INTERIOR OF AFRICA. 205 
the Negroes; and even the Moors themselves allowed, that 
though I was a Christian, I was a better man than a Jew. 
They, however, insisted that, like the Jews, I must conform so 
far as to repeat the Mahomedan prayers ; and when I attempted 
to wave the subject, by telling them that I could not speak 
Arabic, one of them, a Shereef from Tuat, in the Great Desert, 
started up and swore by the Prophet, that if I refused to go to 
the mosque, he would be one that would assist in carrying me 
thither. And there is no doubt but this threat would have been; 
immediately executed, had not my landlord interposed in my 
behalf. He told them, that I was the king's stranger, and he 
could not see me ill treated, whilst I was under his protection. 
He therefore advised them to let me alone for the night; assur- 
ing them, that, in the morning, I should be sent about my 
business. This somewhat appeased their clamour; but they 
compelled me to ascend a high seat, by the door of the mosque, 
in order that every body might see me; for the people had 
assembled in such numbers as to be quite ungovernable; climb- 
ing upon the houses, and squeezing each other, like the spec- 
tators at an execution. Upon this seat I remained until sunset, 
when I was conducted into a neat little hut, with a small 
court before it; the door of which Counti Mamadi shut, to 
prevent any person from disturbing me. But this precaution 
could not exclude the Moors. They climbed over the top of 
the mud-wall, and came in crowds into the court, in order, 
they said, to see xnQ perform my evening devotions, and eat eggs. 
The former of these ceremonies, I did not think proper to 
