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 to 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:
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