INTERIOR OF AFRICA. 1 29 
a boy about nine years of age, who came to me in the evening, 
and, with much concern, informed me that his uncle had per- 
suaded his father to put out ray eyes, which they said resembled 
those of a cat, and that all the Bushreens had approved of this 
measure. His father however, he said, would not put the sen- 
tence into execution until Fatima the queen, who was at present 
in the north, had seen me. 
March 21st. Anxious to know my destiny, I went to the 
king early in the morning ; and as a number of Bushreens 
were assembled, I thought this a favourable opportunity of dis- 
covering their intentions. I therefore began by begging his 
permission to return to Jarra ; which was flatly refused : his wife, 
he said, had not yet seen me, and I must stay until she came 
to Benowm, after which I should be at liberty to depart ; and that 
my horse, which had been taken away from me the day after I 
arrived, should be again restored to me. Unsatisfcictory as this 
answer was, I was forced to appear pleased ; and as there was 
little hopes of making my escape, at this season of the year, on 
account of the excessive heat, and the total want of water in the 
woods, I resolved to wait patiently until the rains had set in, or 
until some more favourable opportunity should present itself;-— 
but hope deferred maketh the heart sick. This tedious procrastina- 
tion from day to day, and the thoughts of travelling through the 
Negro kingdoms in the rain}' season, which was now fast ap- 
proaching, made me very melancholy ; and having passed a rest- 
less night, I found myself attacked, in the morning, by a smart 
fever. I had wrapped myself close up in my cloak, with a view 
to induce perspiration, and was asleep when a party of Moors en- 
S 
