322 TRAVELS IN THE 
during the whole fast of Rhamadan, the Negroes behaved 
themselves with the greatest meekness and humihty; forming 
a striking contrast to the savage intolerance and brutal bigotry, 
which at this period characterize the Moors. 
When the fast month was almost at an end, the Bushreens 
assembled at the Misura, to watch for the appearance of the 
new moon ; but the evening being rather cloudy, they were 
for some time disappointed, and a number of them had gone 
home with a resolution to fast another day, when on a sudden 
this delightful object showed her sharp horns from behind a 
cloud, and was welcomed with the clapping of hands, beating 
of drums, firing muskets, and other marks of rejoicing. As this 
moon is reckoned extremely lucky, Karfa gave orders that all 
the people belonging to the coffle should immediately pack up 
their dry provisions, and hold themselves in readiness; and on 
the i6th of April, the Slatees held a consultation, and fixed 
on the 19th of the same month, as the day on which the 
coffle should depart from Kamalia. This resolution freed me 
from much uneasiness ; for our departure had already been so 
long deferred, that I was apprehensive it might still be put off 
until the commencement of the rainy season; and although 
Karfa behaved towards me with the greatest kindness, I found 
my situation very unpleasant. The Slatees were unfriend- 
ly to me; and the trading Moors, who were at this time at 
Kamalia, continued to plot mischief against me, from the first 
day of their arrival. Under these circumstances, I reflected, that 
my life in a great measure depended on the good opinion of 
an individual, who was daily hearing malicious stories con- 
