﻿OF HINZUAN, OR JOHANNA. 95 



We dined in tolerable comfort, and had occasion, 

 in the course of the day, to observe the manners of 

 the natives in the middle rank, who are called Banas^ 

 all of whom have slaves constantly at work for them. 

 We visited the mother of Combomadi, who seemed in 

 a station but little raised above indigence ; and her 

 husband, who was a mariner, bartered an Arabic 

 treatise on astronomy and navigation, which he had 

 read, for a sea-compass, of which he w r ell knew the 

 use. 



In the morning I had conversed with two very 'old 

 Arabs of Yemen, who had brought some articles of 

 trade to Hhizuan ; and in the afternoon I met another, 

 who had come from Maskat (where at that time there 

 was a civil w r ar) to purchase, if he could, an hundred 

 stand of arms. I told them all that I loved their na- 

 tion ; and they returned my compliment with great 

 warmth, especially the two old men, who were near 

 foursccre, and reminded me of Zohair and Hareth. 



So bad an account had been given me of the road over 

 the mountains, that I dissuaded my companions from, 

 thinking of the journey, to which the captain became 

 rather disinclined; but as I wished to be fully ac* 

 ' quainted with a country which I might never see 

 again, I wrote the next day to Salim, requesting him 

 to lend me one palanquin and to order a sufficient 

 number of men. He sent me no written answer, which 

 I ascribe rather to his incapacity than to rudeness; 

 but the Governor, with Akv: and two of his sons, came 

 on board in the evening, and said, that they had seen 

 my letter ; that all should be ready ; but that I could 

 not pay less for the men than ten dollars. I said I 

 would pay more, but it should be to the men them- 

 selves, according to their behaviour. They return- 

 ed somewhat dissatisfied, after I had played at chess 



