het, and the abject dominion of his faith. The hope of Paradise, he rewards hereafter, the dazzling promises made by Mahomet, 1 relation to futurity, was another powerful impulse to strengthen nd extend his faith; it was founded on tyranny, an indulgence in ensualities, a sickening despotism-it gave full reins to passion, to evenge and intolerance, and the Arabs readily adopted it-he foundda kingdom of assassins, which existed for centuries, exhibited at mes, virtues of the highest order, gallantry and talents, but ever espotic, and frequently cruel; the kingdom prospered, the Caliphs dded lustre to it, it rose, flourished, decayed, and will not be long efore it falls, like other religions and kingdoms, founded on cruelty nd intolerance. It was the people professing this faith in all its rimitive dogmas, among whom I was now residing, and whose haracter I was about to examine. The Koran is the foundation f the Mahomedan religion, but there are codes and pandects of this ith, which are considered as branches or commentaries. The rst is the general code; the second the assinah, or traditions; the hird, the inferences and deductions, which have rendered the region complex and difficult, yet there are five fundamental articles f the law, which, if observed, establishes a claim to the characer of a true believer. The first is cleanliness in person and arments-hence the frequent and salutary ablutions of the Turks; he second is prayers three times, by some five times a day, which rarely evaded; the third is a strict observance of the monthly st of Ramadan; the fourth, to distribute alms according to their rdinances; the fifth is a pilgrimage to Mecca. These are forms › be observed, independent of other rites and ceremonies, but ne grand principle of faith is insisted upon, and that is, in the beef of one God, and that Mahomet was his prophet. The first uilding of any note in a city or conquered province, is a Mosque, r it is deemed an essential principle of the religion, never to rrender any city by capitulation to an enemy, in which Mosques ave been erected; hence the obstinate resistance made by Turks their sieges; and as the Moslem faith was established by the word, so will it be destroyed by that weapon, as a true Mussulan confidently believes that Paradise will be his immediate re. ard, who dies by the hand of a Christian, in defending his couny and religion; hence they fight like tigers, court death in every ape, and their enemies do not war with brave and disciplined en, but with furious bigots, without order, discipline or reason, I remember once to have had occasion to remonstrate seriously with Soliman Kya, the commander in chief of the army, on the conduct of the British in that kingdom, which produced some spirited observations, and I concluded by assuring him that war would inevitably result from a violation of our treaty; well, said he, with admirable sang froid, do you think we fear the Christians? We ask nothing better than to be killed by a Christian, our happiness hereafter is then certain. There was no combatting such prejudices, and I left him. There are three or four very large Mosques in Tunis, with Minarets, besides a number of small ones; they use no bells. At day break, at noon, and on the going down of the sun, a person ascends these Minarets, and in an audible voice calls on all true believers to come and pray. Those who do not daily visit the Mosques, never omit their prayers at home. They wash their feet and face, adjust their turban and garments, spread a strip of Turkey carpetting on the ground, on which they stand facing the east, and say their prayers, which consists of sentences from the Koran, and they occasionally prostrate themselves, touching the earth with their foreheads. The poorer class of the community, when they do not visit the Mosque, spread a sheep skin on the terrace of their houses, and go through the same ceremonies.The extreme prejudices of these people against all other religions, renders it difficult to become acquainted with all their forms and ceremonies; none but a Mussulman dare enter their Mosques. I have passed them when the doors were opened, and without being observed, have taken a hasty glance. They are very spacious buildings, plainly, but expensively built. A large gate opens on a square or patio, paved with marble, in the centre of which a fountain of water is invariably found, at which their ablutions are performed. From this patio, a colonnade, supported by pillars, covers the entrance to the Mosque, which is generally di vided into three aisles; the floor is covered with mats, on which the men and women indiscriminately seat themselves: most of the principal men have a rosary in their hands, but whether they say prayer on telling each bead, or use them from habit or amusement, I cannot say. At the head of the church is a Mufti, answering in influence and character to a Bishop; this office is generally hereditary in families. They have, besides, minor orders of Priests, and the ecclesiastical establishments, the revenue