e of his companions. This I
carefully did till the day we arrived at Alexandria; when, unluckily, I
neglected to count the bales, taking it for granted that they were all
right, as I had found them so the preceding day. However, when we were
to go on board the vessel that was to take us to Cairo, I perceived that
three bales of cotton were missing.

"I ran to inform my master, who, though a good deal provoked at my
negligence, did not reproach me as I deserved. The public crier was
immediately sent round the city, to offer a reward for the recovery of
the merchandise; and it was restored by one of the merchants' slaves with
whom we had travelled. The vessel was now under sail; my master and I
and the bales of cotton were obliged to follow in a boat; and when we
were taken on board, the captain declared he was so loaded, that he could
not tell where to stow the bales of cotton. After much difficulty, he
consented to let them remain upon deck; and I promised my master to watch
them night and day.

"We had a prosperous voyage, and were actually in sight of shore, which
the captain said we could not fail to reach early the next morning. I
stayed, as usual, this night upon deck, and solaced myself by smoking my
pipe. Ever since I had indulged in this practice at the camp at El
Arish, I could not exist without opium and tobacco. I suppose that my
reason was this night a little clouded with the dose I took; but towards
midnight I was sobered by terror. I started up from the deck on which I
had stretched myself; my turban was in flames--the bale of cotton on
which I had rested was all on fire. I awakened two sailors, who were
fast asleep on deck. The consternation became general, and the confusion
increased the danger. The captain and my master were the most active,
and suffered the most, in extinguishing the flames--my master was
terribly scorched.

"For my part, I was not suffered to do anything; the captain ordered that
I should be bound to the mast; and when at last the flames were
extinguished, the passengers, with one accord, besought him to keep me
bound hand and foot, lest I should be the cause of some new disaster. All
that had happened was, indeed, occasioned by my ill-luck. I had laid my
pipe down, when I was falling asleep, upon the bale of cotton that was
beside me. The fire from my pipe fell out and set the cotton in flames.
Such was the mixture of rage and terror with which I had inspired the
wh