VOYAGE TO SENEGAI 
how Weil be was informed, lie added, that the rebels of the de- 
sert had ill-treated him, and desired to know what they had taken 
from him . M. de Brisson told him all that had happened ; on which 
he said, " 1 do not command in the country v'lrsre you have Î3eeîî 
taken, that is the people are beyond my authority." He wished to 
laiow how M. de Brisson had got to his capita! ; and on being 
told, he ordered Sidy-Sellem to be brought before him. He 
sisked him, if he had given Ti high price for the Frenchmen, and 
what lie intended to do with them. To which Sidy-Sellem re- 
plied, that lie had no other intentions than to prostrate himself at 
the feet of his sovereign, and do the homage of a slave. He then 
enquired, whether the Wadeiims and Lebdessebas had any other 
Ch ristian prisoners. Sidy-Sellem, in the most submissive man- 
ner, answered, that there were several whom he could easily 
collect, if tire emperor would give him orders. The emperor, 
however, dropped the conversation ; but he ordered the French^ 
men to be guarded for the present^ and supplied with provisions 
from the royai kitchen. 
The next day the consid claimed them, and they were given 
lip. The emperor does not supply the ambassadors or other fo- 
reigners in his capital with any household furniture, though he 
assigns them a residence, and distributes to them a certain' num-^ 
ber of oxen, sheep, poultry, and a quantity of bread. 
The inhabitants of Morocco are almost white^ and are not 
cjuite so barbarous as those of the desert, which, perhaps, is only 
owing to the presence of the emperor. One day M. de Brisson 
rode out on horseback with the French consul and American en- 
voy : tfiey were followed and pressed hard by the mob, till at last 
they were obliged to dismount, although escorted by a guard; 
without this precaution their lives would have been in danger. 
M. de Brisson was struck on the head by a stone, and it was iin 
possible to discover the offender. 
A few days afterwards the emperor again ordered the slaves be- 
fore him in the court where he gives his public audiences» He 
was sitting on a beautiful charger, caparisoned with blue and 
.scarlet cloth covered with gold fringe. Beside him was a squire 
or prince holding a long pole, on the top of which was a parasol 
to shelter his majesty from the solar rays. Behind him stood 
the body guard in the most profound sikoce. The looks of the 
«'inperor seemed to spread consternation around him : indeed, he 
is always preceded by terror; for he orders the heads of several 
of his subjects to be struck off, and beholds the execution with 
the most perfect apathy. His will is a law, and is executed in^ 
stantaneously ; but when a rich criminal purchases his pardon, he 
is never put to death, whatever may be his crime. At this m- 
dience the Frenchmen were permitted to depart. 
