climate is generally healthy. The plague is known only when introduced from other parts. In all other respects the climate and seasons resemble those of Tripoli. The summer beats are moderated by sea-breezes along the coast, and the winters resemble our spring. Although the habits of the people are far from cleanly, and vermin are plentiful, yet fevers are not frequent, and epidemic maladies are scarcely known. During the slimmer and autumn rain is very rare : it usually falls in November, and continues at intervals until the month of April. The mean temperature at the town of Tunis, deduced from a series of meteorological observations, is found to be as follows spring, summer, autumn, 64.0*. The mean annual temperature is 69•2*.
Gorernnient.—The ruler of the territory of Tunis at present bears the title of Bey, and in state documents he is called the Basha-Bey of Tunis, because ho is invested with the rank of pasha (which in the dialect of Barbary is bashs) by the Grand Sultan, to whom be sends tribute as often as his political circumstances require the Sultan's favour or protection. But the Porto has little control over him, and he is the sovereign of the country, with whom the states of Europa enter into treaties, and to whom they send their consuls; and he is represented by ambassadors at the chief courts of Europe. Although he is nominally elected by a divan, yet (the members of this body being chosen by himself) he easily obtains their suffrages for the nomination of his successor in the person of one of his own family ; and thus the sovereignty has remained in the same dynasty for nearly a century. His power is despotic, for the divan is only formally assembled to confirm the will of its master. The country is not divided into provinoee, but the whole is under the direct control of the Bey. As his revenue depends greatly upon the tribute which he exacts from the Arab tribes in the interior, he is obliged to keep up a standing force, which ho annually sends to scour the country and extort payment. The regular troops amount to about 8000; they have been trained in European tactics under French officers, and wear the new Turkish uniform. The contingent furnished by the Arab tribes, amountina. to 40,000 men, chiefly cavalry, receive no pay, but are exempt from tribute. The tribute is estimated and collected in a moat arbitrary manner. Tho collector goes Into a field whilst the crop is still green, and values it according to his 'caprice. The owner is then obliged to pay a tithe on this supposed value of his future crop, although when the harvest arrives he may find that it perhaps does not exceed the fourth part of the sum at which it was estimated. The same is the case with olivea and dates, in which consist the prin cipal resources of the country. All sorts of animals, including horses, are also similarly taxed at pleasure. Those who have the art to conceal their herds and flocks are made to pay in money, which is often extorted by the beeline& The Bey draws other revenues from the customs ; from the sale of permits to export grain and other produce, and to import wine and spirits ; from monopolies of various sorts ; from a tax on the Jews; and from his own lands. He has also some sources
of revenue of a casual nature, such as the wealth of his rich subjects who die; his profits in trade, which are considerable; and his extortions from those who have money whenever a public pretext furnishes him with an excuse to draw upon their hoards. The Tunisians formerly had a powerful fleet, and were desperate pirates ; but their navy is reduced to insignificance since 1816, as well by gales on their own shores as by the total loss of the Boy's contingent in tho battle of Navarino. At present his force consists of a few corvettes, brigs, schooners, and gun-boats, for which ho has no real use. The ley is the chief of the religion of the state in Tunis, and is himself the first judge in his kingdom. He sits in the hall of justice almost daily, and his decisions, which are summary, are immediately put into execution. The kaIds administer justice in the same manner iu tho interior towns. The kakis judge only in matters of religion.
foreign commerce of Tunis is not confined to tho capital, but is also carried on briskly from the ports of the eastern coast. Among the manufactured articles of export are—soap, flamenco leather, Gerba shawls, red skull-caps, wheat, barley, olive-oll, wool, hides, bees'-wax, dates, almonds, @pongee, and orchilla-seed: these are the principal articles of produce exported. From tho interior of Africa are received and exported—ivory, gold-dust, ostrich-feathers, seism, and madder-roots. The imports are woollen-cloths, cotton prints, calicoes, muslins, coarse linens, damasks, raw and wrought silks, fine wool, gold and silver tissues, coffee, sugar, apices, alum, vitriol, cochineal, vermilion, gum-lac, iron, tin, lead, hardware, cutlery, ammunition and arms of all sorts, earthenware, glass.beads, paper, wine, spirits, and tobacco. The European trade is entirely with Prance. Italy, Trieste, and Malta. As ports of loading those of Sfax and Soma are preferred to Tunis, In consequence of the distance and delay of transporting merchandise in lighters across, the lake to the Geletts, where ships generally lie; the commerce of the country Is consequently best earned on in vessels under 150 tons burden. The trade with Central Africa passe' through Gadamis. The caravans arrive at Tozer, Cabe', and Sfax about twice in the year. and barter their merchandise, which is thence Introduced in various direc tions Into Tunis. Besides the articles already mentioned they bring black slaves, and they take in return dates, woollen-cloths, =mhos, silks, colonial produce, skull-caps, arms, and such like.