4J2 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



ing for you to Teawa ;" and with that he put his arm to 

 lay hold of me by the breaft. I fiiid to him, " Off hands, you 

 ruffian ;" and, taking him by the arm, I gave him fuch a 

 pufli that he had very near fallen backward ; on which he 

 cried out, in great fury, " Give me fifty patakas (about twelve 

 guineas) or I'll ham-llring you this inftant." I had always 

 pifiols in my pocket for an extremitv ; but I could not con- 

 fider this drunkard, though armed, to have reduced me to 

 that fituation ; I therefore immediately clofed upon him, 

 and, catching him by the throat, gave him a violent wrench 

 backward, which threw him upon the ground. 1 then took 

 his fword out of his hand ; and in the inftant my black fer- 

 vant Soliman appeared, who had ftaid behind converfing 

 with fome acquaintance in the ftreet. Several other black 

 companions of this rafcal likewife appeared ; part fecmed 

 to defend, and part to intercede for him, but none to con- 

 demn him. Soliman, however, infifted upon carrying him be- 

 fore the king with his drawn fword in his hand. But how 

 were we furprifed, when the king's anfwer to our complaint 

 was, " That the man was drunk, and that the people in 

 that country were not ufed to fee franks, like me, walking 

 in the ftreet." He then gave Soliman a fliarp reproof for 

 having the prefumption, as he called it, to difarm one of 

 his fervants in his palace, and immediately ordered his 

 fword to be reftored him. 



We were retiring full of thoughts what might be the 

 occafion of this reception, when we were met by Kittou, 

 Adelan's brother, who was left with the care of the town. 

 I told the whole affair. He heard me very attentively, and 

 with apparent concern. " It is all the king's fault ; every 



Have 



