﻿IOO REMARKS ON THE ISLAND 



which had been worn only once at a masquerade, and 

 with a beautiful copy of the Koran, from which I 

 read a few verses to him. He took them with great 

 complacency, and said, he wished I had come by 

 sea, that he might have loaded one of my boats 

 with fruit, and with some of his finest cattle. He 

 had seen me, he said, on board the frigate, where 

 he had been, according to his custom, in disguise, 

 and had heard of me from his son Shaikh Ham- 

 duUah. 1 gave him an account of my journey, and 

 extolled the beauties of his country : he put many 

 questions concerning mine, and professed great regard 

 for our nation. " But I hear," said he, " that you are 

 " a magistrate, and consequently profess peace : why 

 « f are you armed with a broad sword?'* * I was a 

 * man/ I said, * before I was a magistrate ; and, if it 

 ' should ever happen that law could not protect 

 ' me, 1 must protect myself.' He seemed about 

 sixty years old, had a very cheerful countenance, and 

 great appearance of good-nature mixed with a certain 

 dignity, which distinguished him from the crowd of 

 ministers and omcers who attended him. Our con- 

 versation was interrupted by notice, that it was the 

 time for evening prayers ; and, when he rose, he said 

 " this house is yours, and I will visit you in it, after 

 " you have taken some refreshment." Soon after, 

 his servants brought a roast fowl, a rice pudding, and 

 some other dishes, with papayas and very good pome- 

 granates ; my own basket supplied the rest of my 

 supper. The room was hung with old red cloth, and 

 decorated with pieces of porcelain and festoons of 

 English bottles ; the lamps were placed on the ground 

 in large sea-shells; and the bed-place was a recess, 

 concealed by a chintz hanging, opposite to the sofa, 

 on which we had been sitting. Though it was not a 

 place that invited repose, and the gnats were inex- 

 pressibly troublesome, yet the fatigue of the clay pro- 

 cured me very comfortable slumber. I was waked 



