INTERIOR OF AFRICA. 123 
untied the hog, in hopes that it would run immediately at me ; 
for they believe that a great enmity subsists between hogs 
and Christians ; but in this they were disappointed ; for the 
animal no sooner regained his liberty, than he began to attack 
indiscriminately every person that came in his way, and at last 
took shelter under the couch upon which the King was sitting. 
The assembly being thus dissolved, I was conducted to the tent 
of Ali's chief slave, but was not permitted to enter, nor allowed 
to touch any thing belonging to it. I requested something to 
eat, and a little boiled corn, with salt and water, was at length 
sent me in a wooden bowl ; and a mat was spread upon the 
sand before the tent, on which I passed the night, surrounded 
by the curious multitude. 
At sunrise, Ali, with a few attendants, came on horseback to 
visit me, and signified that he had provided a hut for me, where 
I would be sheltered from the sun. I was accordingly con- 
ducted thither, and found the hut comparatively cool and pleasant . 
It was constructed of corn stalks set up on end, in the form of a 
square, with a flat roof of the same materials, supported by 
forked sticks ; to one of which was tied the wild hog before 
mentioned. This animal had certainly been placed there by 
Ali's order, out of derision to a Christian ; and I found it a very 
disagreeable inmate, as it drew together a number of boys, who 
amused themselves by beating it with sticks, until they had so 
irritated the hog that it ran and bit at every person within 
its reach. 
I was no sooner seated in this my new habitation, than the 
Moors assembled in crowds to behold me ; but I found it rather 
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