32 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



He added alfo, " That if I wanted any thing I mould fend 

 ** my Armenian fervant, Arab Keer, to him, without trou- 

 " bling myfelf to communicate my neceffities to the French, 

 " or trull my concerns to their Dragomen." 



Although I had lived for many years in friendfhip and 

 in conftant good undcrftanding with both Turks and Moors, 

 there was fomething more polite and coniiderate in this 

 than I could account for. 



I had not feen the Bey, it was not therefore any particu- 

 lar addrefs, or any prepoffeffion in my favour, with which 

 thefe people are very apt to be taken at firfl fight, that could 

 account for this ; I was an abfolute ftranger ; I therefore 

 opened myfelf entirely to my landlord, Mr Bertram 



I told him my apprehenlion of too much fair weather 

 in the beginning, which, in thefe climates, generally leads 

 to a ilorm in the end; on which account, I fufpected fome 

 defign ; Mr Bertran kindly promifed to found Rifk for me. 



At the fame time, he cautioned me equally againfl offend- 

 ing him, or trailing myfelf in his hands, as being a man 

 capable of the blacker! deiigns, and mercilefs in the execu- 

 tion of them. 



It was not long before Rifk's curiofity gave him a fair 

 opportunity. He inquired of Bertran as to my knowledge 

 of the ftars ; and my friend, who then faw perfectly the 

 drift of all his conduct, fo prepofTeiTed him in favour of my 

 fuperior fcience, that he communicated to him in the in- 

 ftant the great expectations he had formed, to be enabled 



by 



