MOHAMED SIDY MOCTAR. 
43 
with him^ that he should undertake my education and provide 
for my wants ; and he added^ in an emphatic manner^ that 
he already considered me as one of his children. 
Several young persons, doubtless with a view to learn 
my business, invited me to accompany them to prayer ; but 
the chief marabout opposed it, alleging that I was not yet a 
Musulman. One of the sons of my host came and asked me 
if I would choose meat or sangleh for supper. 1 replied that 
all dishes were alike to me ; on which he left me, and at nine 
o'clock a large plate of meat swimming in melted butter was 
brought to me : T have since learned that this dish is con- 
sidered as a great luxury by these people. After supper, 
Mohamed Sidy Moctar informed me that next day we should 
set out for the king's camp, and that it w^ould be necessary 
for me to bathe before I was presented to that prince ; to 
this I agreed with the greater pleasure, as a bath could not 
but be very beneficial to me and refresh me much after the 
fatigues of the journey. 
September 8th. When 1 had risen, 1 took out of my sack 
some articles which I had brought with me, and offered them 
as a present to my host, who seemed highly flattered and 
accepted them with pleasure. A little milk was brought to 
us ; he then made me mount a camel with him and we set 
out for the king's camp. We proceeded to the N. E.; the 
whole plain was studded with ferruginous rocks, and here 
and there small islands of sand remarkable for their verdure ; 
they are cultivated by the Moors, who sow them with millet. 
We passed on the way several camps of zenagues, or tribu- 
taries, but at great distances from one another. 
I saw some slaves employed in weeding millet; they 
used an instrument like a chimney-sweeper's scraper, having 
a handle a foot long 5 they knelt to their work. 
The motion of the camel fatigued me to such a degree 
that I was obliged to dismount. The country was open, and 
intersected by ravines : the soil was composed of a very hard 
