Prod uctions.—Besides the different articles of agricultural produce before mentioned, some bushes grow in desert wadies bearing small black berries of a very sweet and agreeable taste ; a kind of wild artichoke is met with; prickly-pears and aloes are abundant in several places. The wild trees and bushes are only used to make charcoal. Where charcoal is not to be had, camel's dung is used as fuel.
Cattle are numerous in Barca, where great numbers are found on the table-land, whence they are sent to Bengazi to be shipped for Malta and other places. The domestic animals are horses, camels, sheep, goats, dogs, and poultry. The horses are of a fine breed. Camels are the only animals used as beasts of burden. The common dogs of the country are white, and resemble wolves in form : they are fierce, and defend the herds against the attacks of the hyrenas and jackals. The most common will animals of prey are wolves, foxes, hyaxnas, and jackals. There are antelopes, gazelles, the jerboa dipus, hares, rabbits, hedgehogs, and a small animal, resembling the guinea-pig in form, called gundy.
Ostriches are found only in the deserts. The other wild birds are bustards, cranes, plovers, quails, ducks, snipes, curlews, pigeons, partridgee, and flamingoes. Swarms of locusts frequently proceed from the deserts to the cultivated ground, whence they are frightened away, and then they fall into the hands of the poor, who eat them roasted or salt them. Salted locusts appear to be a considerable article of inland trade. Bees abound in the hilly and mountainous tracts of the country, and honey is an important article of inland trade. Small quantities of honey are exported. Silt and sulphur are the guly minerals found and worked.
Population and Initabitanta.—The population is estimated at about two millions. In the country it consists of Arabs and Jews; in the towns, mostly of Moors and Jews : there is a small number of Turks, Mamelnkes, Christians, and Arabs. Black slaves are numerous iu the towns.
The Arabs of Tripoli, who compose the bulk of the people, are of the same stock as the Beduins of Arabia, whom they resemble in feature, form, and language. Their language generally is not much different from the Arabic, though io some districts it is intermixed with a great number of words derived from other languages. Thero
are two kinds of Arabs in Tripoli ; one wanderers, the other fixod residents in villages and small towns. Many of those who live in villages also travel about the country, but always return to what they consider their home. The wanderers have no permanent place of abode, but remove their tent! as pasturage or circumstances require. There are large tracts in the deserts which are partially covered with grass and bushes, and afford pasture for their sheep, goats, and camels. These wandering Arabs cultivate some small tracts with barley or dhurra. These fields are usually at a great distance from the places to which they go with their flocks, but they are respected by other wanderers, and tho corn is rarely stolen. When it is ripe, the proprietors come to gather it. They prepare the eoil by turning up the earth with a rude plough, or more generally with a hoe. When the date season commences, many families come and pitch their tents in tho Meshcea of Tripoli, in order to purchase dates for their future subsistence. These they deprive of their stones, and, whou kneaded together, keep them in skin.% so as to preserve them from insects or wet: these dates form their chief support, with the milk of their sheep and camels. A great article of commerce Is furnished by the fat of sheep. It is boiled instil it bears some resemblance to the grease used by tallow-chandlers : it is then poured into skins, and is fit for use. It is put into almost every article of food by the Arabs, and also extensively used in Tripoli and other town.. From tho wool of their sheep the women make strong barracens, carpets, shirts, and turbans. Their tents are also made of wool and goats'-hair, and also the sacks which are used for the carrying of corn and merchandise on their camels. Mats and ornament. of palm-leaves or grass are neatly made. Their dyes are generally brilliant, black, blue, red, and orange. As in Western Asia the Arabs are divided into tribes, each governed by a sheikh. In religion they are Moslems, very bigoted and superstitious.