1 I; (I «■ I ' 1 untied the hog, in hopes that it would run immediately at me; for they believe that a great enmity subsists between hogs and Christians; but in this they were disappointed ; for the animal no sooner regained his liberty, than he began to attack indiscriminately every person that came in his way, and at last took shelter under the couch upon which the King was sitting. The assembly being thus dissolved, I was conducted to the tent of Ali’s chief slave, but was not permitted to enter, nor allowed to touch any thing belonging to it. I requested something to eat, and a little boiled corn, with salt and water, was at length sent me in a wooden b ow l; and a mat was spread upon the sand before the tent, on which I passed the night, surrounded by the curious multitude. At sunrise, Ali, with a few attendants, came on horseback to visit me, and signified that he had provided a hut forme, where I would be sheltered from the sun. I was accordingly conducted thither, and found the hut comparatively cool and pleasant. It was constructed of corn stalks set up on end, in the form of a square, with a flat roof of the same materials, supported by forked sticks ; to one of which was tied the wild hog before mentioned. This animal had certainly been placed there by Ali’s order, out of derision to a Christian ; and I found it a very disagreeable inmate, as it drew together a number of boys, who amused themselves by beating it with sticks, until they had so irritated the hog that it ran and bit at every person within its reach. I was no sooner seated in this my new habitation, than the Moors assembled in crowds to behold me ; but I found it rather R 2
27f 60
To see the actual publication please follow the link above