and importance of this body, does not differ from those in Catholic countries, and the Mutt is in great repute and esteem; he is consulted on all occasions connected with the religion or the laws, as the church has a paramount authority over the state; his opinion is required on most political subjects, and on all local matters, and is generally binding and conclusive. The Mufti and Mussulmen Priests, are a very respectable body of men, exercising their influence in a temperate judicious manner; placed far above the reach of want, they have no sordid desires, and the absolute devotion and respect which they must receive, induces them to be cautious in all their measures. They have pulpits in their Mosques, and they preach in the Arabic language. I had an opportunity, on the commencement of the feast of Biram, to hear the Mufti pray at the palace, and in presence of the Bey. He lifted up both hands on each side, as high as his head, all the people doing the same, and in an audible clear tone, prayed very devout and solemnly; I was much pleased with the manner in which the service was performed; the Arabic language is calculated, by its sonorous, full and copious measure, for purposes of devotion. No people on earth are so superstitious as the Turks; they have a thousand little ceremonies and sayings, indicative of this weakness, and they believe in witches and wizards as firmly as our pious ancestors in New-England did. They still retain the Hebrew custom of sacrifices, which is observed more out of respect for their prejudices, than from religious considerations. When they place the foundation stone of a fort, they sacrifice a lamb, and sprinkle the blood on the stones, giving the flesh to the workmen ; they observe the same ceremony in launching a vessel, with this difference, that they throw the flesh into the water. The "evil eye," is a superstition which generally prevails; they affix on their houses, horses, and furniture, a hand, much in the manner as we do a horse shoe, in these enlightened times; this is a Portuguese custom, they call it a figo; and at this day, we suspend around the neck of children, a small coral hand, with the thumb thrust between two fingers. Shakespeare was aware of this custom. Pistol says, "a figo for thy friendship." The Moors dread this evil eye; they arc displeased if you admire any thing about them, particularly their horses or children. I remember one day, that a child belonging to the minister of marine, was carried by my door on a mule, by a Moorish slave. I stopped to caress the child, which it was exceedingly fair, with light blue eyes, and very beautiful; the slave watched me with great uneasiness and agitation, and when released, hurried rapidly away. Five is an unlucky number, which they seldom or ever repeat; they have a veneration for serpents, and are fond of cats, but a dog is abhorred by them. In every respect, in their attachments, habits and customs, they seem to act directly the reverse of civilized nations. In these sacrifices of goats and fowls, for accidents, for building of houses, &c. they have been known to go further, and make them human. Geluli, a rich Turk, engaged in privateering, it is said, has sacrificed three negroes, at different periods, when he has buried money. This was done, under the superstitious impression, that the soul of the deceased would watch over the treasure. The inhabitants of Barbary present a singular compound of character. Gathered on this fertile portion of the world from various parts of Asia and Europe, few of them indigenous, their habits, characters, and complexions materially differ, and Turks from the Morea and Constantinople, Moors from Spain, Negroes from be yond the desert, Bedouin Arabs from the borders of Atlas, Jews from Syria, Spain, Portugal, and Italy, and Christians from several parts, but principally from France and the Tuscan States, all mix together in one body, pursuing various avocations, intent on admi nistering to their own wants, but doing nothing for society or civi lization. The Berberi may be considered as the original lords of the soil. They are a strange compound, descended from the Carthagenians, Romans, Numidians, and Saracens, and from this commixture of blood, they partake of the virtues and the vices of their ancestors. These men occupy in tribes the whole of Barbary, from Morocco to the Gulf of Sidra. They are tall, thin, muscular and brave, having a piercing eye, which, with uncom mon large white teeth, forms a singular contrast to their sun-burnt faces and Roman features. They build mud and stone houses in the mountains, erect their tents made of goat hair; they chase the antelope, and hunt the lion with their fowling pieces; simple in their diet, which consists of bread, milk and dates, they live to a great age; mild and tolerant to friends, fierce and implacable to enemies, they maintain a ferocious independence, and may be compared to our Indians, excepting that in the Berberi we see a savage people descended from a civilized community, and our Indians |