heartily, nor did I ever remember any o f them take medicine
upon that day. But with Fidele all was feftival, not
even their annual folemn fall o f Ramadan did he ever keep,
but was univerfally known to. be an unbeliever, even in
what was called his own religion. I had Hill this further
objection to wait upon him at night, that he had gone fo
far as fo folicit Soliman to ail'ifl him in murdering me. .But
I confidered at laft, that w e could not efcape from his hands;
and that the only way to avoid the danger was to brave- it.
Providence, indeed, feemed all along to have referved our
deliverance for our own exertions, under its diredtion, as
all the ways we had taken to get relief from others had
hitherto, in appearance at leafl, mifcarried. However, it was
refolved to go armed, for fear o f the w o r ft; but to conceal
our weapons, fa as to give no umbrage. I had a fmall Bref-
cian blunderbufs, about 22 inches in the barrel, which had
a joint in the flock, fo that it folded double: It hung by
an iron hook to a thin belt under my left arm, clofe to
my fide, quite unperceived, like a cutlafs. I likewife took a
pair o f piilols in my girdle, and my knife as ufual. All
thefe were perfectly covered by my burnqqfe; fo that, with
a little attention, when I fat down, it was impoiEble to dif-
cover m y having any weapons about me. , Hagi Ifmael
the Turk, Soliman my fervant, and two other Moorilh fervants,
took alfo their fire arms, fmall and great, and fwords,
. along with them. We all went to the houfe o f the Shekh
' a little before feven o’clock in the evening. I entered the
back door into the fquare where the w omen’s houfe was ;. <•
but declined going fo far as their apartment without leave,
turning to the left hand into the fide o f the fquare where
he ufually ilaid. I. was furprifed to meet but one fervant, a
2 - -black.
black boy, in the whole houfe, and he carried m e ,to
the Shekh, my fervants remaining at the outer-door.
F i d e l e was fitting in a fpacious room, in an alcove, cn a :
large broad fofa like a bed, with India curtains gathered on.
each fide into feftoons. Upon feeing the boy, in a. very fur-
ly tone he called for a pipe ; and, in much the fame voice,,
laid to me, “ What! alone i” ,1 faid, “ Yes, what were his
commands with me?” I faw he either was, or affected to
be, drunk, and which ever was the cafe; I knew it would lead
to m ifch ie f; I therefore repented heartily o f having come
into the houfe alone. :
A f t e r he had taken two whiffs o f his pipe, and the Have ■
had left the room, “ Are you prepared ? fays h e ; have you.
brought the needful along w ith you ?” I wifhed to have occa-
fion to join Soliman, and anfwered, “ My fervants are at
the outer door, and have the vomit you wanted.” “ D— n.
you and the vomit too, fays he with great! piaffion, I wan t
money, and not poifon. Where are yq u r piaftres ?” . “ I
am a bad, perfon, faid I, Fidele, to furnifh you with either.
I have neither money nor poifon; but I advife you to drink
a little warm water to clear your flomach, cool your head,,
and then lie down and compofe yourfelf, I will fee you tomorrow
morning.” I was going out. “ Hakim, fays he,,
infidel, or devil, or whatever is your name, hearken to
what I fay. Confider whereyou are;, this is the room where
Mek Baady, a k in g , was flain by the hand o f my father i
look at his blood, where it has ilained the floor, w hich never,
could be wafhed out. I am informed you have 20,000 piafi-
ters in gold with yo u ; either give me 2000 -before you go-
o u t o f this chamber, Or you fhall die;.I will put you to death.
withi