INTERIOR OF AFRICA. 90^ 
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 attempt- 
ed 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 me perform my evening devotions, and eat eggs. 
The former of these ceremonies, I did not think proper to 
