"My friends, you have promised to take these Christian slaves to
Swearah, where they might be redeemed. Are you bad men, who fear not
God, that your promise should be thus broken?"
"We think that they have deceived us," answered one of the merchants,
"and we are afraid to carry them within the emperor's dominions, where
they might be taken from us without our receiving anything. We are poor
men, and nearly all our merchandise has been given for these slaves. We
cannot afford to lose them."
"You will not lose the value of them," rejoined the old man, "by taking
them to Swearah. They belong to a country the Government of which will
not allow its subjects to remain in bondage; and there is not an English
merchant in Swearah that would not redeem them. Any one who should
refuse to do so would scarce dare return to his own country again. You
will make more by taking them to Swearah than anywhere else."
"But they can give themselves up to the governor when they reach
Swearah," urged one of the merchants, "and we may be ordered out of the
town without receiving a single dollar for them. Such has been done
before. The good sheik here knows of an Arab merchant who was treated
so. He lost all, while the governor got the ransom, and put it in his
own pocket."
This was an argument El Haji was unable to answer; but he was not long
in finding a plan for removing the difficulty thus presented.
"Do not take them within the empire of Morocco," said he, "until after
you have been paid for them. Two of you can stay with them here, while
the third goes on to Swearah with a letter from this young man to his
friends. You have as yet no proof that he is trying to deceive you; and
therefore, as true men, you have no excuse for breaking your promise to
him. Take a letter to Swearah; and if the money be not paid, then do
with them as you please, and the wrong will not rest upon your heads."
Bo Muzem, the youngest of the merchants, immediately seconded the
pilgrim's proposal, and spoke energetically in its favour.
He observed they were but one day's journey from Agadeer, a frontier
town of Morocco; and that from there Swearah could be reached in three
days.
The other two for a few minutes held consultation apart; and then one of
them announced that they had resolved upon following El Haji's advice.
Bo Muzem might go to Swearah as the bearer of a letter from Harry to his
uncle.
"Tell the young man," said one of the merchants, addressing himself to
the interpreter, "tell him from me, that if the ransom be not paid, he
shall surely die on Bo Muzem's return. Tell him that."
The Krooman made the communication, and Harry without demur accepted the
conditions.
A piece of dirty crumpled paper, a reed pen, and some ink, were then
placed before Harry. While the letter was being written, Bo Muzem
commenced making preparations for his journey.
Knowing that their only hope of liberty depended on their situation
being made known to some countryman resident in Mogador, Harry took up
the pen; and, with much difficulty, succeeded in scribbling the
following words:--
"Sir,--Two midshipmen of H.M.S. -- (cast away a few weeks ago near
Cape Blanco), and two seamen, are now held in slavery at a small town
one day's journey from Agadeer. The bearer of this note is one of our
masters. His business in Mogador is to learn if we will be ransomed;
and if he be unsuccessful in finding any one who will pay the money to
redeem us, the writer of this note is to be killed. If you cannot or
will not pay the money they require (one hundred and fifty dollars for
each) please direct the bearer to some one whom you think will do so.
"There is another midshipman from the same vessel, and an English
sailor, one day's journey south of this place.
"Perhaps the bearer of this note, Bo Muzem, may be induced to purchase
them, so that they also may be ransomed.
"Henry Blount."
This letter Harry folded, and directed to "Any English merchant in
Mogador."
By the time it was written, Bo Muzem had mounted and made himself ready
for the road.
After receiving the letter, he wished Harry to be informed once more,
that, should the journey to Swearah prove a fruitless one, nothing but
his (Harry's) life would compensate him (Bo Muzem) for the
disappointment.
After promising to be back in eight days, and enjoining upon his
partners to look well after their property during his absence, Bo Muzem
took his departure for the port of Mogador.