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 eat 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 any thing belonging to it.
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