PERSECUTION OF THE AUTHOR. 71 
then travelled ten miles. We rested here during the heat of 
the day, and they gave us vrater to refresh ourselves. At two, 
we continued our journey towards the west, over a rich black 
argillaceous soil. We came again to the rivulet, and at six 
o'clock we halted at el-Khara Hett-Louhed-lahi. A little 
before we reached the place, we were espied by a troop of 
women, who were gathered around a drum ; two youths, with 
each a stick, were beating this drum ; and the women kept 
time, clapping their hands, singing, and making a thousand 
contortions without changing their places. As soon as they 
perceived me, they left their amusement and came to tor- 
ment me ; gathering around the bullock on which I was 
seated, they pulled me by the legs, pinched me, and screamed 
frightfully whenever I moved. In vain the marabout who 
w^as with me attempted to drive them away, and assured 
them I was a Musulman; they pursued me, shouting el- 
nasrani ! el-nasrani ! (the christian ! the christian ! ) while 
the children threw stones at me. A girl struck me with a 
stick, and fairly exhausted my patience; I snatched the stick 
from her, and gave her a such a stroke on the face, that all 
the rest were frightened and ran off. We visited a friend 
of my guide's, where I was well received, and had some 
couscous given me for supper which I thought delicious ; for 
it was the first time I had eaten any since I had been 
amongst the Moors. I was afraid that 1 should have been 
tormented again in the evening, but the stick had frightened 
the curious, and I was left in perfect quiet. 
On the 12th of October, at six in the morning, we re- 
sumed our route to the south. The soil, though stony in 
some places, is good. I remarked on the road some indigo 
plants of great beauty ; the Moors are not aware of its 
properties. We travelled for six miles, and towards nine in 
the evening arrived at the camp of my marabout, where 
I was received with great joy by the inhabitants. 
On the ISth, the youngest son of Mohammed-Sidy- 
