38o TRAVELSTODISCOVER 



heartily, nor did I ever remember any of them take medi- 

 cine upon that day. But with Fidele all was feftival, not 

 even their annual folemn fail of Ramadan did he ever keep, 

 but was univerfally known to be an unbeliever, even in 

 what was called his own religion. I had ftill this further 

 objeftion to wait upon him at night, that he had gone fo 

 far as to folicit Soliman to affift him in murdering me. But 

 I confidered at laft, that we could not efcape from his hands ; 

 and that the only way to avoid the danger was to brave it. 

 Providence, indeed, feemed all along to have referved our 

 deliverance for our own exertions, under its diretSlion, as 

 all the ways we had taken to get relief from others had 

 hitherto, in appearance at leaft, mifcarried. However, it was 

 refolved to go armed, for fear of the worft ; but to conceal 

 our v/eapons, fo as to give no umbrage. I had a fmall Bref- 

 cian blunderbufs, about 22 inches in the barrel, which had 

 a joint in the ftock, fo that it folded double. It hung by 

 an iron hook to a thin belt under my left arm, clofe to 

 my fide, quite unperceivcd, like a cutlafs. I likewife took a 

 pair of piftols in my girdle, and my knife as ufual. All 

 thefe were perfecTrly covered by my burnoofe ; fo that, with 

 a little attention, when I fat down, it was impoffible to dif- 

 eover my having any weapons about me.- Hagi Ifmael 

 the Turk, Soliman my fervant, and two other Moorilh fer- 

 vants, took alfo their fire arms, fmall and great, and fwords,. 

 along with them. We all went to the houfe of th6 Shekh 

 a little before feven o'clock in the evening. I entered the 

 back door into the fquare where the women's houfe was ; 

 but declined going fo far as their apartment without leave, 

 turning to the left hand into the fide of the fquare where 

 he ufually fvaid. I was furprifcd to meet but one fervant, a 

 2 black 



