410 
TKAVELS IN AFRICA. 
Chap. L. 
good quality, which I had bought in Tripoli for nine 
dollars ; a repeater watch, from Nuremberg, bought 
for ten dollars, with a twisted silk guard of Tripo- 
litan workmanship ; a shawl, with silk border ; an 
English knife and pair of scissors ; cloves, and a few 
other things. The watch, of course, created the 
greatest astonishment, as it was in good repair at the 
time, although it was a pity that we had not been 
provided with good English manufactures, but had 
been left to pick up what articles we might think 
suitable to our purpose. 
Having also asked to see my telescope, which of 
course could only increase their surprise and astonish- 
ment, they then, after a great deal of beckoning and 
whispering among each other, which made me feel 
rather uneasy, requested to see the book in which I 
wrote down everything I saw and heard. Without 
hesitation I took out my memorandum-book and 
showed it to them ; but I had first to assert its iden- 
tity. In order to allay their suspicions, I sponta- 
neously read to them several passages from it which 
referred to the geography and ethnography of the coun- 
try; and I succeeded in making them laugh and 
become merry, so that they even added some names 
where my lists were deficient. They then begged 
me to allow them to take the book to the sultan ; and 
I granted their request without hesitation. 
This frankness of mine completely baffled the in- 
trigues of my enemies, and allayed the suspicions of 
the natives ; for they felt sure that, if I had any evil 
