2o6 TRAVELS IN AFRICA, 
people who attend the court, as well as with many ftrangers 
who were fuitors there. Their converfation fometimes amufed 
me, but more often I found their continued and unmeaning 
queflions haraffing and importunate, and their remarks either 
abfurd or offenfive. The tsedium of folitude, unfurnifhed with 
the means to render it agreeable, was however removed. I oc- 
cafionally frequented the markets, which are ufually held from 
four o'clock in the afternoon till funfet. But my perfon being 
there ftill ftrange, the crowd that aflembled inclined me to a 
precipitate retreat. 
The Furians here feemed unacquainted with the fports of the 
field. I occafionally went out with a gun after the commence- 
ment of the rainy feafon, when the face of the country became 
green ; but little offered itfelf worthy attention, either in the 
animal or vegetable kingdoms. During the early part of the 
fummer the earth had been parched, and deflitute of all vege- 
tation. 
After waiting in fruitlefs expedatlon at EI Fafher, as the time 
of my departure was drawing near, an accident happened, 
which, though not of the moft pleafmg kind, contributed to 
make me noticed, and obtained for me at length an interview 
with the Sultan. — The flaves of the houfe ufed frequently to 
collect round me, as if to examine a ftrange obje6t — I joked oc- 
cafionally with them, without any other view than that of mo- 
mentary relaxation. One day as I was reading in the hut, one 
of them, a girl about fifteen, came to the door of it, when, from 
a whim of the moment, I feized the cloth that was round her 
waift, 
