VISIT TO THE MOORS. 
447 
there several Moors, all of whom were very well dressed. 
They took no notice of me. 
On my return home my guide sent for me, and we sat 
down together with his people in the middle of the yard, 
to partake of a supper which we found exceedingly savoury, 
for it was seasoned with salt. I did not pass a very tran- 
quil night, owing to my anxiety respecting the reception 
I might experience from my new countrymen. 
On the 12th of March, about eight o'clock in the morn- 
ing, my guide and I went to visit the Moors. Our host, 
by whom we were accompanied, went first to call on one 
of his friends. He entered the house and left us at the door, 
where we remained at least an hour. I was, at first, rather 
uneasy at this strange conduct, but was afterwards in- 
formed that the people of the house were at their break- 
fast. When the repast was ended, they came to invite 
us in, and gave to each of us half a colat-nut. After this 
they presented to us a calabash of couscous, which they 
had had the politeness to set aside for us. The want of 
lalo (the bruised leaf of the baobab which is put into the 
couscous) rendered it very unpalatable. They put on 
the top of the couscous some bones which they had them- 
selves been gnawing. We afterwards went all together to 
the sherif. As I was passing through the market, which 
appeared to be abundantly supplied with all kinds of mer- 
chandise, I was accosted by a well-dressed negro. The 
man knew by my countenance and by my tattered dress 
that I was a stranger. He asked me whence I had come 
and who I was. He told me that he himself was a native 
of Adrar. As my companions were going on first, we 
had not time for further conversation, and 1 saw no more 
of the man. On reaching the sherif s house, which was 
near the market-place, I saw four Moors sitting in the 
street upon a mat and some little round cushions, made of 
badly tanned sheep-skin with the wool still remaining on 
