DGNHAM AND CLAPPERTON. 149 



charging full speed, wheeled round them with the same 

 threatening movements which had been exhibited at Bor- 

 nou. The horses were of a superior breed, most skilfully 

 managed, and covered with cloths of various colours, as well 

 as with skins of the leopard and tiger-cat. This cavalry- 

 made of course a very brilliant appearance ; but the Major 

 did not yet know that their valour was exactly on a level 

 with that of their Bornou allies. The party were then 

 escorted to the capital, amid the music of long pipes like 

 clarionets, and of two immense trumpets. They were in- 

 troduced next day. The mode of approaching the royal re- 

 sidence is to gallop up to the gate with a furious speed, which 

 often causes fatal accidents ; and on this occasion a man was 

 ridden down and killed on the spot. The sultan was found 

 in a dark-blue tent, sitting on a mud-bench, surrounded by 

 about two hundred attendants, handsomely arrayed in 

 silk and cotton robes. He was an intelligent little man, 

 about fifty years old, with a beard dyed sky-blue. Courteous 

 salutations were exchanged ; during which he steadily eyed 

 Major Denham, concerning whom he at last inquired ; and 

 the traveller was advantageously introduced as belonging to 

 a powerful distant nation, allies of the bashaw of Tripoli. 

 At last, however, came the fatal question, — " Is he Moslem 1 

 — La ! la I — no ! no I — What ! has the great bashaw Caffre 

 friends]" — Every eye was instantly averted; the sun of 

 Major Denham's favour was set ; and he was never more 

 allowed to enter the palace. 



The bigotry of this court seems to have surpassed even 

 the usual bitterness of the African tribes, and our traveller 

 had to undergo a regular persecution, carried on especially 

 by Malem Chadily, the leading fighi or doctor of the court. 

 As Major Denham was showing to the admiring chiefs the 

 mode of writing with a pencil, and effacing it with Indian 

 rubber, Malem wrote some words of the Koran with such 

 force that the rubber could not wholly remove the traces of 

 them. He then exclaimed with triumph, " They are the 

 words of God, delivered to his prophet ; I defy you to erase 

 them." The Major was then called upon to acknowledge 

 this great miracle ; and, as his countenance still expressed 

 incredulity, he was viewed with looks of such mingled con- 

 tempt and indignation as induced him to retire. Malem, 

 however, again assailed him with the assurance that thi» 



