402 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
wakened by the noife of men endeavouring to force open 
the door; that he hearkened a little, and found there were | 
many of them. Our arms were all ready, and we fnatch- 
ed them up and ran towards the ‘door ; but I {topt, 
and planted them upon the firft landing-place in the ftair- — 
cafe, as I wifhed not to fire till the enemy was fairly inthe 
houfe, that no excufe might remain for this their violation 
of hofpitality. 9 gg ” 
I sraTionep Ifmael at the outer door of the houfe, intend- 
ing that he fhould fire firft, as it would be lefs odious in 
him, being a Turk and a fherriffe, than for us Ghriftiansdie 
I then went out tothe outer gate, and Soliman with me. 
The entry into the yard was through a. kind of porters — 
lodge, where fervants ufed to fit in the day-time, and fleep at _ | 
night. It had a door from the ftreet, and then another into fi 
the yard, the latter fmall, but very ftrong. They had forced | 
the outer gate, and were then in the lodge, endeavouring _ 
to do the fame by the inner, having put a handfpike under —_° ;. 
it to lift it up from the hinges. “ Are you not madmen, a 
faid I,and weary of your lives, to attempt to force Adelan’s 
houfe, when there are within it men abundantly provided == 
with large fire-arms, that, upon one difcharge through the i): 
door, will lay you all dead where you now ftand ?” “ Stand _ 
by from the door, cries Ifmael, and let me fire. Thefe ” 
black Kafrs don’t yet know what my blunderbufs is.” They OY 
had been filent from the time | had fpoken, and had with- 
drawn the handfpike from under the door. “ Ullah! Ullah! 
cries one of them foftly, how found you fleep! we have a 
been endeavouring to waken you this hour. The king is | 
ill; tell Yagoube to come to the palace, and open the door : 
inftantly.” “Tell the king, faid I, to drink warm water, 
and 
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