THE FATE OF THE SHIPWRECKED PARTY--THE WELL IN THE DESERT--WE SEE
BOXALL--A PANTHER VISITS THE CAMP--TREACHERY--SELIM PROVES HIMSELF A
TRUE FRIEND--ANTONIO MADE PRISONER--HIS ESCAPE--WE RESCUE THE SHEIKH
FROM A MOUNTAIN OF SAND--THE SALT REGION.
The fate of the unfortunate people whose boat, after they had escaped
from the burning ship, had been wrecked, was cruel indeed; their
strength, reduced by famine, made them utterly unable to work, while the
hard-hearted Arabs not only refused to assist them, but threatened them
with perpetual slavery. The party consisted of an officer of the ship,
two seamen, Pedro the black boy, four civilians, and an unhappy lady,--
the wife of a Don Fernando, the principal person among them, who had
treated us with marked contempt when we were on board the Spanish
galleon. His manner was now greatly changed; and we, of course, did not
allude to his former behaviour, which we endeavoured to forget. It
seemed wonderful that the poor lady should have survived the hardships
she had already endured. They were all reduced to the last stage of
starvation, with the exception of the black boy Pedro, or Selim,--as
will call him in future,--who, accustomed as he was to coarse food, had
flourished on the shell-fish, and the roots of some low bushes which
grew in the neighbourhood.
Notwithstanding the treatment we had received from some of the unhappy
people on board their ship, and though we had been intentionally
abandoned, we felt bound to do our utmost to assist them. The camp
having been pitched in the neighbourhood, the sheikh ordered them to
pack up their tent and move to it. This they were utterly unable to do;
but, after much entreaty, we obtained a camel, on which we placed the
canvas, arranging it so as to form a seat for the poor lady--her husband
mounting to assist in holding her on. As we placed her on it, I doubted
whether she would reach the camp alive. The others were compelled to
walk, and though somewhat strengthened by the food we had obtained for
them, they could with difficulty drag their feet over the sand. On
reaching the camp, we divided the canvas so as to form a small tent for
the dying lady, and put up another for the rest of the party, who
faintly expressed their gratitude to us.
We did not escape having to perform our allotted duties, for all that.
The next morning, at daybreak, we were sent down with a couple of
baskets to bring up shell-fish from the shore. On our return we found a
party of strange Arabs in the camp, engaged in a discussion with the
sheikh; and on drawing near I discovered that they were bargaining for
the purchase of the unfortunate people who had just fallen into his
power, and who, from their weakness, he did not wish to carry along with
him.
They took the information I conveyed to them almost with indifference.
"It matters little indeed into whose hands we fall," observed Don
Fernando, the chief man among them; "but I beg you to say that if they
will convey us to the neighbourhood of any place where a European consul
resides, they will obtain a large sum for our ransom."
I told the strange sheikh this, and it made him ready to give a better
price than he might otherwise have done, much to the satisfaction of
Hamed.
On going to the tent of Don Fernando I found him stretched over the body
of his wife, who had just breathed her last. Sad indeed was the poor
man's fate, and we pitied him from our hearts, though we could do little
to comfort him. His once haughty spirit was completely broken down. We
at length aroused him; and calling Ben to our assistance, Halliday and I
conveyed the body of his wife to a distance from the camp, where we dug
a grave and buried her, he attending as the only mourner. He was then
delivered over to his purchaser with the rest of the Spaniards, the
young black alone remaining with us. We could not help pitying the poor
people as we saw them carried away, though their fate might not be worse
than ours; indeed, as they had some prospect of being redeemed, it might
be better.
I must now give a more rapid account than heretofore of my adventures.
