_ 64 _ above. Here the number of people who had come to see us increased so much that they filled the road. After we had travelled a fair way along the street, they took the captain to a house and us with him, because of the large crowds of people. Here the king sent a brother of the Wali, a grand lord in that country, who came to accompany the captain and brought many drums, anafils, shawms and a musket which he kept firing ahead of us. They thus carried the captain with great respect, as much as and more than would be shown to a King in Spain. There were so many people that it was impossible to count them. All the houses and the roofs were full of them, in addition to those milling around us, who must have amounted to at least two thousand men-at-arms. The nearer we came to the palace where the king resided the more the crowds swelled. As soon as we arrived at the palace, many eminent and great lords came to the captain, apart from many others who had already come with him. It was about one o'clock in the afternoon when we arrived at the palace. We entered by a gate and an enormous courtyard, and before we came to where the king awaited, we passed through four doors, forcing our way by raining blows on the people. On reaching the last door, where the king resided, an old man
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTg0NzAy