LUCAS. 
313 
mediately for their return, and offered to take Mr 
Lucas under their protection. Fouwad, one of 
these, was about 35 years of age, son-in-law to the 
king ; the other was an elderly man, named Im- 
hammed. The Bashaw being informed of this 
proposal, expressed his approbation of it, and pre- 
sented Mr Lucas with a handsome mule for his 
journey, while the Bey, his son, presented him 
with a tent, and gave him a letter of recommen- 
dation to the king of Fezzan. But, considering 
the risk of his being taken by the Arabs, which 
might oblige him to make a disadvantageous peace, 
he requested him, immediately afterwards, to de- 
fer his journey till the Arabs were reduced. The 
Shereefs were extremely chagrined at this propo- 
sition, as well as Mr Lucas, since they had writ- 
ten to the king of Fezzan, that they would soon 
present to him a Christian, who had travelled a 
journey of many moons from his native land, for 
no other purpose but to gratify his wish of visit- 
ing him, and seeing his kingdom of Fezzan ; and 
believed that his anger would be so great at this 
disappointment, that he would probably inflict 
upon them the greatest indignity which a Shereef 
can be made to suffer, the heaping dust upon their 
heads. The remonstrances of the Shereefs, and 
the representations of an old man of the class of 
Maraboots, or distinguished saints, induced the 
Bashaw to comply with Mr Lucas's request, espe- 
