SUPPER. 
191 
sherifs^ of whom we had half a dozen in the caravan travel- 
ling to Fez to sell their dates ; and who were not prevented 
by the insignificance of their traffic from assuming airs of 
importance. 
Towards eleven at nighty several large calabashes full of 
couscous, with the flesh of a kid killed for the purpose, 
were brought to us from the village^ the bearers carried 
them on their heads, and were lighted by a taper. No 
sooner had these messes arrived than the descendants of 
Mahomet feasted voraciously, and gave what remained to the 
Moors of their train : care was taken to awaken all who 
were or pretended to be asleep. I was at the moment lying 
on the sand beside the baggage ; and as no one seemed to pay 
any attention to me, I patiently resigned myself to the loss 
of my supper, although I had eaten nothing the whole day 
but some dates, given to me by my host at parting. At 
length a Moor from the village, walking about with his 
taper in his hand, discovered me, and asking who I was, 
led me to an immense dish of couscous, round which several 
Moors were assembled, and desired me to help myself. The 
Moor who presided at the repast placed some scraps of 
meat upon an old mule-cloth, and_, when we had eaten the 
couscous, he gave to each a little bit of the reserved meat, 
tearing it with his dirty fingers. 
On the 3rd of August, at half-past five in the morning, 
we again proceeded northward, through plantations entirely 
surrounded with earth walls, over which I perceived beautiful 
fruit trees, such as pears, figs, apricots, vines, and some rose 
bushes. These charming plains though rather deficient in 
moisture, often renewed the delightful remembrance of our 
European gardens. The sterility of the Sahara was still so 
impressed upon my imagination, that the plains of Tafilet 
appeared by comparison a terrestrial paradise. 
About ten in the morning we passed Tanneyara, a little 
village, a mile to the east of our road, shaded by immense 