Again we struck the tents and proceeded more inland, over hard ground
producing wild bushes, but not a blade of grass or a drop of water. We
then came to a region consisting of hills and valleys of sand, over
which we had to trudge on foot, suffering fearfully from thirst. After
proceeding about ten miles we saw before us a low circular wall of
sunburned bricks, with a few stunted palm-trees. The Arabs pointed
towards it eagerly, and even the camels and other animals lifted up
their heads. It marked the position of a deep well, near which we
encamped; and for the remainder of that day and the greater part of the
next we were employed in drawing up water, not only to furnish ourselves
and the animals, but to fill the water-skins carried by the camels, on
which we were to depend for several days to come. This task
accomplished, we continued our route over the sand. Here we saw a few
deer, of a small size and of a somewhat yellow colour, with black
streaks along their sides, and small straight horns; their legs were
long and slender, and they flew over the sand at a speed which the
fleetest greyhound could not equal. Here and there we met with small
bushes of a palm-like form. When we halted at night we were employed in
getting some roots which ran along the sand, and which were about the
thickness of a man's finger. They were sweet as sugar, and the people
as well as the cattle ate them. Barren as the region appeared, we saw
three or four species of birds, the largest of which were bustards; and
on searching in the sand we frequently came on their eggs, which
afforded us the most satisfactory food we had yet enjoyed. About ten
days we spent in passing through this sandy district. We then entered
on a region of firm soil, sometimes presenting a hilly surface, and
occasionally plains of hard clay sprinkled over with bushes, but without
any other vegetation, and almost destitute of water. We were fully a
month traversing this kind of country. We had left it a couple of days,
when we saw before us a stream of running water. Oh, how eagerly we
rushed forward, expecting to enjoy a draught; but when we knelt down and
plunged in our faces, how bitter was our disappointment on finding that
it was far too brackish to drink. However, Halliday, Ben, and I ran in
and had the luxury of a bath; but the Arabs, being indifferent at all
times about washing, would not give themselves the trouble of taking off
their clothes for the purpose.
This was the first of several streams we met with of the same character.
When encamping near them, however, the brackish water served to wash
the cattle in the way I have before described. Again fresh water failed
us, and in a short time the stock carried by the camels was exhausted,
and not a drop remained in our skin-bottles. Nearly a whole day we had
marched, under the fiery rays of the sun, our mouths so parched that
Halliday and I thought we should sink to the ground; but knowing that we
should meet with little or no sympathy from our task-masters, we did our
utmost to keep up with Hamed and his brother. The ground was covered
with bushes, and here and there a few stunted palm-trees reared their
heads somewhat higher above the surface. At last I was obliged to cry
out to Hamed that I could go no further.
"Courage, Nazarene! You will see water before long," he answered.
Scarcely had he spoken when we caught sight of a party of Arabs
approaching from the opposite direction. Hamed and his followers urged
on their camels; and it soon became doubtful who would first arrive at
the water. If we did, by the law of the Desert it would be for our use
and that of our beasts till all were satisfied; but the law of the
Desert is often superseded by the law of the strongest. The other party
still came hurrying on; when all at once we saw Sheikh Hamed, who had
urged on his camel ahead of us, suddenly rein it in, and wave his spear.
We therefore exerted ourselves, and were soon up to him. The strangers
halted at a little distance off, under some palm-trees. There were five
of them, besides three men on foot. We stood thus for some minutes
eyeing each other. Would they yield to our inferior numbers? They
stood still, as if in doubt--perhaps intending to wait till we and our
beasts were satisfied, unaware of the numerous bands in our rear.
As I looked at them I could not help fancying that one of the persons on
foot was a white man. I asked Halliday if he could make him out.
"A white man he certainly is, and it is my belief that it is Boxall," he
answered.
I thought so too, but feared I might be mistaken. We waved our hands.
He recognised us, I felt sure, though Halliday doubted it; at all
events, we were about to hurry forward to meet him, regardless of our
thirst, when the leading columns of the caravan appeared in the
distance, and the strangers, seeing that they had no prospect of
successfully disputing the water with us, hauled the men on foot up on
their saddles, and went off at a round gallop. We were grievously
disappointed at thus missing the opportunity of speaking to Boxall; and
should he have failed to recognise us, the chances of our being able to
hold any communication with each other would be greatly lessened.
However, as he was in the neighbourhood, we might still hope to meet
him, and concoct some plan for effecting our escape.
