A DINNER-PARTY. 
.471 
case of my disguise being discovered I should in all probability 
share the same fate. 
At four o'clock on the 1 6th, I was requested to wait on 
the sherif Oulad-Marmou, to whose good graces the sale of 
my merchandise had somewhat recommended me. I was 
shewn into a large lofty room on the ground-floor, which 
was lighted from an opening in the ceiling. To one part of 
the ceiling was attached a cord, supporting a lamp, in which 
vegetable butter was burned by way of oil. A mattress was laid 
upon the floor above a mat a brass candlestick of European 
manufacture, in which was a sort of candle or taper, and a 
small cupboard, formed in the wall, and fastened by a lock 
and key similar to ours, together with some sacks of grain, 
standing in a corner, were all that the room contained. I 
ascended by a good staircase to the terrace, where I saw 
several little closets, all empty, except one, which appeared 
to be the sherif 's wardrobe, for some of his clothes were 
hanging to a cord, fastened to the wall. I was requested to 
sit on a round leather cushion, near which a mat was spread : 
and I found myself in company with seven Moors and a 
negro, all merchants of Jenne. 
A neat little round table was brought and placed before 
us ; it had legs three inches high, I thought at first that 
it was a table for playing some game, for it was inlaid with 
pieces of ivory and brass, ranged in regular order ; but on 
the entrance of a large pewter dish, containing an enormous 
piece of a sheep, which had been killed in the morning, 
and stewed with a great quantity of onions, I discovered 
that I had been invited to dinner. 
The sherif had beside him a covered basket, containing 
several small round loaves, weighing about half a pound 
each, and made of wheat-flour and yeast. He broke some 
of them in pieces, several of which he placed before each of 
us. Although our dinner was somewhat in the European 
