470 
KINDNESS OF THE MOORS. 
In this manner he extorted my consent, though I am certain 
that had 1 insisted on it he would have returned them. The 
traders of Jenne obtain mock amber and coral from Timbuc- 
too, which they sell at very low prices. Haggi-Mohammed, 
who was very well satisfied with his bargain, gave me half a 
dozen dates, and shortly afterwards presented me with a very 
neat white coussabe, made of cloth of native manufacture. 
In truth I stood greatly in need of it, for my own was 
absolutely in tatters. He also gave me about two yards of 
the cloth of the country to roll round my head in the form of 
a turban. 
During my stay at Jenne I was very kindly treated by the 
Moors. 1 paid nothing for my maintenance, and was pro- 
vided with every thing I could wish for. The sale of my 
merchandise was the only thing of which I had reason to 
complain. I often sat in company with the Moors, upon a 
mat which was laid down in the shade before the door, and 
saw them make their purchases. I also observed many 
negroes, who, as they passed the sherif, saluted him by kiss- 
ing their hands. The latter gave them cowries from a little 
bag, which he kept beside him for that purpose. A young 
Moor, named Hassan, who was very attentive to me, advised 
me, when I should get to Timbuctoo, to take the road to 
Tafilet or Fez, whence I could go to Algiers and afterwards 
to Alexandria. He informed me that there had been at Tim- 
buctoo a christian, who had been attacked and beaten on the 
road ; that he remained a long time at Timbuctoo to recover, 
but that he afterwards died, he could not tell how. I asked 
him what could have induced a christian to go to Timbuctoo : 
he answered that it was only to twite the country y (Jektouh 
torah.) I concluded that this christian was Major Laing, 
who I was aware had left Tripoli to proceed to the capital of 
the Soudan, by crossing the great desert. I deplored the 
unhappy death of the intrepid traveller, and reflected that in 
