M EQUINA Z. 
211 
ing therefore for a moment against a wall I considered how 
I should proceed, and finally determined upon returning to 
the town. Taking my purse out of my bag, and observing 
with sorrow that its contents were much diminished, I was 
nevertheless under the necessity of abstracting a few shil- 
lings from what remained, proposing to change them on my 
return to Mequinaz, to procure me a conveyance. Inad- 
vertently 1 laid my knife and pocket-compass on the ground 
beside me and forgot them. Much grieved by their loss, 
I returned from the city to seek them, but unhappily in vain. 
As I again approached the city I saw several Spaniards, 
who had been shipwrecked on the coast, followed by a crowd 
of Moors, and escorted by soldiers, armed with sticks for 
the purpose of preventing the pressure of the crowd ; they 
were being conducted to the Emperor, and I remarked with 
pleasure that they were not ill-treated. A Jew, who spoke 
the Spanish language acted as their interpreter. I followed 
them a short distance, but, finding it impossible to penetrate 
to them, returned towards the market, and seated myself at 
the door of a Berber, who, perceiving that I was suffering 
pain, asked me who I was and what ailed me : I told him 
my story, which, like all his countrymen, he believed. 
Having imparted to him my intention of hiring a convey- 
ance to Rabat, in the hope of seeing the Emperor and 
applying to him for assistance to enable me to return to my 
own country, this good Berber induced me to place my bag 
in his shop and promised himself to negociate with the 
muleteer for the fulfilment of my wishes. 
In the course of the day, I visited the fandacs, and 
there met with a man from Tafilet, who proposed to me to 
hire an ass for my conveyance to Rabat. I took him to the 
Berber, and, having agreed upon the price, which was fixed 
at a piastre and three quarters, I paid him the earnest ; we 
were to set out the following day. In the evening I bought 
some fruit and bread for my guide and myself, 
p 2 
