INTERIOR OF AFRICA. 127 
head was in very improper hands, and ordered me to resign the 
razor, and walk out of the tent. This I considered as a very 
fortunate circumstance ; for I had laid it down as a rule, to 
make myself as useless and'insignificant as possible, as the only 
means of recovering my liberty. 
March 18. Four Moors arrived from Jarra with Johnson my 
interpreter, having seized him before he had received any inti- 
mation of my confinement ; and bringing with them a bundle 
of clothes that I had left at Daman Jumma's house, for my use 
in case I should return by the way of Jarra. Johnson was led into 
Ali's tent and examined ; the bundle was opened, and I was sent 
for, to explain the use of the different articles. I was happy, how- 
ever, to find that Johnson had committed my papers to the 
charge of one of Daman's wives. When I had satisfied Ali's curio- 
sity respecting the different articles of apparel, the bundle was 
again tied up, and put into a large cow^skin bag, that stood in a 
corner of the tent. The same evening Ali sent three of his people 
to inform me, that there were many thieves in the neighbour- 
hood, and that to prevent the rest of my things from being 
stolen, it was necessary to convey them all into his tent. My 
clothes, instruments, and every thing that belonged to me, were 
accordingly carried away ; and though the heat and dust made 
clean linen very necessary and refreshing, I could not procure a 
single shirt out of the small stock I had brought along with me. 
Ali was however disappointed, by not finding among my effects 
the quantity of gold and amber that he expected ; but to make 
sure of every thing, he sent the same people, on the morning fol- 
lowing, to examine whether I had any thing concealed about my 
