64 
INTERVIEW WITH THE KING. 
The Moors acknowledge a superior among themselves ; but 
they are, nevertheless, amenable to the authorities of the 
country. I requested my host to present me to the king, 
which, with his usual good-nature he consented to do. 
The prince received me in the midst of his court. He 
was seated on a beautiful mat with a rich cushion. We 
seated ourselves for a few moments at a little distance from 
him. Sidi-Abdallahi, after briefly relating my adventures, 
told him that I wished to pay my respects to him. I could 
not understand their conversation, for they spoke in the 
language of the Kissoors. The king afterwards addressed 
me in Arabic, asking some questions about the christians, 
and the manner in which they had treated me. After a 
short time we took our leave : I wished to have seen the 
interior of the house, but my curiosity could not be gratified. 
The king appeared to be of an exceedingly amiable disposi- 
tion ; his age might be about fifty-five, and his hair was 
white and curly. He was of the middling height, and his colour 
was jet black. He had an aquiline nose, thin lips, a grey 
beard, and large eyes, and his whole countenance was 
pleasing ; his dress, like those of the Moors, was composed 
of stuff of European manufacture. On his head was a red 
cap, bound round with a large piece of muslin in the form 
of a turban. His shoes were of morocco, shaped like our 
morning slippers, and made in the country. He often 
visited the mosque. 
There are, as I have already mentioned, many Moors in 
Timbuctoo, and they occupy the finest houses in the city. 
They very soon become rich in trade, and they receive con- 
signments of merchandise from Adrar, Tafilet, Tawat, Ardamas, 
Tripoli, Tunis, and Algiers. They receive from Europe tobacco 
and other articles, which they send by canoes to Jenne and 
elsewhere. Timbuctoo may he regarded as the principal en- 
trepot of this part of Africa. All the salt obtained from the 
mines of Toudeyni, is brought hither on camels. The Moors 
