarkable persons of all ages and countries. As our sketches will "come like sha dows, so depart,” we have named it Time's Magic Lanthern, and have actually got some part of the exhibition already executed, and ready to push for ward as occasion requires. Remarkable persons are of various descriptions, and we do not propose, like Fontenelle, to seek them in the Elysian fields, but to hew them off in as dramatic a style as possible, engaged in their characteristic employments, and a tuated by the passions of living men.] NO. I. Machiavel's Death-Bed. Machiavel. COME hither, good wo man, and shift my pillow, for my head throbs painfully, and my thoughts hurry backwards and forwards in such clouds that I can find no rest. There now-thank you. Be kind to a dying man, for your heart remains such as it came from the gentle hands of Nature, and has never been seared by Attendant. The tears come into his eyes. Good signor, compose yourself, and all will go well. Mach. No, no! The inevitable moment is drawing near, when my spirit must take wing to another world, where its subtlety will be of no avail. Farewell to the kingdoms of the earth! Farewell to cabinets and to cunning! Machiavel is dying poor and neglected; but he has bequeathed to mankind a legacy, which is already in the hands of their princes, and for which he prays God to forgive him if there is mischiet in it. Mischief!-Can mischief be taught among the seed of the serpent? Alas! it springs indigenous in every bad heart; and if I have written the natural history of the hemlock, it will serve to instruct the physician as well as the poisoner. Atten. Let me beseech you to remain calm, and not to irritate your mind with these thoughts at present. The best you can do is to sleep. Mach. If there was such a thing as permanent sleep, you would perhaps be right. Repose, darkness, vacuity, negation of every sort,-and yet something will not allow one to believe it possible. Atten. Do not tempt Heaven by wishing it. Mach. May divine mercy guard my couch from bad thoughts, and purify my soul for another state of existence. Hush! do not speak to me-my eyelids are heavy. Atten. This is well. He falls into a slumber. What a meagre, sharp, and shrivelled countenance. And this is the politician of whom Florence speaks so much. The shadow of his features is reflected upon the wall; and it seems as if his head was already wrapped up for burial. It was not by chance that a raven alighted at the window this morning, or that I dreamt last night of seeing him in church, where he has not been for so long. (Enter a friend of Machiavel.) Atten. Hush! Tread softly; and do not speak but in a whisper. Friend. How fares it with him now? Atten. Worse and worse, I fear. A gradual decay. Look at his features. You have come just in time to see him die; and your presence will help to support my courage, for the last scene is always a dismal spectacle. Friend. Dismal indeed; but, in this case, I believe it will be a quiet one. Atten. Some say that when only one person is present at a sinner's deathbed, good and bad angels are seen hovering about in the dark parts of the chamber, ready to seize his wandering spirit after its escape from the body. Friend. Fables. Has the priest been here again? Mach. (awaking.) Ha! Jerome, are you there? Reach me your hand once more. It is all over with me. Friend. This despondency should not be allowed so easy a victory. You have been enjoying the advantage of sleep. Mach. Scarcely. I had a strange fancy just now.* I thought I was standing at a certain place, from whence there was a view of the road which leads up to the gate of paradise, and also of the road which leads down to the infernal regions. Upon each of these roads I saw a crowd passing along, and felt much interest in observing of what'sort of individuals it was composed. Friend. What sort of persons were those on the road leading to paradise? Mach. Poor ill-favoured rogues→→ half-starved, weather-worn, ragged, and thin-blooded. The very refuse of the earth, at least what are counted so. They seemed as if they had but newly escaped from a hail-storm of earthly misery and contempt, which had bent down their shoulders, and rent their garments to tatters. Beggars, slaves, and simple fools, who had remained honest after being counted knaves; homely rustics, who could scarcely have out-witted their own watch-dogs; sober mechanics, such as are known to the world only by the shoes they produce bellmen of convents; but few priors; and, in short, such a company as brought me in mind of the text, Beati pauperes quoniam ipsorum est regnum cælorum.' Atten. Yes, but I cannot repeat what" passed between them. The priest said it should be kept secret. Friend. Has the last sacrament been administered? Atten. Yes; but I fear against the sick man's will, for he seems to enter tain different opinions from what are sanctioned by the church. God mend him before he goes to be judged. Friend. Amen! Do not, however, think him so much of an unbeliever as some have supposed. What I fear is, that there is even less religion in his heart than in his opinions, so much has the business of his life thrown his better feelings into disuse. At the same time, I believe him no friend to wickedness in the main. Friend. But what had these persons done, more than others, to entitle them to admission at St. Peter's gate. Mach. The same question occurred to myself, when I saw the apostle stretch forth his hands to such a homely group, and, with a smiling countenance, help such as were feeble and drooping to ascend the few steps which led up to his massive portal, Friend. And was your curiosity satisfied? Mach. The valves were throwa open, and a breeze rushing out upon the new comers, suddenly removed the squalor and sickliness of their appear * See Machiavel's Life. |