4 JOURNEY FROM

sence, we found His Highness seated, with all due solemnity, at the

farther end of the apartment, attended by his third son. Sidy Ali, by

Keis Morat*, who acted as interpreter, and by other principal

officers of the Court. A formidable line of well-armed black soldiers

were ranged along the walls of the room, who stood exactly like so

many statues, each with a loaded blunderbuss, held with the muzzle

pointed downwards ; and close to the Bashaw’s person was a trusty

black slave, who held in readiness His Highness’s pistols. The in-

troduction of armed soldiers into the presence-chamber of a Sove-

reign was rather a novel sight to Europeans, and may be taken as an

example of the extremely barbarous state in which the Kegency of

Tripoly, wdth all its recent improvements, must still be admitted to remain.

The High Admiral, Keis Morat, in the name of our party, made

known to the Bashaw the friendly disposition of the King of England

towards His Highness ; in testimony of which he was requested to ac-

cept the present of four brass field-pieces, with their accoutrements,

which we had brought with us on board the Adventure ; and he was

then requested to extend his protection to our party in their passage

through his extensive dominions. Every assistance was freely offered

on the part of the Bashaw, who expressed himself, in return, highly

satisfied with the friendly assurances of His Majesty ; and the neces-

* Reis MorM, we believe, is a Scotchman, and was formeidy mate of a merchant vessel;

but having embraced the Mahometan faith, and entered the service of the Bashaw, has now, through his naval skill and abilities, arrived at the head of his profession, and is much considered by His Highness.