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My appeal was not in vain, for before long the door opened and a veiled female appeared, bringing a basket with the universal couscoussu, some dates, and a bottle of water. Without uttering a word she placed the basket on the ground, and retired as silently as she had entered; not even allowing us time to thank her for her kindness.
"I wonder whether the savages think we can live without eating," said Halliday. "I wish they would bring us some food." Not many minutes after this the door opened, and a black woman appeared, carrying a couple of baskets containing a bowl of couscoussu, a calabash of water, and some fruit. Though her countenance was shrivelled, it beamed with kindness.
What a healthy, free, aristocratic life, combining feudal dignity with educated zest, a wise man could lead there if he had an establishment of, say, three hundred slaves, a private band, a bevy of dancing girls, Bruzeaud for chef, an extensive library, sixteen saddle-horses, and relays of jolly fellows from Gibraltar to help him chase the wild boar and tame bores, eat couscoussu, and drink green-tea well sweetened.
The sheikh congratulated each one on his arrival, and returned the numerous salutations, without even inquiring from whence the traveller came, or whither he was going. Before dark, all were assembled for evening prayer; after which the travellers formed themselves into groups, partaking out of one common bowl the couscoussu prepared for them by their hosts.
"I forgot," said the sheikh; and calling to the black damsels, he ordered them to bring us food and water. In a short time one of them returned with a large bowl of couscoussu, a sort of porridge made of wheat beaten into powder. We had our fingers only to eat it with. "Set to, strangers," said the sheikh, nodding; but he took none of the food himself.
She gave orders that a tent should be prepared for our use, however; and as soon as we had taken possession of it she sent us a bowl of couscoussu, with some dates and camel's milk, so that we fared sumptuously after our fatiguing ride. "I feel almost as if I had got home again," said Boxall, as we lay at our ease with our legs stretched out on the carpet covering the floor of our tent.
We all did justice to the sheikh's couscoussu, however; for, notwithstanding its want of salt, we had eaten no food so wholesome since we were on board the Spanish ship. Another girl next brought in an earthen jar of water, which we in a few minutes completely emptied. "Thank you, Mr Sheikh," said Ben, after his meal; "long life to your honour." "What does he say?" asked our host.
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