380 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
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 faft of Ramadan did he ever keep, 
but was univerfally known to be an unbeliever, even in © 
what was.called his own religion. Ihad ftill this further 
objection 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 direction, 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 weapons, 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 toa thin belt under. my left arm, clofe to 
my fide, quite unperceived, like a cutlafs. I likewife took a 
pair of piftols in my girdle, and my knife as ufual. All 
thefe were perfectly covered by my burnoofe; fo that, with 
a little attention, when I fat down, it was impoflible to dif- 
cover my having-any weapons about me. Hagi Ifmael 
the Turk, Soliman my fervant, and two other Moorith fer- 
vants, took alfo their fire arms, {mall and great, and fwords,,. 
along with them. We all went to the houfe of the Shekh - 
a little before feven o’clock in the evening. Tentered the 
back door into the fquare where the women’s houfe was 5. 
but declined going fo far as their apartment without leave, 
turning to the left hand into the fide of the f{quare where 
he ufually flaid. I was furprifed to.meet but one fervant, a 
2) black. 
