INTERIOR OF AFRICA. 139 
situation : I found that I could bear hunger and thirst better 
than I expected ; and at length, I endeavoured to beguile the 
tedious hours, by learning to write Arabic. The people who 
came to see me, soon made me acquainted with the characters ; 
and I discovered, that by engaging their attention in this way, 
they were not so troublesome as otherwise they would have 
been : indeed, when I observed any person whose countenance I 
thought bore malice towards me, I made it a rule to ask him, 
either to write in the sand himself, or to decipher what I had 
already written ; and the pride of shewing his superior attain- 
ments, generally induced him to comply with my request. 
April 14th. As Queen Fatima had not yet arrived, Ali propos- 
ed to go to the north, and bring her back with him ; but as the 
place was two day's journey from Benowm, it was necessary 
to have some refreshment on the road ; and Ali, suspicious of 
those about him, was so afraid of being poisoned, that he never 
eat any thing but what was dressed under his own immediate 
inspection. A fine bullock was therefore killed, and the flesh 
being cut up into thin slices, was dried in the sun ; and this, with 
two bags of dry kouskous, formed his travelling provisions. 
Previous to his departure, the black people of the town of 
Benowm came, according to their annual custom, to shew their 
arms, and bring their stipulated tribute of corn and cloth. 
They were but badly armed ; twenty-two with musquets, forty 
or fifty with bows and arrows ; and nearly the same number of 
men and boys, with spears only : they arranged themselves 
before the tent, where they waited until their arms were exa- 
mined, and some little disputes settled. 
T 2 
