198 Mr- Park's Journey info Africa. 



added, that, if he confented to go with them peaceably, lie 

 had nothing to fear : but that, if he refufed, they had orders 

 to carry him by force. 



Finding entreaty and refiftance equally fruitlefs, for the 

 meffengers were joined by others, all of them armed, our 

 traveller, guarded by the Moors, and accompanied by the 

 negro boy (Daman's negro having made his efcape on feeing 

 the Moors, and the (lave fent by Ali having previously left 

 him on the road), fet out on the evening of the fame day 

 for the camp at Benowm, which after a diftreffing journey 

 they approached on the 12th. It prefented to the eye a 

 multitude of dirty-looking tents, fcattered without order 

 over a large fpace of ground ; and among the tents were feen 

 herds of camels, bullocks, and goats. 



The arrival at the camp of a white man was no fconer 

 made known, than all the people who were drawing water 

 at the wells threw down their buckets, thofe in the tents 

 mounted their horfes, and men, women and children came 

 running or galloping towards him. He foon found himfelf 

 furrounded with fuch crowds that he could fcarcely walk ;— 

 one pulled off his clothes — another took off his hat — a third 

 flopped him to examine his waiftcoat buttons — and a fourth 

 called out " La ilia ill Allabi, Mahomed rafowl Allabi * y 

 and Signified in a threatening manner that he muft repeat 

 thefe words. He at length reached the tent of the king, 

 whom he found fitting upon a black leather cufhion, clip- 

 ping a few hairs from his upper lip, while a female attendant 

 held up a looking-glafs before him ; there were many other 

 females in the tent. The king appeared to be an old man 

 of the Arab caft, with a long white beard. He had a fullen, 

 and indignant afpeft, and looking at our traveller with at- 

 tention, enquired of the Moors if he could fpeak Arabic ; 

 but being anfwered in the negative, he appeared much fur- 

 prifed, and continued filent. 



* " There is no god but God, and MJahomet is his prophet." 



The 



