"Can that be the large raft, I wonder?" asked Halliday. "If so, some of
the poor wretches have escaped death after all."
I examined it attentively, and saw that it was very much smaller than
the large raft, and could not support more than two or three people. I
also now observed that a reef of rocks ran parallel with the coast for
some distance, the sea breaking heavily upon it.
There was soon a general commotion in the camp, and all fully believing
that a vessel was approaching which could not escape being wrecked, were
highly delighted at the prospect of making themselves the possessors of
her cargo. The sheikh was as eager as any one, and, accompanied by his
family, hastened down to the beach, hoping to be among the first on
board.
Nearer drew the raft, and at length I made out that only one person sat
upon it, steering with an oar. The people--who were all by this time
down on the beach--soon discovered their mistake, and began to vent
their disappointment by uttering curses on the head of the stranger,--we
coming in for a share of their anger.
On came the raft, and presently, as we expected would be the case, was
dashed on the reef, suffering even a worse fate than ours--being utterly
broken to pieces. Its occupant, however, sprang forward, and we saw him
striking out bravely in the calmer water, into which he had been thrown,
towards the shore. He was followed by fragments of the raft, which I
thought would strike him; but he escaped from them, and came on with
rapid strokes towards us. The Arabs, some of whom rushed half-naked
into the water, waved their hands and encouraged him by their shouts.
As he drew near we saw that he was either an Arab or a black man; and
before he landed we recognised him as Antonio, the black we had met on
board the Spanish ship. The Arabs now stretched out their hands to help
him, and he was soon in their midst, supported by their arms.
Whether he had recognised us or not we could not tell, for at first he
appeared to be too much exhausted to speak; and from the eagerness with
which the Arabs gathered round him, and his general appearance, we
suspected that he either belonged to their tribe, or to some other tribe
on friendly terms with them. Such we had soon too good reason to know
was the case. Presently we saw him borne to the tent of the sheikh,
where food and water were carried to him. Remembering his conduct to us
on board the Spanish ship, we could not but fear that his coming boded
us no good; still, of course, if he was an honest man he could not fail
to corroborate our story, and so we waited with some anxiety to speak to
him.
In the meantime the women and children gathered round us, the latter
especially treating us with scant respect; the urchins, like so many
imps, grinning from ear to ear at us, pulled at our clothes and pinched
our arms and legs; while several of them, pious, I have no doubt,
according to their notions, spit at us to show their hatred of the
Nazarenes. We knew that it would be of no use to run after the little
wretches and punish them, so we bore the indignities we received with as
much stoical indifference as we could assume. A big fellow whom we
heard called Sinne--one of the men who had captured us--encouraged them;
and at last approaching Ben, he insulted him with abusive language and
gestures, snatching at his hat, and even trying to pull off his jacket.
On this, Ben, without considering the consequences, lifted his fist and
knocked the fellow down. Sinne got up considerably cowed for the
moment, and stalked away; but, from the malignant glances he cast at Ben
and us, we could not doubt that he meditated vengeance.
"Come back, old fellow, and I will do it again," shouted Ben; but the
Arab did not wish to put himself within reach of the seaman's sturdy
fists.
"I wish that you had not knocked the fellow over, Ben," I said; "our
only hope of escaping is to keep on good terms with the Arabs."
"And so I wish to do, sir," answered Ben. "It may be, if I knock a few
more of them over, they will be all the better friends with us; and it
may teach them that we will stand no nonsense!"
Certainly, Ben's mode of proceeding appeared at first likely to answer,
for both women and children kept at a more respectful distance, while
none of the men seemed inclined to molest us.
Being tired with our previous exertions, we now sat down under the shade
of a tent, whence we could watch the wide expanse of sea stretched out
before us; but our eyelids were heavy, and, in spite of the doubtful
disposition of the natives, we all dropped off to sleep.