similar observance. Time, however, somewhat reconciled me to my
situation: I found that I could bear hunger and thirst better than I
expected; and at length I endeavoured to beguile the tedious hours by
learning to write Arabic. The people who came to see me soon made me
acquainted with the characters; and I discovered, that, by engaging their
attention in this way, they were not so troublesome as otherwise they
would have been: indeed, when I observed any person whose countenance I
thought bore malice towards me, I made it a rule to ask him, either to
write in the sand himself, or to decipher what I had already written; and
the pride of showing his superior attainments generally induced him to
comply with my request.

April 14th. As Queen Fatima had not yet arrived, Ali proposed to go to
the north, and bring her back with him; but as the place was two days'
journey from Benowm, it was necessary to have some refreshment on the
road; and Ali, suspicious of those about him, was so afraid of being
poisoned, that he never ate anything but what was dressed under his own
immediate inspection. A fine bullock was therefore killed, and the flesh
being cut into thin slices, was dried in the sun: and this, with two bags
of dry kouskous, formed his travelling provisions.

Previous to his departure, the black people of the town of Benowm came,
according to their annual custom, to show their arms, and bring their
stipulated tribute of corn and cloth. They were but badly armed:
twenty-two with muskets, forty or fifty with bows and arrows; and nearly
the same number of men and boys with spears only: they arranged
themselves before the tent, where they waited until their arms were
examined and some little disputes settled.

About midnight on the 16th, Ali departed quietly from Benowm, accompanied