- This morning a council of chief men was held in Ali's
tent respecting me.
Their decisions, though they were all
unfavourable to me, were differently related by different persons.
Some said that they intended to put me to death; others that I was
only to lose my right hand; but the most probable account was that
which I received from Ali's own son, a boy about nine years of age,
who came to me in the evening, and, with much concern, informed me
that his uncle had persuaded his father to put out my eyes, which
they said resembled those of a cat, and that all the bushreens had
approved of this measure. His father, however, he said, would not
put the sentence into execution until Fatima, the queen, who was at
present in the north, had seen me.
March 21. - Anxious to know my destiny, I went to the king early in
the morning; and as a number of bushreens were assembled, I thought
this a favourable opportunity of discovering their intentions. I
therefore began by begging his permission to return to Jarra, which
was flatly refused. His wife, he said, had not yet seen me, and I
must stay until she came to Benowm, after which I should be at
liberty to depart; and that my horse, which had been taken away from
me the day after I arrived, should be again restored to me.
Unsatisfactory as this answer was, I was forced to appear pleased;
and as there was little hope of making my escape at this season of
the year, on account of the excessive heat, and the total want of
water in the woods, I resolved to wait patiently until the rains had
set in, or until some more favourable opportunity should present
itself.
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