364. 
park's first journey. 
fingers, and forced him to continue dressing and 
undressing himself, buttoning and unbuttoning 
his clothes, from noon to night, while he was 
perishing with hunger and thirst. The curiosity 
of the females of Ludamar formed no exception to 
the common opinions entertained on that subject. 
Any cultivation of mind could not have failed to 
inspire them with deep disgust at that species of 
prostitution which is sanctioned by the Moorish 
customs ; but they are entirely unacquainted with 
refinement and delicacy, and when their natural 
timidity is emboldened by numbers, they are un- 
restrained by modesty or decorum. A party of 
the Moorish females, who visited Mr Park, were 
very curious to examine whether the rite of cir- 
cumcision extended to the Christians. Mr Park 
treated the matter in a jocular manner, and as^ 
sured one of the most handsome, that he would 
satisfy her curiosity if the others would retire ; 
when they all departed, much delighted with the 
jest. While he remained at Benowm, he had an 
opportunity of seeing a Moorish wedding ; it was 
not celebrated with the same festivity of song and 
dance as the negro weddings ; one woman beat 
a drum, and the others made a kind of whistling 
noise, or frog-music, with their mouths. When 
he had retired to his hut, and was sitting almost 
asleep, an old woman entered, and told him she 
Jhad brought him a present from the bride, and 
