TRAVELS IN BARBARY. 
215 
well walked about, brought 360. His master, 
Maraxchy, then carried him home, and shewed 
him to "his wife, who gave him a good meal of 
bread, butter, honey, and dates. His master then 
took him aside, exhorted him to keep up his spi- 
rits, and inquired what were his relations, and his 
means of ransom. Mouette, in hopes of obtaining 
liberation at an easy rate, pleaded the most entire 
poverty; declaring, "if a penny were to purchase 
" his liberty, he could not give it." Maraxchy 
then warned him, that he must write to his rela- 
tions, and endeavour to raise something by way of 
alms. " For, if you will not, we shall load you 
" tfith four chains, beat you like a dog, and starve 
" you in a dungeon." This information put an 
end to the author's protestations of absolute want, 
and he immediately wrote to his brother, whom he 
addressed as a cobler, imploring him to beg as 
much as forty or fifty crowns, to relieve him from 
captivity. 
Mouette had no reason to complain of his treat- 
ment in this house. His hardest labour was to 
grind corn with the hand-mills used in this coun- 
try ; and, " misliking this occupation," he pro- 
duced such unsavoury flour, that his functions were 
soon confined to the keeping of a single child. He 
acquired completely the favour of his mistress, who 
not only shewed him every kind of good treatment, 
but offered him, if he would become a convert, a 
