The Assembly Being Thus
Dissolved, I Was Conducted To The Tent Of Ali's Chief Slave, But Was
Not Permitted To Enter, Nor Allowed To Touch Anything Belonging To
It.
I requested something to eat, and a little boiled corn, with
salt and water, was at length sent me in a wooden bowl; and a mat
was spread upon the sand before the tent, on which I passed the
night, surrounded by the curious multitude.
At sunrise, Ali, with a few attendants, came on horseback to visit
me, and signified that he had provided a hut for me, where I would
be sheltered from the sun. I was accordingly conducted thither, and
found the hut comparatively cool and pleasant.
I was no sooner seated in this my new habitation than the Moors
assembled in crowds to behold me; but I found it rather a
troublesome levee, for I was obliged to take off one of my
stockings, and show them my foot, and even to take off my jacket and
waistcoat, to show them how my clothes were put on and off; they
were much delighted with the curious contrivance of buttons. All
this was to be repeated to every succeeding visitor; for such as had
already seen these wonders insisted on their friends seeing the
same; and in this manner I was employed, dressing and undressing,
buttoning and unbuttoning, from noon till night. About eight
o'clock, Ali sent me for supper some kouskous and salt and water,
which was very acceptable, being the only victuals I had tasted
since morning.
I observed that in the night the Moors kept regular watch, and
frequently looked into the hut to see if I was asleep; and if it was
quite dark, they would light a wisp of grass. About two o'clock in
the morning a Moor entered the hut, probably with a view to steal
something, or perhaps to murder me; and groping about he laid his
hand upon my shoulder. As night visitors were at best but
suspicious characters, I sprang up the moment he laid his hand upon
me; and the Moor, in his haste to get off, stumbled over my boy, and
fell with his face upon the wild hog, which returned the attack by
biting the Moor's arm. The screams of this man alarmed the people
in the king's tent, who immediately conjectured that I had made my
escape, and a number of them mounted their horses, and prepared to
pursue me. I observed upon this occasion that Ali did not sleep in
his own tent, but came galloping upon a white horse from a small
tent at a considerable distance; indeed, the tyrannical and cruel
behaviour of this man made him so jealous of every person around him
that even his own slaves and domestics knew not where he slept.
When the Moors had explained to him the cause of this outcry they
all went away, and I was permitted to sleep quietly until morning.
March 13. - With the returning day commenced the same round of insult
and irritation - the boys assembled to beat the hog, and the men and
women to plague the Christian. It is impossible for me to describe
the behaviour of a people who study mischief as a science, and exult
in the miseries and misfortunes of their fellow-creatures.
CHAPTER X - A MOORISH WEDDING
The Moors, though very indolent themselves, are rigid task-masters,
and keep every person under them in full employment. My boy Demba
was sent to the woods to collect withered grass for Ali's horses;
and after a variety of projects concerning myself, they at last
found out an employment for me: this was no other than the
respectable office of barber. I was to make my first exhibition in
this capacity in the royal presence, and to be honoured with the
task of shaving the head of the young prince of Ludamar. I
accordingly seated myself upon the sand, and the boy, with some
hesitation, sat down beside me. A small razor, about three inclines
long, was put into my hand, and I was ordered to proceed; but
whether from my own want of skill, or the improper shape of the
instrument, I unfortunately made a slight incision in the boy's head
at the very commencement of the operation; and the king, observing
the awkward manner in which I held the razor, concluded that his
son's head was in very improper hands, and ordered me to resign the
razor and walk out of the tent. This I considered as a very
fortunate circumstance; for I had laid it down as a rule to make
myself as useless and insignificant as possible, as the only means
of recovering my liberty.
March 18. - Four Moors arrived from Jarra with Johnson my
interpreter, having seized him before he had received any intimation
of my confinement, and bringing with them a bundle of clothes that I
had left at Daman Jumma's house, for my use in case I should return
by the way of Jarra. Johnson was led into Ali's tent and examined;
the bundle was opened, and I was sent for to explain the use of the
different articles. I was happy, however, to find that Johnson had
committed my papers to the charge of one of Daman's wives. When I
had satisfied Ali's curiosity respecting the different articles of
apparel the bundle was again tied up, and put into a large cow-skin
bag that stood in a corner of the tent. The same evening Ali sent
three of his people to inform me that there were many thieves in the
neighbourhood, and that to prevent the rest of my things from being
stolen it was necessary to convey them all into his tent. My
clothes, instruments, and everything that belonged to me, were
accordingly carried away; and though the heat and dust made clean
linen very necessary and refreshing, I could not procure a single
shirt out of the small stock I had brought along with me.
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