treason are now the only offences which have the judgment of death passed on the culprits. The common and daily punishments are imprisonment, hard labour at the galleys, and the bastinado. There are minor judgment-halls in the city itself, held at the gates, as well as in the other towns in the regency, in which the respective Kaids act as judges. But they are not at liberty to pronounce capital punishment. If a Mohammedan, be he even a slave, murders a Christian or a Jew, the offender is not considered guilty of death.

The Jews dare not, according to their law, appeal to a non-Israelitish court of justice. The chief Rabbi, in conjunction with a few-generally three-minor Rabbies, which correspond with an English jury, constitute their tribunal. The Jews plead their own cases, sitting cross-legged on the floor. After all the evidences have been heard, a brief consultation takes place between the judge and jury, and the former deals out the decision. Sometimes, but very seldom, a discussion takes place between the latter, and appeals are made to the Hebrew code of jurisprudence, for which purpose the "Choshen Hamishpat,"* and other Jewish law-books, are always on the table, ready to be referred to.

The

The cases which occur amongst the Jews are all of a monetary nature between lender and borrower, buyer and seller, &c. Criminal cases are nonentities. Murder is a crime almost unknown amongst the sons of Israel. only person who is really in danger of his life is a native Jewish convert to Christianity. No effort would be relaxed in order to regain him into the bosom of the synagogue ;

* Literally, "Breast-plate of Judgment," the title of the principal Hebrew code of laws.

and when all efforts exerted failed, nothing would be left undone to bring about the poor convert's destruction. Yea, it is the time that whosoever killeth us thinketh that he doeth God service.*

Besides the court of the Rabbi, which is of an ecclesiastical nature, there is also a civil court. A rich Jew of the name of Youseff, with a large sum, purchased for himself the Kaidship over the Tunisian Jews, and therefore acts as judge. The Rabbi and the Kaid act in strict concert. Should any Jew demur against the decision of the Rabbian event which never occurs—the Kaid would put the verdict into execution vi et armis, as he is at liberty to make use of as many officials of the Bardo as he wants. If a money law-suit occurs between a Jew and a Mussulman, then the affair is decided in a Mohammedan court of justice, and I have no reason to say that judgment is given with a partial eye.

I am afraid this epistle will prove too voluminous if I go on much longer. I shall, therefore, for the present conclude, though it must be in an abrupt manner.

I am, my dear Sir,

Yours, &c., &c.

* John XVI. 2.

LETTER XXVII.

TO LORD LINDSAY.

Tunis, Dec. 1847.

My dear Lord,

I thought of writing to you long ere this—as a small token of gratitude for the great kindness your Lordship was pleased to show me, when I had the honour of calling upon you at St. Germains; but always came to the resolution of waiting till my plans were more maturely arranged. I have a great desire to penetrate into Central Africa, and I have a fair prospect of being able to do so in the course of two or three months, with the camp of the Bey, which goes twice a year as far as Gereed, for the purpose of collecting taxes, consisting of nearly twenty thousand soldiers. I shall thus have an opportunity of going twenty days' journey into the very interior of the Great Sahara of Africa. I understand that a great many traces and reliques of Christianity are to be met with on that route. We know from ecclesiastical history, that Africa was once the cradle and nursery of Christian bishops, presbyters, and deacons. The names of Cyprian, Tertullian, Augustine, and of many other pious disciples of Jesus, grace the early annals of the Christian Church.

I was always accustomed to regard with feelings of the liveliest interest those nations of antiquity to whom the world has been indebted for arts and sciences, but my feelings are always carried away by an uncontrollable interest, whenever I contemplate those nations who furnished this sin-stricken world with instructors of that

wisdom which cometh from above-the only true science and philosophy. Carthage, then, or rather its ruins, exercises now a most powerful influence upon my feelings. If the name Carthage reminds the scholar of the mighty warriors, mentioned in classic lore, who fought bravely for their country's weal, it brings no less vividly to the recollection of the Christian the valiant soldiers of the Cross. The name Carthage stands associated with the conflicts and struggles of the first heroes of the Christian warfare; it can boast of having produced many brave and faithful leaders and commanders of the noble army of martyrs, who fought manfully the good fight of faith.

From the terrace of the house I live in, I command an extensive view of the ruins of that once far-famed and most aspiring city-the mighty Kartha Chadta of yore. I have not failed in taking a daily view, since I came here, of the plain which was once covered by splendid fanes, magnificent palaces, majestic edifices, and lofty towers, surrounded by mighty and almost invincible triple walls. It is an awfully gloomy prospect. It is a ruin to all intents and purposes; and though I am already familiar with every spot, with every hill and dale in this vicinity, my heart still sinks within me, whenever I ascend upon the house-top to gaze upon the few scattered gigantic fragments, with which the plain of Tunis is besprinkled. Yet I could stand motionless for hours, and muse over the dreary and silent scene. There is a sort of bewitching charm in the landscape, which rivets my eyes immovably on the panorama, though the effect it produces upon me is a very melancholy one. The ideas which its history suggests, are indeed most painful ones. The first thing

it generally brings to one's mind, is the foundress of that majestic city, which once adorned this neighbourhood. I remember that it was a grand-niece of that Jezebel, who

was the curse of Israel. One cannot help being struck with the remarkable coincidence, that the same awful denunciations which were made against Tyre and Sidon, were literally fulfilled in their offspring, Carthage; and good reason why, because the daughter walked in all the ungodly ways of her ungodly parents. The same enormous idolatrous practices, which provoked the wrath of God against the Phoenicians, were practised to the same frightful degree in Carthage. Human sacrifices were offered to Saturn and Moloch, in both countries. Children were passed through the fire, in honour to the Queen of Heaven, in Carthage, as well as in Tyre; and, therefore, the judgments proclaimed against the one,* were also fulfilled in the other. Alas! how literally! It is a fearful thing to incur the vengeance of God. But my musings do not end here. I am hurried on in meditation to the annals of my nation. My people have also corrupted themselves with the practices of those nations, and thus merited the just indignation and punishment of the Most High, who is untainted in His holiness, unbending in His justice, and unchanging in His truth, so that our once beautiful city and Temple are now laid in like ruins with Carthage. But I must cease these reveries,―sufficient is to the day the evil thereof. It will be high time for me to indulge in such gloomy cogitations, when I shall actually be on the consecrated—but, for a time, desecrated-spot. The evil thought of the present day is Carthage. I do not intend intruding upon your Lordship a description of the ruins of that renowned city, because, in the first place, there is very little to describe; and in the second place, the little there exists has been already described over and over again.

I have no doubt your Lordship is full well acquainted

* Ezek. XXVII., XXVIII.