The mission in Tunis suffered a severe loss in the sudden death of Mr H. London, late lecturer at the University of Breslau,—a man who was in every respect qualified for the work. He combined learning and genuine Christianity to such a degree, that he was greatly beloved and respected by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance. Mr London was in the forty-third year of his age, and had just commenced his missionary career, when it pleased God, in his divine and mysterious Providence, to call him hence. He departed this life, in quietness and peace, on the morning of the 28th of December 1840, and has left a widow to bemoan his loss. But, "Who shall weep when the righteous die? Who mourn when the good depart? "He has gone into peace; he has laid him down When sorrow and sighing shall flee away.' It would, I am sure, be very interesting to the Christian world, if the life of this worthy man were published I sincerely trust it will be. : The "London Society" has, for reasons unknown to me, given up Tunis, which I consider as one of the most important missionary stations. The 30,000 Jews * Brainard. inhabiting this city are at present left without the means of finding Him who is the Saviour of Israel. Let us hope that some Protestant Church will ere long fill this vacancy with faithful and zealous labourers. CHAPTER XV. The present Bey.-Circular informing the Consuls of a successor to the throne.-His military passion.-Regular troops.-A letter to illustrate their conduct.-The oppression of the Tunisians.-The Bey's expedition to the mountains.-Circular informing the Consuls of the same. -The Bey's good qualities.-Europeans in his service.— Library.-Sir Thomas Reade's collection of Arabic manuscripts.-Punishment for theft.-A very remarkable instance of a propensity to stealing.-Theft sometimes an hereditary moral depravity.-Punishment for other offences.— Climate. Dr Heap's opinion.-Soil.-Vegetables.-Animals.-Mines.-Exports and imports.-Manufactures.— Extent of the Regency, and its principal towns. AHMED BASHA, the present Bey, succeeded, as we have seen, his uncle Mustafa to the throne of Tunis on the 10th of October 1837. After the customary ceremonies of installation, the Bey issued the usual circular to the representatives of the Christian powers, with instructions to forward the same to their respective governments. I was fortunate enough to obtain a copy of the circular that was issued by the predecessor of the present Bey. The following is a copy of it : "Glory to princes of the religion of Messiah. To the chosen by the great of the nation of Jesus, our most honoured, most longed for, most magnificent, and most powerful friend, the present King of we make known, friendly, the following to your Majesty: 66 On Wednesday, the 23d of the month of Moharrim, the sacred of the present year 1251, at the moment when the sun brighted the horizon, the hour marked by destiny having struck for my most honoured brother Hussein Basha, he emigrated towards the mansion of eternity. According to an ancient and immemorable custom, the Divan was assembled to resign into my hands the reins of the government of this regency of Tunis, the wellguarded—a government which belongs to us by virtue of the right of succession, established by our ancestors. All the principal members of this respectable body, and the chief inhabitants of the country, assembled at the palace of Bardo, and there proclaimed me, and put me on the throne. This letter was written and dispatched to your Majesty, animated, as we are, by the desire to continue on the same terms of friendship and harmony which exists, for so long a time, between the government of and this regency. We desire to observe and follow out the treaty which so happily unites the two countries, and to inform ourselves of your royal health. By the grace of the Most High God, when this reaches you, our friendship encourages us to hope, that, for the future, your Majesty will not banish us from your remembrance. "Written on the 23d of Moharrim of the year 1251." (Signed by the Bey.) Similar to this circular was that of Ahmed Basha, when he ascended the throne of Tunis. His former life contains nothing worthy of particular notice. In the beginning of his reign, however, he committed certain actions, which led all his subjects to expect in him a prince that was anxious to reward justice and punish vice, and to do all in his power to promote the happiness of his people. His subsequent conduct has partly been different from this. His great passion for a military life, and martial glory, makes Ahmed Basha overlook those parts in his kingdom which are the most vital to the promotion of his own welfare, and that of his subjects. The regular troops, which are a scourge to the people, and which were established by his uncle Hussein, then amounting to 10,000, were by him augmented to double that number; * and as these troops are badly paid, they rob and steal: sometimes it really was dangerous to be in the street as soon as it got dark. Whenever complaints were brought to the Bey, he almost always decided in favour of the soldiers. The manner in which they are instructed and kept, though his Highness had ever so many thousands of them, they would not be sufficient to resist the smallest European power, whilst one thousand, properly disciplined, would be quite enough to keep the country in order, and the Arabs in awe. I insert the following letter, partly to illustrate the conduct of the soldiers, and partly to show how strict Mohammedans are in obeying their Prophet's * The Bey has also several vessels of war, and a fine steamer, which he bought from France for an enormous sum of money. |