off. The Italian's steed broke loose, and he left us in
search of it. I broke from my _corps de garde_. My horse lost a shoe,
and then broke loose, and I had to follow him for more than a mile. I
had a kind of dumbshow conversation with the Caid's son on my return,
a very fine, handsome lad, about seventeen. I hear his sister is most
beautiful, and I promised to send him a present, on getting to Tunis,
and he is to write to me and tell me if he receives it. After dinner
the Caid came and smoked two or three pipes, drank coffee, and wished
us adieu in a most gracious manner.

We had considerable difficulty in bringing home the boar, as our Arabs
all deserted us on account of its being the Ramadhan; but Angelo and
B---- managed to carry it back between them. I returned to Tunis next
day.

CHAPTER XII.

TUNIS AND ITS GOVERNMENT.

Picturesque Situation of Tunis.--The Horse Market.--Effects of
Race.--The Bazaars.--Mohamed Medea.--The Bardo.--The Bey of
Tunis.--His Mode of administering Justice.--Prince Puckler
Muskau's Account of his Interview.

Tunis is situated on the borders of a lake, or rather inlet of the
sea. It is surrounded by a crenelated wall, which resembles very much
that of Constantinople. Like that city, too, Tunis, from the exterior,
presents a very imposing aspect; but enter the city, and the illusion
vanishes; there is the same dirt, the same narrow and filthy streets,
as in the Turkish capital. The dogs alone are wanting to make the
comparison perfect. An ancient historian has called this place _Tunis
the white_; but, like other whited sepulchres, it is very foul within.
The horses, the really thorough-bred ones, are the finest objects in
Tunis. As in the canine and human, so in every other race, blood will
tell. The Arab horse, though by no means so swift for a short distance
as his English cousin, has a most marvellous power of endurance. He is
also extremely sure footed, and scarcely ever comes down. I weigh over
thirteen stone, yet have frequently ridden the same horse forty
English miles per diem, over country that would infallibly cut up your
English two hundred guinea hunter. They also, so to speak, live on
air. Their chief drawback is that they are, with few exceptions,
stallions, and, consequently, when tethered or standing near each
other, are very apt to fight most desperately, or else break loose
from their tetherings, when a long and wearisome pursuit is the
necessary re