THE KADI OF KASSABAR. 97 



underneath their tents during the night, so as 

 not to be observed by the natives — an opinion 

 which was very generally believed, and which no 

 assertions to the contrary could remove. With 

 the kadi, who was a venerable and intelligent 

 old man, our object was better understood. He 

 had lived many years at Constantinople, and said 

 he was a friend of Mr. Cartwright. He pos- 

 sessed an English watch which he did not fail 

 to show us, and ask our opinion on its quality. 

 It was one of those manufactured for the East- 

 ern market, by Prior of London, very showy, 

 and suited to the oriental taste. From the 

 number of its metallic, leather, and shagreen 

 cases, it had very nearly attained the dimensions 

 of a six pound shot. 



The kadi was very good-natured and com- 

 municative ; and as he seemed disposed to pass 

 the evening with us in the enjoyment of 

 smoking and conversation, we gave him Sir C. 

 Fellows's book of travels, the better to explain 

 the motive of our journey, and to amuse him 

 with the drawings it contained. Over these he 

 pored inquisitively, appearing to take great in- 

 terest in the explanations given by our ser- 

 vant Pagniotti, who had imbibed some little 



H 