The pool over which the Arabs would have been ready to shed each others'
blood was between thirty and forty feet in circumference, five or six
feet deep, and contained little more than a foot or so of stagnant
water; but, stagnant as it was, we drank eagerly of it. At the edge was
sitting a huge frog, its sole living occupant, as far as we could see.
We were about to drive the reptile away, when the sheikh exclaimed, in
an agitated tone, "Stay, Nazarenes! disturb not the creature. It is the
guardian of the pool, and should it be destroyed the water may dry up
for ever." Obeying the sheikh's commands, we let his frogship watch on;
but I suspect that he must have had an uneasy time of it, while the
animals of the caravan were drinking up his water till every drop was
exhausted.
As we travelled on, we frequently came in sight of other Arab tribes,
but though moving in the same direction we never pitched our tents near
each other. Occasionally, however, when the chiefs were on friendly
terms, they would ride on together; though they always parted before the
time of camping arrived. This was done because of the difficulty of
finding water and food for their cattle. Sometimes we fell in with
hostile tribes, when the cattle were driven close together, and the
armed men drew up in battle array, ready to resist an attack. The Arabs
do not, however, often engage in battle with each other, unless one
party can surprise an enemy, or is much superior in numbers.
In vain did we look out for Boxall; and when I tried to ascertain from
the sheikh's brother to what tribe the Arabs belonged whom we had seen
at the pool, he would only tell me that they were enemies, and not good
people.
At length, in the far distance, we caught sight of groups of tall
palm-trees rearing their heads above the plain. At first, so accustomed
were we to low bushes, I expected to see them only a little higher than
usual, and was surprised at the length of time which elapsed before we
reached them. We were delighted to find ourselves under their cool
shade, and on the borders of a stream flowing in their midst. The
Arabs, however, did not exhibit the same satisfaction; the animals were
kept closer together than usual, while a vigilant watch was placed over
them. I inquired the cause of these precautions, and was told that the
forest was infested with wild beasts, and that we should be fortunate
did we escape without being attacked. We had not gone far, indeed, when
we caught sight of a lion stalking amid the trees; but after looking at
us for some time, as if he would like to pounce upon some of the sheep
or goats, he walked off, intimidated by the shouts and cries of the
Arabs. We took warning, and did not stray from the camp.
Among many other trees in this forest, I remarked cocoa-nut, date, and
wild orange trees; indeed, the region appeared so fertile, that at first
it seemed surprising that the Arabs should not have taken up their abode
there. There were many reasons, however, for their not doing so: the
strongest was their unconquerable love of a wandering life through the
desert wilds; another and very important reason was, that the vast
number of wild beasts which inhabited the forest would have proved very
destructive to their flocks and herds. There were also several tribes
already in possession, who would have proved formidable enemies had they
attempted to settle in the neighbourhood.
We had evidence the following day of the destructive power of the wild
beasts. The caravan was already in motion, the chief men and the
baggage camels being in front, a small guard only bringing up the rear.
Halliday, Ben, and I, with our young negro companion Selim, were tending
the flocks placed under our charge--several of those belonging to other
families of the tribe being on the outside of us. It was about noon,
and the rays of the sun struck down between the lofty branches,
rendering the heat almost insupportable. As we were moving on we
observed the camels ahead hesitating to advance, notwithstanding the
efforts of their drivers to urge them forward. A cry was then quickly
passed from rank to rank that wild beasts were at hand; and the guards
looked to their firearms. Suddenly a huge panther leapt from a thicket
almost into the midst of the nearest flock. Muskets were discharged
from all sides, at the no small risk of hitting either the shepherds or
the sheep. Several men, bolder than the rest, rushed forward with their
spears to attack the panther; but, with a blow of its paw, and
regardless of the spears thrust at it, it knocked over two of its
assailants; and springing at a third, who was endeavouring to make his
escape, brought him to the ground. The panther was now in the midst of
the flock; and while some of the guards were reloading their weapons, it
seized a sheep, and, before they could fire, bounded off with it as
easily as a dog would with a fowl. Though several shots were sent after
it, the animal, unhurt, disappeared in the forest. And this was only
one of several instances of a similar character which occurred during
our journey.
