SONS OF THE EMPEROR OF MOROCCO. 193 
his humble cabin^ of a single floor^ where he seated me on 
a very clean mat^ and his wife produced some dates which 
we ate together. She sat unveiled in a corner of a dark 
and dirty room employed in weaving a woollen wrapper. 
When we had eaten our dates, the Berber led me to the 
mosque, and introduced me to two sherifs, natural sons of 
the emperor : we found them at prayers : but no sooner 
had they finished than 1 was persecuted with questions ; 
amongst others whether I had been circumcised either in 
the Soudan or at Alexandria : I replied that I was circum- 
cised in my infancy previously to leaving my country, and I 
hastened to change the topic, these interrogatories being 
always distressing to me since they constrained me to re- 
peated falsehoods. Fortunately my reply appeared satisfac- 
tory, and I took advantage of their discourse being directed 
for a moment to their pupils to leave them ; they soon, 
however, sought me out at the gate of the village, where I 
was seated, placed themselves on the ground beside me, 
and displaying a New Testament in Latin and Arabic, asked 
me if I knew that book ; 1 read a few passages to them, 
and they amused themselves with ridiculing the supposed 
credulity of the christians. 
As the village was surrounded by pleasant walled 
gardens, I expressed a wish to see them. The youngest of 
the party instantly took me by the hand, and, followed by 
six other Moors, we walked to them. The young sherif 
when in his garden ordered some figs and grapes to be 
gathered, which he offered me very gracefully. I was par- 
ticularly surprized by an almost French politeness in his 
manners ; for example, never serving himself first, offering 
me the finest and ripest fruits, and even peeling them for 
me. I ate however but sparingly of fruit, fearing lest it 
might disagree with me. I saw in this garden melons, 
gombos, and a great variety of fruit-trees ; it also contains 
a well thirty feet deep. 
VOL. ir. o 
