THE AUTHOR'S STORY. 449 
my master who regarded me as his son, reposed enth-e con- 
fidence in me. Profiting by my continual intercourse with 
the Foulahs, I endeavoured to learn their language, and, 
after communicating to some of them the secret of my birth, 
I was induced by their reiterated entreaties to leave the chris- 
tians and to retire to their country ; but before 1 attempted 
to execute this plan I wished to earn money sufficient to 
defray the expenses of my long journey. This object 1 at 
length attained, and one night I made my escape with some 
Foulahs, who conducted me to the Fouta-Dhialon, where 
I was presented to the king of that country." 
1 closed my narrative by a pompous eulogium on the 
sovereign of the Fouta, mentioning in high terms of praise 
his generosity and his zeal for the religion of Mahomet. 
My story appeared plausible enough, and its veracity was 
no longer doubted. Having left my country so young, 
there appeared nothing extraordinary in my being imper- 
fectly acquainted with its language. I also mentioned that 
what little Arabic I knew had been picked up on my jour- 
ney. The Moors asked me numerous questions about the 
christians and the way in which they had treated me. They 
all inquired whether 1 had been beaten and treated like a 
slavei whether I had been prevented from praying; and 
whether I had eaten pork and drunk brandy. I answered 
that the christians were a humane people ; that they treated 
their prisoners kindly, but that they did not tolerate 
among them the exercise of the Mahometan religion,* in 
which," said I, " they place no more faith, than we do in 
Christianity." On hearing this they all exclaimed : Allah 
akbar ! (great God !) " What ! did you not pray among 
* I trust I shall be pardoned for this misrepresentation, for, had I 
admitted the hberty of worship, there were some among my interrogators 
who would have been acute enough to ask me why I had undertaken so 
toilsome a journey, since I could freely exercise my religion among a 
people, who, according to my own account had treated me very kindly. 
VOL. I. 2 G 
