MR PARKAS FIRST JOURNEY* 353 
and, when she was dead, direct him to her grave. 
Upon this explanation, Ali, who began to regard it 
with still greater amazement, turned it repeatedly 
round, and, as it still pointed to the desert, return- 
ed it with great caution, as too dangerous an in- 
strument to keep in his possession. As the Moors, 
though extremely indolent, are very rigid masters, 
Mr Park's two negro servants were employed in 
collecting withered grass for the king's horses, and, 
after many consultations, he was himself installed 
in the office of barber to his barbarian majesty, but 
acquitted himself so ill at his first exhibition, in 
shaving the head of the young prince, that he was 
immediately deposed. Various consultations were 
held, concerning his future destination : some ad- 
vised that he should be put to death, others that 
he should lose his right hand, while the king's bro- 
ther proposed to put out his eyes, which, he said, 
resembled those of a cat, to which measure all the 
Bushreens agreed ; but Ali deferred the execution 
of the sentence, till Fatima, the queen, came from 
the north. In the mean time, he was ordered not 
to go without the camp ; and, on walking to some 
shady trees, at a little distance, * to escape the in- 
sults with which he was continually harassed, he 
was pursued by a party of horsemen, one of whom 
snapped a pistol twice at him, with the utmost in- 
difference. Mr Park's nankeen breeches appeared 
vol. t. % 
