at all. Even then our
baggage was in the greatest peril, for the mules could barely keep their
feet; and once down in some of the deepest quagmires, there would have
been the utmost difficulty in getting them up again, or in rescuing our
unfortunate kit. And the rain came through everything, bedding and all
being fairly drenched. The mules which carried the baggage were of course
much the best of our beasts: R.'s and my mounts were indeed sorry for
themselves. The last hour was the darkest, during which R.'s mule fell
down for the sixth or seventh time--it was slippery and rough--and we
had the worst piece of country of all to cross, where we found one
unfortunate mule bogged in a sort of mud stream. Though a soaking does
not greatly signify when dry clothes and a roof lie at the journey's end,
nine hours at a foot's pace, through mud and water, wet and weary, will
take the heart out of most people. We tailed into Tangier, a dilapidated,
worn string of bedraggled vagrants, and rode to the Continental. An hour
later, clean and dry, in comfortable chairs, with hot coffee, there was
content.

Meanwhile, S`lam was not at all fulfilling our expectations; and since we
left the fondak, far from distinguishing himself on the march, he failed
over and over again to rise to the occasion, excellent servant though he
had been in the garden-house near his own city. While the muleteers
walked all the way from Tetuan, driving the baggage-mules and urging on
our own, S`lam by arrangement rode on the top of a light load; and there
he sat, huddled up on the mule, wet and discontented, dawdling behind,
last of all, in the cavalcade, and anything but living up to his
character of soldier-servant and escort. By virtue of his late service in
the Algerian army and his rifle, he should have been admirably adapted to
fill that capacity; but less like a soldier, and more like a whimpering
dog, man never looked. Nor did he look after our things, allowing them to
be badly exposed to the rain, and taking no precautions for protecting
anything. In the face of condemnation he sulked.

Arrived at Tangier, nearly a week elapsed before a Hungarian boat put in,
by which we could sail for Mogador. S`lam was of course due daily at the
hotel to report himself and to execute orders. It was on one of these
occasions, upon the very morning before we were due to start for Mogador,
that he sprung upon us his intention of going straight back to Tetuan.
This anno