GOLAH FULFILS HIS DESTINY.
Taking the Krooman by one arm, the Arab sheik led him up to the old
man-o'-war's-man, who, sailor-like having finished his watch, had gone
to sleep.
After being awakened by the sheik, the Krooman was told to ask the white
man why he fired his pistol.
"Why, to kill Golah,--the big nager!" answered Bill; "an' I'm mighty
desaved if I 'ave not done it."
This answer was communicated to the sheik, who had the art of expressing
unbelief with a peculiar smile, which he now practised.
Bill was asked if he had seen the black sheik.
"Seen him! sartinly I did," answered the sailor. "He was not more nor
four paces from me at the time I peppered 'im. I tell you he is gone and
done for."
The sheik shook his head, and again smiled incredulously.
Further inquiries were interrupted by the discovery of the body of the
Arab sentinel whom Golah had killed, and all clustered around it.
The man's head was nearly severed from his body; and the blow--which
must have caused instant death--had evidently been given by the black
sheik. Near the corpse, tracks were observed in the sand such as no
other human being but Golah could have made.
It was now broad daylight; and the Arabs, glancing along the shore to
southward, made another discovery.
Two camels with a horse were seen upon the beach about half a mile off;
and, leaving one of their number to guard the douar, the old sheik with
his followers started off in the hope of recovering some of the property
they had lost.
They were followed by most of the slaves; who, by the misfortunes of
their master, were under less restraint.
On arriving near the place where the camels were, the young man we have
described as Golah's brother-in-law, was found to be in charge of them.
He was lying on the ground; but on the approach of the Arabs, he sprang
to his feet, at the same time holding up both his hands.
He carried no weapon; and the gesture signified, "It is peace."
The two women, surrounded by their children, were near by, sitting
silent and sorrowful on the sea-beach. They took no heed of the approach
of the Arabs; and did not even look up as the latter drew near.
The muskets and other weapons were lying about. One of the camels was
down upon the sand. It was dead; and the young negro was in the act of
eating a large piece of raw flesh he had severed from its hump.
The Arab sheik inquired after Golah. He to whom the inquiry was directed
pointed to the sea, where two dark bodies were seen tumbling about in
the surf as it broke against the shingle of the beach.
The three midshipmen, at the command of the sheik, waded in, and dragged
the bodies out of the water.
They were recognized as those of Golah and his son, Muley.
Golah's face appeared to have been frightfully lacerated; and his once
large fierce eyes were altogether gone.
The brother-in-law was called on to explain the mysterious death of the
black sheik and his son.
His explanation was as follows:--
"I heard Golah calling for Muley after hearing the report of a gun. From
that I knew that he was wounded. Muley ran to assist him, while I stayed
behind with the horse and camels. I am starving! Very soon Muley came
running back, followed by his father, who seemed possessed of an evil
spirit. He ran this way and that way, swinging his scimitar about, and
trying to kill us both as well as the camels. He could not see, and we
managed to keep out of his way. I am starving!"
The young negro here paused, and, once more picking up the piece of
camel's flesh, proceeded to devour it with an alacrity that proved the
truth of his assertion.
"Pig!" exclaimed the sheik, "tell your story first, and eat afterwards."
"Praise be to Allah!" said the youth, as he resumed his narrative,
"Golah ran against one of the camels and killed it."
His listeners looked towards the dead camel. They saw that the body bore
the marks of Golah's great scimitar.
"After killing the camel," continued the young man, "the sheik became
quiet. The evil spirit had passed out of him; and he sat down upon the
sand. Then his wives came up to him; and he talked to them kindly, and
put his hands on each of the children, and called them by name. They
screamed when they looked at him, and Golah told them not to be
frightened; that he would wash his face and frighten them no more. The
little boy led him to the water and he rushed into the sea as far as he
could wade. He went there to die. Muley ran after to bring him out, and
they were both drowned. I could not help them, for I was starving!"
The emaciated appearance of the narrator gave strong evidence of the
truth of the concluding words of his story. For nearly a week he had
been travelling night and day, and the want of sleep and food could not
have been much longer endured.
At the command of the Arab chief, the slaves now buried the bodies of
Golah and his son.
Gratified at his good fortune, in being relieved from all further
trouble with his implacable foeman, the sheik determined to have a day
of rest, which to his slaves was very welcome, as was also the flesh of
the dead camel, now given them to eat.
About the death of Golah there was still a mystery the Arabs could not
comprehend; and the services of the Krooman as interpreter were again
called into requisition.
When the sheik learnt what the sailor had done,--how the pistol had been
made an effective weapon by filling the barrel with sand,--he expressed
much satisfaction at the manner in which the old man-o'-war's-man had
performed his duty.
Full of gratitude for the service thus rendered him, he promised that
not only the sailor himself, but the boy slaves, his companions, should
be taken to Mogador, and restored to their friends.