182 
TRAVELS IN NORTHERN AFRICA. 
CHAP. IV. 
of nianreuvring, I succeeded in getting the Tibboo to come and 
examine them, the Sultan having given us leave to sell them if we 
could. I often drenched the horses with water when they were 
not thirsty to increase their size, and to improve their appearance, 
and at length sold a grey horse, given by the Bashaw to Mr. 
Ritchie, for seventy dollars, twenty of which, with a negress, valued 
at thirty-two, were paid us on taking the animal away ; the re- 
mainder was to be given us when the man had sold his slaves. We 
sent the girl, who was a native of Mandra in Bornou, and about 
thirteen years of age, to Hadje Mahmoud's daughters, until she was 
able to cook for us. Mr. Eitchie was witness with Eelford to my 
liberating her in due form from slavery ; but as we were much in 
want of a servant, it was settled that she was not to return to her 
native country, my ticket of fi'eedom being only to prevent all 
chance of her being sold. 
We economised, as well as we could, our small allowance of ^ 
money, which, however, soon became much reduced, as we had 
incurred many debts, which we now punctually paid. We laid 
in a stock of corn, which for a time afforded us a secure resource. 
Within the last two or three months we frequently had passed a 
whole day without food. 
Eelford and I fell ill about this period, and were both confined to 
our beds ; he with a bilious fever, and 1 with severe pains in my back 
and head, which frequently caused delirium. I had repeated attacks 
of ague and fever (called Hemma by the natives) from the beginning 
of August, generally about three times a week, and sometimes more 
frequently, which had much weakened me, and brought on a de- 
cided liver complaint, as well as an affection of the spleen. For- 
tunately, however, my spirits were good, or I must have sunk under 
so many attjicks. In this month about twenty Tripoh merchants 
died from the effects of chmate, bad water, and the want of 
