Fezzan is the most advantageously situated, of all the inland countries in Africa, for the purposes of commerce, as it lies in the shortest and most convenient line of com munication between the Mediterranean and the centre of Africa, as well as between Western Africa, Egypt, and Arabia. Its trade is, of consequence, considerable; and its inhabitants are the most enterprising merchants in that quarter of the globe; but their traffic consists chiefly in foreign merchandize, and they are enriched by the carry ing trade across the deserts. The capital, Mourzouk, is the great resort of numerous caravans from Cairo, Ben gasi, Gadames, Troat, and Soudan ; and the rendezvous of all the Mahomedan pilgrims from the west and south of Africa on their way to Mecca. The caravans from the south and west bring, as articles of commerce, slaves of both sexes, ostrich feathers, tiger skins, zibette, and gold, partly in dust, and partly in native grains, to be manufac tured into ornaments for the inhabitants of the interior. From Bornou, copper is imported in great quantities ; from Cairo, silks, calicoes, cloths, and East India goods; to bacco, snuff, and Turkey ware from Bengasi; paper, fire arms, sabres, red worsted caps, and woollen cloths, from Tripoli and Gadamer; and butter, oil, corn, scnna and ca mels, from the Tuai ics and southern Arabs.
There are no articles of manufacture produced in the country, and the natives discover no ingenuity as artificers. The only tradesmen are shoemakers and smiths; and the latter work every metal without distinction, so that the same person, who forges shoes for the sultan's horse, forms rings for the princesses. The women, indeed, make a coarse woollen cloth called abbe; but, so imperfect is their manufacturing skill, that the whole work is perform ed solely by the hand, and the woof is inserted into the warp thread by thread.
The country of Fezzan is governed by a Sultan, who reigns with unlimited authority over his subjects, but holds his dominions as tributary to the Bashaw of Tripoli. The crown is hereditary, but does not always descend from father to son. The law of succession requires, that, when a vacancy occurs, the oldest prince of the blood royal shall ascend the throne, a regulation which frequently occasions an appeal to the sword. The Sultan, by the rules of the state, must always be of the family of the Shercefs of Wa den or Zuila. The palace is situated within the fortress of the capital, and the Sultan lives there retired, without any other inmates, except the eunuchs, who act as his at tendants. The Harem is contiguous to the royal residence, and the females are brought to the apartment of the sove reign, who never enters their habitation. He never ap pears without the castle walls, except on Fridays, when he goes to the great mosque, or on other public festivals, when he is attended by his whole court. On these days of
solemnity, he rides on horseback, in a plain on the out side of the town, where his courtiers exhibit their skill in equestrian exercises, or practise the art of shooting. On these days of state and ceremony, the Sultan's apparel consists of a large white stuff frock or shirt, made in the Soudan fashion, and brocaded with gold and silver. Under this covering he wears the ordinary dress of the Tripoli tans, without any thing remarkable in his appearance, ex cept his turban, which extends a full yard from the front to the hinder part, and is not less than two thirds of a yard in breadth. His official attendants are the first and second ministers of state, both of whom must be freeborn men, but whose influence, notwithstanding their nominal rank, is very inconsiderable; the general of his forces, who may be appointed from any class at the sovereign's pleasure; a number of black slaves, who are purchased when boys, and educated for the court according to their talents; and a few white slaves, termed Mamclukes, who are mostly Europeans, Greeks, Genoese, or the descendants of such, and who possess the principal interest and power.
Justice is administered by an officer named the Cadi, who is at the same time the chief of the clergy, and pos sesses great influence with the people. His decisions are directed by the Mahommedan law, and acknowledged cus toms; and, in his absence, his secretary or scribe performs the office of judge. In criminal cases, however, the judg ment. is arbitrary, or is referred to the Sultan. The dig nity of chief justice is hereditary in a certain family ; but the sultan selects the individual of tint race who is most qualified by his learning to fill the office, or, in other words, who can best read or write. The princes of the sultan's family also claim a right of jurisdiction, and of imposing corporal punishments. Next to the cadi, as head of the clergy, is the great iman.
The public revenues arise from territorial domains of the crown, from the royal gardens and forests, from salt pools and nation lakes, from duties on foreign trade, from assessments on all gardens and cultivated lands, and from arbitrary fines or requisitions. The public expenditure consists in the maintenance of the sultan, his court and household. The princes of the royal family are support ed by proportions of corn delivered weekly from the sul tan's stores, by the proceeds of territory appropriated to that purpose, and by occasional exactions from the people, levied by their personal authority, and by their own slaves. The cadi, the great officers of the government, and the clergy, are maintained by the produce of date-tree woods and gardens, granted as temporary possessions to those who hold the respective offices.