We now ran to the assistance of the three men who had been struck down;
but they were all dead. Loud wailings arose from their comrades, who,
taking up their bodies, carried them to the spot where we halted for the
night. Double guards were set, and fires lighted round the camp to
frighten away the wild beasts. The night was spent by the Arabs in
bewailing the loss of their companions; and at daybreak the next morning
the dead were carried forth and graves were dug, when they were
committed to the earth--some time being spent in piling up stones over
their bodies, to prevent the hyenas or other wild beasts from digging
them up.
The instance I have mentioned was too common an occurrence, however, to
make much impression on the rest of the people.
Antonio had of late appeared to have forgotten his former animosity
towards us, and whenever he could find opportunity he entered into
conversation with Halliday and me. Still, notwithstanding the friendly
manner he put on, I did not trust him; for there was something so
singularly repulsive in his countenance, that I could not believe he was
sincere.
He told us at last that we were approaching his country. "Now will be
the time for you to make your escape," he said in a confidential tone.
"You are weary of this life, I am sure; and if you will fly with me, you
will be welcomed by my people, and be treated as great chiefs: besides
which, as they have constant communication with the coast, you will
without difficulty be able to return to your own country."
He was one day speaking in this way, when Selim, who was near, overheard
him, but pretended to take no notice. The lad, however, watched for an
opportunity when I was alone, and warned me not to trust the black, "He
hates you and your friends, and has resolved on your destruction," he
whispered to me. "I overheard him, when he did not know I was near,
speaking to Abdalah, and it is clear that his intention is to betray
you. Now, we will try to be even with him; the sheikh already mistrusts
him, for he has been the cause of much trouble in the camp, about which
I will tell you by-and-by. Do you therefore pretend to agree to his
plans, and tell him that he must steal out first to a certain place
beyond the camp, and that you will join him. I will then take care to
let the sheikh know that he has gone, and that you have no intention of
deserting, and will advise that men should be sent to seize him. If he
is caught, it will prove that what I have said is true; and if he
escapes, he will be afraid to return, and we shall be quit of him."
"But we should thus be acting a very treacherous part, to which I can on
no account consent," I answered.
"You must leave that to me," replied Selim. "All you have to do is to
listen to his plans: and depend upon it, if you do not, as I advise,
pretend to agree with them, he will find some other means to betray
you."
Notwithstanding what Selim had said, I, of course, could not consent to
do as he proposed. However, I found he was not to be defeated. He
managed to insinuate himself into the confidence of Antonio, and
persuaded him that it would be imprudent to be seen conversing with me,
but that he himself would act as go-between; and he was thus able to
manage matters according to his own fancy. Had I known at the time how
Selim was acting, I should have felt it my duty to put a stop to his
proceedings, although they were intended for our benefit.
The very next night there was a commotion in the camp, and we heard that
Antonio had been sent for by the sheikh. His name was shouted in all
directions, but he was nowhere to be found. Soon afterwards a party,
accompanied by Selim, set out from the camp; from which circumstance I
had little doubt that the young black had carried out his treacherous
plan. I could not help fearing, at the same time, that, notwithstanding
his precautions, Ben, Halliday, and I might be implicated in it, and
suffer accordingly.
We were still employed in our usual evening's occupation when the party
returned, bringing back Antonio, with his hands securely bound together.
As the light of the fire, opposite which he was led, fell on his
countenance, it struck me that it had more of an angry and vindictive
than of a downcast look. He threw his fierce glance on me especially,
appearing even then to be meditating a bitter revenge, as he naturally
considered that it was owing to my treachery that he had been captured.
He was forthwith conducted into the presence of the sheikh, who, with
his brother Abdalah and other elders of the tribe, was seated by a fire
beneath a group of palm-trees. Here, squatting on the ground, with a
guard standing over him, he was allowed to listen to the consultation
they were holding as to the punishment he merited.
