SUSPICION OF THE MOORS. 
51 
I had a knot in my pagne, and catching hold of it^ they 
asked me what I had got there ; and then, without giving 
me time to reply, they untied it themselves. What do 
you want with these?'' said they. "These are to take to 
the white men when you go back to them and, without 
waiting for an explanation, they threw away the seeds. I 
tried to persuade them that these seeds had medicinal vir- 
tues, and that I had gathered them for the benefit of more 
than one of themselves ; but, not succeeding, I assured them 
that when I came to them, my connexion with whites had 
ceased, and that I could never return to their country. 
In the evening, being in the tent of a marabout, who 
gave instruction, I took advantage of a moment when I 
could procure some ink, and fell to work upon my journal : 
I had written about a page, when the Koont sherif came in 
^nd caught me 5 he took the paper from me, and, amazed to 
see no Arabic characters, asked me what I was writing. I 
thought at first of saying that I had set down some prayers 
that 1 wanted to remember, but recollecting that 1 had not 
learnt prayers enough to take up a page, 1 told him it was a 
song, and I began to sing to convince him. The incredulous 
sherif did not appear to believe it, and he accused me of 
coming to spy out their ways, that I might give an account 
of them to the christians. It was of importance tome to drive 
this idea out of his head, and I succeeded, by pretending the 
utmost indifference as to what 1 had written. I put the 
paper into his hands again with a smile, and said, " Go to the 
factory and get this paper read ; you will see whether I have 
deserved the affront you have offered me." This stratagem 
had the effect I expected ; he gave me back my paper, and 
asked me to read another verse. 1 sung another couplet ; the 
sherif appeared convinced, and left me, to my great joy, for 
his surmises alarmed me exceedingly. I thanked God that 
I had come off so well, and resolved to be more prudent in 
future. From that time forward, when I wanted to write, 
E 2 
