Is very similar to that of Timbuctoo, except that the king is
perfectly despotic; and though he consults his council, he decides
as he thinks proper. The governor administers justice in small
affairs; but, in important cases, he refers the parties to the king
and council, of which he is himself a member. No torture, is ever
inflicted. The governor employs a great number of officers of
police at a distance from the town. If robberies are committed, the
person robbed must apply to the chief of the district, who must
find or take into custody the offender, or becomes himself liable
to make compensation for the injury sustained.[80]
[Footnote 80: This is also the law in West Barbary. When a
robbery is committed, the district where it has been committed
is made liable for double the amount; the half goes to the
person robbed, and the other half to the treasury. The good
effects of this law is admirable, insomuch that it has almost
annihilated robbery: but when one has actually been committed,
the energy and exertion of every individual is directed to
discover the depredator, and they seldom fail to discover him.
The fear of the penalty also makes them very cautious who they
admit among them; and very inquisitive respecting the character
and vocation of all, strangers in particular, who sojourn in
their country!!]
43
LANDED PROPERTY.
They have a class of men whose peculiar business it is to adjust
all disputes concerning land; the office is hereditary; _the
offender_ pays the compensation, and also the fees of these
officers; _the innocent_ pays nothing. When lands are bought, these
officers measure them. There is a plant resembling a large onion,
which serves as a land-mark; if these are removed, (which cannot be
easily done without discovery) reference is had to the records of
the sale, of which every owner is in possession; they express the
sum received; the quantity, situation, and limits of the land.
These are given by the seller, and are written in the language and
character of the country, very different from the Arabic. The same
letters are used at Timbuctoo. They write from right to left. The
character[81] was perfectly unintelligible to Shabeeny. Children,
44 whose father is dead, succeed to the same portion of their
grandfather's property as their father would, had _he_ out outlived
_his_ father, though there are other issue of the grandfather. The
rules of succession are the same as at Timbuctoo.
[Footnote 81: Possibly the ancient Carthaginian character.]
Persons of great landed property, of which there are many, employ
agents or stewards; they let the lands, and the rents are paid
sometimes in kind, and sometimes in gold-dust and cowries. Houses
are let by the month. He paid four Mexico dollars per month; but a
native would not have paid above two for the same house. A man who
has five Mexico dollars[82] a month, is esteemed in easy
circumstances; those, however, who have 30 or 40 per month, are
common.
[Footnote 82: Ten dollars worth of rice is sufficient for the
daily food of a man a twelve-month.]