Selim, who managed to get near enough to hear what was going on, told us
that some were for shooting him forthwith, or cutting off his head,
while others considered that a sound beating would be sufficient to keep
him in order. Though the Arabs are as well acquainted with the
bastinado as the Moors and Turks, policy rather than mercy decided them
on not inflicting it, as he would thus be unable to march, and it would
be necessary to burden a camel with him for many days to come. It was
at length decided that he should receive a severe beating; and that,
should he still be refractory, he should be sold to the first
slave-caravan for any sum he would fetch. That might seem a light
punishment; but, as strong slaves are often compelled to carry burdens
as well as work hard, should he be sold he would have to march for many
months over the burning desert,--and as slave-merchants keep a watchful
eye on their property, he would have but little chance of escape: so the
fate in store for him was calculated, it was considered, to keep him on
his good behaviour.
"The camp will not be long troubled with him, however," said Selim, when
he had finished his account. "He is sure before long to create a
disturbance, and the sheikh will sell him to the first caravan we meet
with."
The Arabs, however, little knew the man they had to deal with. A guard
was set over him; but though watchful enough when an enemy is expected
to attack them, the Children of the Desert are, when in charge of a
prisoner, as liable to yield to drowsiness as other people, under the
belief that he too will fall asleep. Such, probably, was the case in
the present instance. When morning dawned, Antonio was not to be found.
His guards declared that they had seen a thick smoke ascend from where
he lay, and that when they went to the spot he had disappeared,--thus
proving without doubt that the Jins (or evil spirits) had carried him
off. A diligent search was made round the camp, but no traces of him
could be found, and no one could guess the direction he had taken.
We now again moved forward, and were once more in the open country. By
Selim's advice, Halliday and I did our best to ingratiate ourselves with
the sheikh. "He thinks well of you already," he observed, "because you
can speak his language; and if you can gain his confidence you will
certainly be better treated, and perhaps be able to obtain your
liberty." We were well-disposed to take this advice. The sheikh, I
considered, was only following the instincts of his nature in making us
slaves; and I hoped, by working on his good feelings (supposing he
possessed any), ultimately to obtain our liberty: and, at all events, we
should be better off while we remained with him.
I must briefly describe the chief incidents of our journey. We had now
again obtained the use of camels, and were riding on ahead with the
sheikh, who usually liked to converse with us, as we could tell him of
strange countries, and of events of which he had no previous conception.
The noonday sun was beating down on our heads, without a breath of wind
to cool the air, when we saw before us a vast, almost perpendicular wall
of sand, which seemed completely to bar our way, extending as it did so
far to the east and west that it might require not only one, but several
days' journeys to get round it. The sheikh, though at first somewhat
daunted at the appearance of the barrier, declared that there must be a
passage through it, and that through it we must go if such passage could
be found.
Turning to the left, he led the way under the sand cliff, narrowly
eyeing the ground in the hope of finding the footmarks of any camels
which might have preceded us. On we went, the remainder of the caravan
waiting for a sign from their chief to advance. At length there
appeared a gap in the cliff, if I may so call it,--just as if a violent
current of wind had forced its way through the barrier. The sheikh
examined it, evidently doubting whether it would afford a safe passage
for himself and his numerous followers, with their flocks and herds.
At last he moved forward ahead of us, to examine the passage more
narrowly; now looking to the right, now to the left, as if disliking the
appearance of the towering masses of sand above his head. At length he
exclaimed, "If it is the will of Allah that we should perish, why longer
hesitate?" and waving his spear, he urged on his camel into the centre
of the gorge.
I was on the point of shouting to him to stop, for I observed the summit
of the cliff begin to tremble ominously, as if it felt the effect of the
camel's feet at its base; but in another instant down came the avalanche
of sand, entirely surrounding the sheikh, who in vain endeavoured to
force his way out. Higher and higher it rose, his camel struggling
violently--while he clung to its back, knowing that should he lose his
hold he himself would be speedily overwhelmed. His brother and the rest
of the leading party stood aghast, afraid of sharing his fate should
they attempt to go to his rescue; while, regardless of what might be the
consequences to myself, I dashed forward, calling to Halliday and Ben.
