c 5 6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



that the two young men (the governors) were flaves of the 

 Sherriffe of Mecca ; that it was impoflible for any one, the 

 moft intimate with them, to tell which of the two was 

 mpft bafe or profligate; that they would have robbed us 

 all of the laft farthing, if they had not been reftrained by 

 fear; and that there was a foreigner, or a frank, very lately 

 going to India, who had difappeared, but, as he believed, had 

 been privately put to death in prifon, for he had never 

 after been heard of 



Though I cannot fay I relifhed this account, yet I put on 

 the very beil face poffible, " Here, in a garrifon town, faid 

 I, with very worthlefs foldiers, they might do what they 

 pleafed with fix or feven ftrangers, but I do not fear them ; 

 I now tell them, and the people of Yambo, all and each of 

 them, they had better be in their bed fick of the plague, than 

 touch a hair of my dog, if I had one." " And fo, fays he 

 they know, therefore reft and rejoice, and ft ay as long with 

 us as you can." " As fhort time as poffible, faid I, Sidi Ma- 

 homet ; although I do not fear wicked people, I don't love 

 them fo much as to ftay long with them." 



He then afked me a favour, that I would allow my Rais 

 jto carry a quantity of wheat for him to Jidda ; which I wil- 

 lingly permitted, upon condition, that he would order but 

 one man to go along with it ; on which he declared folemn- 

 ly, that none but one fliould go, and that I might throw 

 him even into the feci, if he behaved improperly. How- 

 ever, afterwards he fent three ; and one who deferved of- 

 ten to be thrown into the fea 9 as he had permitted. " Now 

 friend, faid I, I have done every thing that you have deli- 

 red, tliough favours fliould have begun witli you upon 



your 



