FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163  
164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   >>   >|  
of its contents. "Here, drink this water," said he, holding the vessel to Colin's lips. "I want to make use of the dish." "No, no; dig me out without that," answered Colin. "Leave the water as it is; I have a particular use for it when I get free. I wish the old sheik to see me drink it." Bill, Harry, and the Krooman set to work: and Colin and the woman were soon uncovered and dragged out. Terence was then awakened to consciousness by a few drops of the water poured over his face. Owing to the cramped position in which he had been placed and so long held, Colin was for a few minutes unable to walk. They waited, to give him time to recover the use of his limbs. The slave who had the care of the woman's children was now seen coming back with them, and the woman ran to meet him. The delight of the wretched mother at again embracing her offspring was so great, that the gentle-souled Krooman was once more affected to tears. In the conference with the Arab robbers, Golah was unable to obtain the terms he fancied a sheik should be entitled to. They offered him two camels and the choice of one wife out of the three, on condition he should go back to his own country, and return to the desert no more. These terms Golah indignantly refused, and declared that he would rather die in defence of his rights. Golah was a pure negro, and one of a class of traders much disliked by the Arabs. He was a lawless intruder on their grounds,--a trespasser upon their special domain, the Great Desert. He had just acquired a large amount of wealth in goods and slaves, that had been cast on their coast; and these they were determined he should not carry back with him to his own country. Though he was as much a robber as themselves, they had no sympathies with him, and would not be satisfied with merely a share of his plunder. They professed to understand all his doings in the past; and accused him of not being a _fair trader_! They told him that he never came upon the desert with merchandise to exchange, but only with camels, to be driven away, laden with property justly belonging to them, the real owners of the land. They denied his being a true believer in the Prophet; and concluded their talk by declaring that he should be thankful for the liberal terms they had offered him. Golah's opposition to their proposal became so demonstrative, that the Arabs were obliged to disarm and bind him; though this was not accomplis
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163  
164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186   187   188   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

desert

 

country

 

Krooman

 
offered
 
camels
 

unable

 
amount
 

wealth

 

slaves

 

disliked


rights
 

defence

 

refused

 

declared

 

traders

 
determined
 

domain

 

Desert

 

special

 
trespasser

lawless

 
intruder
 

grounds

 

acquired

 

understand

 

denied

 

believer

 
Prophet
 

concluded

 

owners


property

 

justly

 

belonging

 

declaring

 

disarm

 

obliged

 

accomplis

 

demonstrative

 

thankful

 

liberal


opposition

 

proposal

 

plunder

 

professed

 

indignantly

 

satisfied

 
Though
 

robber

 

sympathies

 

doings