216 
FEROC lOUS DOGS. 
however that this should be my last repast in his company : 
not that he had been deficient in complaisance to me, but, 
convinced that I must be extremely desirous of an interview 
with the sultan his master, he was perpetually endeavouring 
to pursuade me to solicit one. 1 had exhausted all my pre- 
tences for delaying this step ; and had sufficient reason to be- 
ware of presenting myself before the African monarch, who, 
more suspicious than his subjects, would in all probability 
have proved more clear-sighted. 
I quitted the fandac therefore, and passed the day at 
the corner of a street 5 where I hoped to spend the night 
with equal tranquillity, and lying down enveloped myself in 
my large wrapper. I was invoking sleep, the friend of the 
unfortunate, when a dozen dogs began to bark furiously at 
me, and I should certainly have fallen a prey to these ani - 
mals, had I not been promptly assisted by one of those men, 
who are posted in the streets at night expressly to rescue 
passengers from their attacks. This man inquired who I 
was; "I am an Arab, a stranger here,'^ replied I, "on my re- 
turn to Alexandria my native country.'' Upon this he placed 
me in a small recess near which he slept himself ; arming 
me with a strong bamboo cane to drive away the dogs, if they 
should trouble me again; a very judicious precaution, for 
these creatures, apparently conscious that I was a stranger, 
never ceased throughout the night annoying me with their 
menacing cries. I would gladly have slept at a fandac, but 
for the expense of three paras per night, and the risk of 
insults from the muleteers. Consulting my poverty, and 
uncertain when I should be able to obtain assistance from 
the French Consul, I determined to be as saving as possible 
and to sleep under the canopy of heaven. Henceforth I 
sought repose in a cemetery, situated to the west of the 
town on the sea- shore, where, peacefully extended at the 
foot of a mausoleum, 1 was neither tormented by men nor 
dogs. During the day I remained at the corners of the streets. 