Fortunately, I carried secured to my saddle a long coil of rope, which I
had found useful in surrounding my flock at night; and telling my
companions to hold fast to one end, I took the other, and, throwing
myself from my camel, dashed into the midst of the sand. I knew,
however, that at any moment, should I be completely overwhelmed, they
could draw me out.
I made my way with great difficulty, almost at times covered up by the
sand, till I succeeded in crawling rather than walking up to the spot
where the sheikh was struggling.
"I have been sent to your rescue, O sheikh," I cried out, throwing him
the end of the rope. "Secure this to your camel's body." He quickly
did as I advised him.
"Is it secure?" I asked. The reply was in the affirmative.
"Hold on then, O sheikh, and we will draw you forth!" I exclaimed;
when, hurrying back to my companions, we fastened the other end of the
rope to our three camels, which with might and main we urged away from
the bank.
Faster and faster came down the sand from above; but we pulled and
pulled, while the sheikh's camel struggled, trampling the sand down with
its fore feet; and in a few seconds we had hauled him out from the midst
of the sand, and once more safe among his followers--who rode up to
congratulate him, and to compliment us on the service we had rendered.
"You have done well, O young Nazarene," he exclaimed, turning to me;
"and from henceforth know me as your friend. Though I cannot grant you
your liberty--which in this place would be of no use, as you would
certainly be murdered were you to attempt to cross the desert alone--
yet, on my return to the north, I will venture as near the settled
districts as I can, that you may have an opportunity of reaching your
countrymen."
I thanked the sheikh in proper terms, assuring him of the satisfaction
my companions and I felt at having rescued him from the dangerous
position in which he had been placed.
Quickly recovering himself, and being quite indifferent to the quantity
of sand clinging to his garments, he rode along in search of a more
practicable opening. This at length was found; and as the valley was
much broader, and the sand slanted more gradually on either side, there
appeared a fair prospect of our being able to pass through. The whole
caravan then entered the defile between the sand-hills; but we were
fully three hours travelling between those prodigious masses of sand.
Sand was below our feet, sand in front and behind, sand on each side. A
sudden blast would inevitably cover us with it for many feet. It was
nervous work. Fatalism alone could have induced men, fully alive to the
danger they were incurring, to venture into such a position. To add to
our danger, the loaded camels frequently fell down, and we were
compelled to take off their burdens to enable them to rise.
At length, overcome with fatigue, the whole caravan emerged from the
defile on firm ground, where we encamped,--but without a drop of water
to quench our burning thirst. The only liquid that we could procure,
and that in very small quantities, was milk from the camels and goats.
We at length reached a pool of brackish water, which somewhat restored
us. Further on we passed over a region of salt. Here the ground, as we
advanced over it, gave way under our feet, producing a crackling noise,
just as snow does when trod on after being slightly melted and again
hardened by the frost. I observed numerous heaps of beautiful
crystallised salt, perfectly white, arranged in peculiar order and
symmetry. This salt region was of considerable extent. In certain
places we found that the ground had been dug up; and I heard that
caravans came there for the express purpose of loading their animals
with salt, to convey it to far-distant parts of the continent.
Though the sheikh may have thought it beneath his dignity to express
many signs of gratitude to us for the service we had rendered him, yet
our condition was considerably improved, and we had less hard work than
usual to perform; still, we were by no means allowed to eat the bread of
idleness.
As we were travelling on, when I happened to be in the rear I observed
in the far distance a small black object, which, from its constantly
appearing in the same direction, I could not help believing was some
person following the caravan. The Arabs did not seem to have noticed
any one; but my mind instantly fixed on Antonio, and I felt sure that he
had some treacherous object in view. However, until I had ascertained
that I was right in my conjectures, I thought it would be more prudent
not to tell the Arabs, as, should he be pursued, he would in all
probability make his escape or hide himself, and I should be accused of
creating a false alarm, and might be ill-treated in consequence. I
contented myself, therefore, with merely telling Halliday and Ben, who
were of opinion that I was right; and we agreed to be on the watch, lest
he should steal into the camp at night with the intention of murdering
us, or watch for us should we venture outside. At all events, we were
certain he was capable of any treachery, and that he would run any risk
for the sake of gratifying his revenge.