Niger

Mungo was intensely hungry. He was also in¬
tensely prudent, strung up, and watchful. He re¬
plied that he never ate hog’s flesh. Thereat, in the
belief that hogs hated Christians as their inveterate
devourers, Ali commanded that the pig be released
in the hope that it would attack Mungo.
The pig’s sympathies, however, proved definitely
pro-Christian. The animal ran amok, biting indis¬
criminately every Moor it encountered. But Mungo
it avoided religiously. Finally it took refuge under
Ali’s couch, though unfortunately it failed to bite
him.
The entertainment for the moment suspended,
Mungo was conducted to the tent of Ali’s chief slave.
He was not allowed to enter, however, but was pro¬
vided with a mat, some boiled corn, salt and water.
With this fare and furnishing he passed an uneasy
night ; the Moors of the encampment hardly went
to bed at all, coming in parties to poke the Christian
to find where the squeak came from.
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