MOUETTE. 
tical trade of Morocco. They were then con- 
ducted to the slave market, and exposed bare- 
headed to public auction. The purchasers di- 
rected their chief attention to the hands, in order 
thence to conjecture the quality of their purchase. 
A knight of Malta, with his mother, were sold 
for 1500 crowns. Mouette, after being well walk- 
ed about, brought o60. 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 spirits, and in- 
quired what were his relations, and his means of 
ransom. Mouette, in hopes of obtaining libera- 
tion at an easy rate, pleaded the most entire po- 
verty ; 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 
" with 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 cobbler, 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 
