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Moors seemed to make it their delight to treat him with the greatest insolence and cruelty. He watched the lingering course of the sun with solicitude, and blessed his evening beams as they shed a yellow lustre along the sandy floor of his hut; for it was then that his oppressors left him to pass the sultry night in solitude and reflection. About midnight, a bowl of kouskous, with some salt and water, was brought to him; and this was all he was allowed, to satisfy the cravings of hunger, and support him from thirst, for the whole of the following day.

CAROLINE.

What is kouscous, mamma?

MRS. A.

A dish prepared from boiled corn,

my love!

BEVAN.

Poor man! it must have been a desolate situation to be in, with no one to speak to but the savage Moors. I suppose, mamma, he was too well watched to have any chance of escape; although I almost wonder he did not try.

MRS. A.

Ali's wife Fatima was at this time stopping at a place called Bubaker, some days' journey from Benouin; but as she had a great desire to see Mungo Park, he was sent thither, well attended by Moors and Negro slaves, by a circuitous route through the woods. The heat of the weather during their journey was almost insufferable; and the distant country presented to the eye nothing but a dreary expanse of sand, with a few

stunted trees and prickly shrubs, in the shade of which the hungry cattle licked up the withered grass, while the camels and goats picked off the scanty foliage. After a weary journey, however, they reached Bubaker; and here fresh troubles awaited the traveller, although he had afterwards to acknowledge that a kind Providence had guided his steps to this spot. The scarcity of water was even greater here than it had been at Benouin. Day and night the wells were crowded with cattle; and the unfeeling Moors did all they could to prevent poor Mungo Park from obtaining any water. One night, however, he resolved to try to procure some from the wells, which were about half a mile distant from the camp. Acordingly, he set out about

midnight, and being guided by the lowing of the cattle, soon arrived at the place, where he found the Moors very busy drawing water. He requested leave to drink, but was driven away with outrageous abuse. Passing, however, from one well to another, he came at last to one where there was only an old man and two boys. He made the same request to this man, who immediately drew him up a bucket of water; but no sooner had poor Park touched it, than, recollecting he was a white man and a Christian, he seized it from him, and dashed it into the trough again, telling him to drink from thence. Though this trough was but a small one, and three cows were already drinking at it, he resolved to come in for his share : he therefore knelt down,

thrust his head between two of the cows, and drank with great delight, until the water was nearly exhausted, when the cows began to contend with each other for the last mouthful.

Thus day after day passed away, and Mungo Park was still a lonely captive amidst the wilds of Africa.

It is getting late, my dear children, and I must leave you for the present. Another evening I will tell you something more about him.

I

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