CHAP. IV. 
DEATH OF MR. RITCHIE. 
193 
numbers, and we had no money even to purchase a morsel for 
ourselves ; Yussuf 's kindness again having supplied our wants, and 
I succeeded in getting the house a little more quiet. Within an 
hour after the funeral had taken place, a courier arrived from 
Tripoli bringing a truly welcome letter, announcing that a further 
allowance of gj^lOOO had been made by our Government towards 
the expense of the mission. Had this letter reached us a little 
sooner, many of our troubles and distresses would have been pre- 
vented. 
I waited on the Sultan to announce to him Mr. Kitchie's death, 
at which the hypocrite affected to be much grieved, though he must 
have been well aware that had his inclination equalled his power 
to serve us, he might have enabled us to procure the necessaries 
of life, and thus perhaps have averted, or at least tranquillized the 
last moments of Mr. Eitchie. I informed him of the additional 
allowance which I expected, begging him to lend me some money. 
He talked much of his regard for me, but dwelt a great deal on his 
poverty ; and ended by saying, he might perhaps be able to furnish 
me with a little, which he expressed with particular emphasis, re- 
minding me that I already owed him eight dollars. I was not then, 
I own, in the humour to remonstrate with such a wretch, and plainly 
told him I would never more ask for his assistance or friendship ; 
and that according to his law, ingratitude, such as he had so cruelly 
shown to Mr. Ritchie and myself, was the highest and blackest crime 
a man could be guilty of, and would one day be visited on him. 
On my return home, I found poor Belford greatly overcome by 
the efforts he had made, whilst I was equally so from the exertions 
of mind I had undergone. The consequence was, that a strong 
fever confined us both to our beds, at the mercy of any one who 
chose to pillage us. Before I took to mine, however, I contrived 
to write despatches to England, which I sent off by a courier. 
c c 
