ir of pistols in my bosom. Thus
disguised I went out for a walk through the bazaars, and had the
satisfaction to observe that I was everywhere taken for a Moor. But
when I spoke I was not so successful, my practise in the language not
being sufficient to impose upon the Indians.

As soon as I had satisfied myself by this experiment that my disguise
was accurate, I returned towards the fort, and commenced walking about
it, observing the persons who came in and out on their business. But
though my suspicions were once or twice attracted to different ones,
yet I found nothing to go upon. In this way not only one day passed,
but several others, and I began to despair of success.

On the fourth day of my watch, however, about seven o'clock in the
evening, as I happened to be looking abroad of the river, which is
here pretty wide, and contained a good deal of small shipping, I
noticed a man in a boat, which he rowed himself, who appeared to be
lurking about for no very honest purpose. Instead of either landing or
going off in some fixed direction, this man plied to and fro, close
under the wall of the fort, which he seemed to examine very closely
from time to time. As well as I could make out he was a Moor, and my
instructions were to watch for a Frenchman, yet I was rendered so
uneasy by the movements of this individual that I resolved to go out
on the water, and examine him more closely. Accordingly I left the
place where I was, near the north gate of the fort, and strolled down
to a small flight of stairs on the river bank, where some boats lay
for hire. Stepping into one of these, I cast off, and taking the oars,
which I had learned to handle during my term of service on board the
_Talisman_, rowed slowly out towards the spy, as I believed him to be.

When he saw me coming towards him, he at first pulled a few strokes as
if to make away, but being, as I suppose, reassured by the sight of my
costume, he ceased rowing and waited for me to come up alongside.
Glancing round from time to time as I drew near, I soon perceived that
I had no Frenchman to deal with, or at least that, if I had, he had
taken the same precaution as myself in assuming the dress of the
country. Feeling desirous to test him, I hailed as soon as I came up,
in the native tongue.

"Does my lord seek for anything that his servant may procure him?" I
said, using their fulsome style.

He at once replied, in what was evidently a phrase learnt by rote--