ad called him, gave Captain Hogg
a hundred dollars on account, for Captain Hogg had a large stock of
porter and English luxuries, which he had brought out as a venture, and
of which he had still a considerable portion left. As, therefore, our
midshipmen not only were cheated by the vice-consul, but they also
supplied his table, Mr Hicks was very hospitable, and everything was at
their service except Miss Julia, who turned up her nose at a midshipman,
even upon full pay; but she made great advances to the captain, who, on
his part, was desperately in love: so the mate and the men made all
ready for the bullocks, Jack and Gascoigne made themselves comfortable,
and Captain Hogg made love, and thus passed the first week.

The chamber of Easy and Gascoigne was at the top of the house, and
finding it excessively warm, Gascoigne had forced his way up to the flat
roof above (for the houses are all built in that way in most Mahomedan
countries, to enable the occupants to enjoy the cool of the evening, and
sometimes to sleep there). Those roofs, where houses are built next to
each other, are divided by a wall of several feet, to insure that
privacy which the Mahomedan customs demand.

Gascoigne had not been long up there before he heard the voice of a
female, singing a plaintive air in a low tone, on the other side of the
wall. Gascoigne sang well himself, and having a very fine ear, he was
pleased with the correctness of the notes, although he had never heard
the air before. He leaned against the wall, smoked his cigar, and
listened. It was repeated again and again at intervals; Gascoigne soon
caught the notes, which sounded so clear and pure in the silence of the
night.

At last they ceased, and having waited another half-hour in vain, our
midshipman returned to his bed, humming the air which had so pleased his
ear. It haunted him during his sleep, and rang in his ears when he
awoke, as it is well known any new air that pleases us will do. Before
breakfast was ready, Gascoigne had put English words to it, and sang
them over and over again. He inquired of the vice-consul who lived in
the next house, and was answered, that it was an old Moor, who was
reported to be wealthy, and to have a daughter, whom many of the people
had asked in marriage, but whether for her wealth or for her beauty he
could not tell; he had, however, heard that she was very handsome.
Gascoigne made no further inquiries, but went out with Jack and