ritten by Asaad was done through the contrivance of his keeper
for a small reward.

_Attempts made to procure his release._

After hearing all this, we went directly to the consul to inform him of
the case, and to urge him to an interference. He consented, that we
should first procure some one to write a firm and consistent letter to
the patriarch, demanding by what right he had taken a man from an
English employer, and under English protection, and imprisoned him
unheard, &c. intimating, that if the man was not soon given up,
something more would be done.

Toward evening, J. came again to inquire what we had concluded on. When
he found what step we had taken, he seemed much alarmed for his own
safety, and begged us not to proceed, for he should be immediately
suspected as the mediator of the affair, and should be in danger of
being persecuted as such. He mentioned, as a justification of his fears,
that the keeper overheard Asaad when he recommended that course to his
brother, and that the keeper, when inquired of, would of course mention
the fact to the patriarch. Instead of the measure we were about taking,
he recommended to apply to the emir, through one of his relatives, who
was our mutual friend, and to this we consented. It is, however,
probable, that the object of J. is not so much to avoid danger, as to
put his friend the emir in a way to get a small present.

5. J. has been to see the emir, in order to persuade him to intercede
with his uncle, the emir Beshir, but the former was not at home, and
therefore the latter was not consulted. J. then went to the emir M. but
found him quite averse to do any thing, saying, that to liberate a man,
who had become English, would never do. He next saw Mansoor, the
brother, and asked him if he knew that Asaad was in close confinement.
"Yes," answered he, "and he may end his days there, unless he can learn
to behave himself better." One characteristic mark of a heathen is, that
he is "_without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful_."

J. says, that his brother has told him in addition, that Asaad himself,
on the whole, wished not to have the consul interfere, but that some one
might, for the present, be sent every week or two, to see how he got
along, and in the mean time, he hoped to make his own escape, for that
only a few days before, he had loosed himself from his chains, and got
out of the convent, but not understanding the path, he became afraid to
proceed, an