136 INTERVIEW WITH THE BASHAW.

" Elmljoroh,'' i. e. a wounded man. In the old bed of the river Tansift, now full of bushes of white broom, I narrowly escaped being discovered : as the day was breaking, a party of Arabs suddenly turned a corner, and I had just time to cover my mouth and chin with my (silham) cloak, before they gave the salutation, or they would have discovered me (being without a beard) to be a Christian ; we passed the river, however, perfectly safe, and were then soon in the province of Abda, when all danger was at an end ; we entered the town of Saffy, at two o'clock in the afternoon. The Bashaw of Abda, AbdraJiaman hen Nassar, a renowned warrior, who had been at the head of an army of 60,000 horse, in opposition to the Emperor, Muley Soliman, received me with his accustomed ur*-banity and hospitality, and asked me if I had come to Saffy through the air, or by sea. I replied, I had come by neither, but by land.

*' How is it possible," said he, ** that you could come by land, when even a courier could not pass. Did you meet with no impediment?— you astonish me : but praise be to God, that you have arrived safe, and you are welcome."