The Husband Followed, With A Number Of Men Leading Four
Bullocks, Which They Tied To The Tent Strings; And Having Killed Another,
And Distributed The Beef Among The People, The Ceremony Was Concluded.
CHAPTER XI.
_Occurrences at the camp continued. - Information collected by the Author
concerning Houssa and Tombuctoo; and the situation of the latter. - The
route described from Morocco to Benowm. - The Author's distress from
hunger - Ali removes his camp to the northward, - The Author is carried
prisoner to the new encampment, and is presented to Queen Fatima. - Great
distress from want of water_.
One whole month had now elapsed since I was led into captivity; during
which time each returning day brought me fresh distresses. I watched the
lingering course of the sun with anxiety, and blessed his evening beams
as they shed a yellow lustre along the sandy floor of my hut; for it was
then that my oppressors left me, and allowed me to pass the sultry night
in solitude and reflection.
About midnight a bowl of kouskous, with some salt and water, was brought
for me and my two attendants. This was our common fare, and it was all
that was allowed us, to allay the cravings of hunger, and support nature
for the whole of the following day: for it is to be observed, that this
was the Mahomedan Lent, and as the Moors keep the fast with a religious
strictness, they thought it proper to compel me, though a Christian, to a
similar observance. Time, however, somewhat reconciled me to my
situation: I found that I could bear hunger and thirst better than I
expected; and at length I endeavoured to beguile the tedious hours by
learning to write Arabic. The people who came to see me soon made me
acquainted with the characters; and I discovered, that, by engaging their
attention in this way, they were not so troublesome as otherwise they
would have been: indeed, when I observed any person whose countenance I
thought bore malice towards me, I made it a rule to ask him, either to
write in the sand himself, or to decipher what I had already written; and
the pride of showing his superior attainments generally induced him to
comply with my request.
April 14th. As Queen Fatima had not yet arrived, Ali proposed to go to
the north, and bring her back with him; but as the place was two days'
journey from Benowm, it was necessary to have some refreshment on the
road; and Ali, suspicious of those about him, was so afraid of being
poisoned, that he never ate anything but what was dressed under his own
immediate inspection. A fine bullock was therefore killed, and the flesh
being cut into thin slices, was dried in the sun: and this, with two bags
of dry kouskous, formed his travelling provisions.
Previous to his departure, the black people of the town of Benowm came,
according to their annual custom, to show their arms, and bring their
stipulated tribute of corn and cloth.
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