n
this coast, which were engaged in a treaty with the Negroes. The
Arabs carried off the cargoes, so that we need not be surprised
that they had guns of different kinds among them.]

[Footnote 23: He believed that all the provisions which were in
the King's magazine belonged to me.]

[Footnote 24: This odour was nothing more than lavender-water,
with which my linen had been sprinkled.]

I believe I escaped much bad usage from his saying that Prince Allicoury
had paid me a visit. To enforce this idea still more, I counterfeited
his buffoons, whom they called _Egeums_. This kind of farce so much
pleased my master, that he made me repeat it as often as he found
opportunity. He made use of this stratagem to divert those among them,
whom he suspected as inclined to pilfer, and thus cunningly occupied
their attention. No sooner did he make known my talent for imitating the
_Egeums_, than I was surrounded by men, women, and children, who
constantly bawled out to me _ganne_, (sing then). I had no sooner
finished, than I was obliged to begin again; and this I was constrained
to do, not only to amuse them, but (why should I not own it?) to procure
a tasting of camel's milk--as a reward for this my mean buffoonery.

We rested one day in this village, where the inhabitants, however ill
they behaved at first, did not fail to give us provisions for three or
four days. The plains which we passed over in proceeding towards the
east country, were covered with small stones as white as snow, round and
flat as a lentil. As we proceeded, we perceived a dull sound under our
feet, as if the earth had been dug out below us. This country presented
no variety to us; the ground was a continued plain, without producing
even the smallest plant. The atmosphere was loaded with a reddish
vapour. The whole country appeared as if filled with flaming volcanoes.
The small stones pricked us, as if they had been sparks of fire. Neither
birds nor insects were to be seen in the air. The profound silence which
reigned was something frightful. If at any time a gentle breeze arose,
the traveller immediately found himself affected with an extreme
languor, the lips with chopping, the skin with a burning heat, and the
whole body covered with small pimples, which occasioned a very sharp and
disagreeable smarting. Our guides, who had gone far up into the country,
to shun some tribes whom they had much cause to fear, were not luckier
th