soleum of
a family, and in which there was a palm-tree. Ganem, finding that
the burial-place where the palm-tree grew was open, went into it,
and shut the door after him. He lay down on the grass and tried
to sleep; but his uneasiness at being absent from home would not
permit him. He got up, and after having passed before the door
several times, opened it, without knowing why, and immediately
perceived at a distance a light, which seemed to come towards
him. He was startled at the sight, closed the door, which had
nothing to secure it but a latch, and got up as fast as he could
to the top of the palm-tree; looking upon that as the safest
retreat under his present apprehensions.

No sooner was he up, than by the help of the light which had
alarmed him, he plainly perceived three men, whom, by their
habit, he knew to be slaves, enter into the burial-place. One of
them advanced with a lantern, and the two others followed him,
loaded with a chest, between five and six feet long, which they
carried on their shoulders. They set it down, and then one of the
three slaves said to his comrades, "Brethren, if you will be
advised by me, we will leave the chest here, and return to the
city." "No, no," replied another, "that would not be executing
our mistress's orders; we may have cause to repent not doing as
we were commanded. Let us bury the chest, since we are enjoined
so to do." The two other slaves complied. They began to break
ground with the tools they had brought for that purpose. When
they had made a deep trench, they put the chest into it, and
covered it with the earth they had taken out, and then departed.

Ganem, who from the top of the palm-tree had heard every word the
slaves had spoken, could not tell what to think of the adventure. He
concluded that the chest must contain something of value, and that the
person to whom it belonged had some particular reasons for causing it
to be buried in the cemetery. He resolved immediately to satisfy his
curiosity, came down from the palm-tree, the departure of the slaves
having dissipated his fear, and fell to work upon the pit, plying his
hands and feet so well, that in a short time he uncovered the chest,
but found it secured by a padlock. This new obstacle to the satisfying
of his curiosity was no small mortification to him, yet he was not
discouraged, but the day beginning then to appear, he saw several
great stones about the burial-place. He picked out one, with which he