ey had unfortunately fallen.
As already stated, the black sheik was an African of the true negro
type, with thick lips, flattened nostrils, woolly hair, and heels
projecting several inches to the rear of his ankle-joints. Most of his
following were similarly "furnished", though not all of them. There
were a few of mixed colour, with straight hair, and features almost
Caucasian, who submitted to his rule, or rather to his ownership, since
these last all appeared to be his slaves.

Those who trooped after the old Arab were mostly of his own race, mixed
with a remnant of mongrel Portuguese, descendants of the Peninsular
colonists who had fled from the coast settlements after the conquest of
Morocco by the victorious "Sheriffs."

Of such mixed races are the tribes who thinly people the Saara--Arabs,
Berbers, Ethiopians of every hue; all equally Bedouins, wanderers of the
pathless deserts. It did not escape the observation of our adventurers
that the slaves of the Arab sheik and his followers were mostly pure
negroes from the south; while those of the black chieftain, as
proclaimed by the colour of their skin, showed a Shemitic or Japhetic
origin. The philosophic Colin could perceive in this a silent evidence
of the retribution of races.

The supply of water being at length laid in, not only in the skins
appropriated to the purpose, but also within the stomachs of the camels,
the two tribes seem prepared to exchange with each other the parting
salute, to speak the "Peace be with you!" And yet there was something
that caused them to linger in each other's proximity. Their new-made
captives could tell this, though ignorant of what it might be.

It was something that had yet to be settled between the two sheiks who
did not appear at this moment of leave-taking to entertain for each
other any very cordial sentiment of friendship.

Could their thoughts have found expression in English words, they would
have taken shape somewhat as follows:--

"That lubberly nigger," (we are pursuing the train of reflections that
passed through the mind of the Arab sheik)--"old Nick burn him!--thinks
I've got more than my share of this lucky windfall. He wants these boys
bad, I know that. The Sultan of Timbuctoo has given him a commission to
procure white slaves, that's clear; and boy slaves, if he can, that's
equally certain. This lot would suit him to a T. I can tell that he
don't care much for the old salt he has tricked me out