ostillion, glad to earn three shillings a
day, I can't be expected to do much."

"Who is Mumbo Jumbo?" said I.

"Ah!" said the postillion, "I see there may be a thing or two I know
better than yourself. Mumbo Jumbo is a god of the black coast, to which
people go for ivory and gold."

"Were you ever there?" I demanded.

"No," said the postillion, "but I heard plenty of Mumbo Jumbo when I was
a boy."

"I wish you would tell us something about yourself. I believe that your
own real history would prove quite as entertaining, if not more, than
that which you imagined about us."

"I am rather tired," said the postillion, "and my leg is rather
troublesome. I should be glad to try to sleep upon one of your blankets.
However, as you wish to hear something about me, I shall be happy to
oblige you; but your fire is rather low, and this place is chilly."

Thereupon I arose, and put fresh charcoal on the pan; then taking it
outside the tent, with a kind of fan which I had fashioned, I fanned the
coals into a red glow, and continued doing so until the greater part of
the noxious gas, which the coals are in the habit of exhaling, was
exhausted. I then brought it into the tent and reseated myself,
scattering over the coals a small portion of sugar. "No bad smell," said
the postillion; "but upon the whole I think I like the smell of tobacco
better; and with your permission I will once more light my pipe."

Thereupon he relighted his pipe; and, after taking two or three whiffs,
began in the following manner.

CHAPTER XCVIII.

An Exordium--Fine Ships--High Barbary Captains--Free-Born
Englishmen--Monstrous Figure--Swash-buckler--The Grand Coaches--The
Footmen--A Travelling Expedition--Black Jack--Nelson's Cannon--Pharaoh's
Butler--A Diligence--Two Passengers--Sharking Priest--Virgilio--Lessons
in Italian--Two Opinions--Holy Mary--Priestly Confederates--Methodist
Chapel--Veturini--Some of Our Party--Like a Sepulchre--All for
Themselves.

"I am a poor postillion, as you see; yet, as I have seen a thing or two,
and heard a thing or two of what is going on in the world, perhaps what I
have to tell you connected with myself may not prove altogether
uninteresting. Now, my friends, this manner of opening a story is what
the man who taught rhetoric would call a hex--hex--"

"Exordium," said I.

"Just so," said the postillion; "I treated you to a per--per--peroration
some time ago, so that I have contrived to put the