s of the mosque. I found the
prince, therefore, more of a meditative "book-man" than warrior; while
the rest of his family, and especially his younger brothers, had never
been exempt from military duties, at home or abroad. Like a good
Mussulman, the sovereign was a quiet, temperate gentleman, never
indulging in "bitters" or any thing stronger than a drink fermented
from certain roots, and sweetened to resemble _mead_. His intercourse
with me was always affable and solicitous for my comfort; nor did he
utter half a dozen sentences without interlarding them with fluent
quotations from the Koran. Sometimes, in the midst of a pleasant chat
in which he was wondering at my curiosity and taste for information
about new lands, he would suddenly break off because it was his hour
for prayer; at others, he would end the interview quite as
unceremoniously, because it was time for ablution. Thus, between
praying, washing, eating, sleeping, slave-dealing, and fanning his
dropsical feet, the life of the Ali-Mami passed monotonously enough
even for an oriental prince; but I doubt not, the same childish
routine is still religiously pursued, unless it has pleased Allah to
summon the faithful prince to the paradise of "true believers." I
could never make him understand how a ship might be built large enough
to hold provisions for a six months' voyage; and, as to the _sea_, "it
was a mystery that none but God and a white man could solve!"

As I was to breakfast on the day of my arrival at the dwelling of
Ahmah-de-Bellah's mother, after my presentation to the prince her
husband, I urged the footsteps of my companion with no little
impatience as soon as I got out of the royal hearing. My fast had been
rather longer than comfortable, even in obedience to royal etiquette.
However, we were soon within the court-yard of her sable ladyship, who,
though a dame of fifty at least, persisted in hiding her charms of face
and bosom beneath a capacious cloth. Nevertheless, she welcomed me
quite tenderly. She called me "Ahmah-de-Bellah-Theodoree,"--and, with
her own hands, mixed the dainties on which we were to breakfast while
cosily squatted on the mats of her verandah. Our food was simple enough
for the most dyspeptic homoeopathist. Milk and rice were alternated
with bonney-clabber and honey, seasoned by frequent words of hospitable
encouragement. The frugal repast was washed down by calabashes of cool
water, which were handed round by naked damsels,