We Reached
The Skirts Of This Camp A Little Before Sunset, And, With Much
Entreaty, Procured A Little Water.
My arrival was no sooner
observed than the people who drew water at the wells threw down
their buckets; those in the tents mounted their horses, and men,
women, and children, came running or galloping towards me.
I soon
found myself surrounded by such a crowd that I could scarcely move;
one pulled my clothes, another took off my hat, a third stopped me
to examine my waistcoat-buttons, and a fourth called out, "La illah
el Allah, Mahamet rasowl allahi" - ("There is but one God, and
Mohammed is his Prophet") - and signified, in a threatening manner,
that I must repeat those words. We reached at length the king's
tent, where we found a great number of people, men and women,
assembled. Ali was sitting upon a black leather cushion, clipping a
few hairs from his upper lip, a female attendant holding up a
looking-glass before him. He appeared to be an old man of the Arab
cast, with a long white beard; and he had a sullen and indignant
aspect. He surveyed me with attention, and inquired of the Moors if
I could speak Arabic. Being answered in the negative, he appeared
much surprised, and continued silent. The surrounding attendants,
and especially the ladies, were abundantly more inquisitive: they
asked a thousand questions, inspected every part of my apparel,
searched my pockets, and obliged me to unbutton my waistcoat, and
display the whiteness of my skin; they even counted my toes and
fingers, as if they doubted whether I was in truth a human being.
In a little time the priest announced evening prayers; but before
the people departed, the Moor who had acted as interpreter informed
me that Ali was about to present me with something to eat; and
looking round, I observed some boys bringing a wild hog, which they
tied to one of the tent strings, and Ali made signs to me to kill
and dress it for supper. Though I was very hungry, I did not think
it prudent to eat any part of an animal so much detested by the
Moors, and therefore told him that I never ate such food. They then
untied the hog, in hopes that it would run immediately at me - for
they believe that a great enmity subsists between hogs and
Christians - but in this they were disappointed, for the animal no
sooner regained his liberty than he began to attack indiscriminately
every person that came in his way, and at last took shelter under
the couch upon which the king was sitting. 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.
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