134 LETTER XVII.

An Account of a Journeyfrom Mogodor to affy during a Civil Wary in a Moorish Dress, when a Courier could not pass, owing to the Warfare between the two Provinces of Haha and Shedma.— Stratagem adopted by the Author to prevent Detection. — Danger of being discovered. — Satisfaction expressed by the Bashaw of Abda, Abdrahaman ben Nassar, on the Author's safe Arrival, and Compliments receivedfrom him on his having accomplished this perilous Journey.

TO THE SAME.

Mogodor, 1802. Having arranged all my affairs, I awaited an opportunity to depart for England. A Spanish vessel was lying at the port of Saffy, nearly ready to sail, bound to Cadiz ; but how to reach the former port was the difficulty ; the provinces of Shedma and Haha, through which I must necessarily pass, were at war against each other, and an army of several thousand men were encamped at Ain el Hajar, a spring near the road, between Mogodor and Saffy ; so that all communication was cut off*, insomuch that it was dangerous, even for a courier, to attempt to pass from one port to the other. I was extremely anxious to reach Europe, and I determined to go to Saffy by land. I accordingly sent for a trusty Arab, whose character for fidehty I