d, and followed by the real gratification of
a desire they had long been indulging, the desire to quench their
thirst. There was plenty of water in the pool, a heavy deluge of rain
having fallen over the little valley since they had left it.

The small supply of food possessed by the travellers would not admit of
their making any delay at this watering-place; and the next morning the
journey was resumed.

The Arabs appeared to bear no animosity towards the young man who had
assisted Golah in killing their companions; and now that the black sheik
was dead, they had no fear that the former would try to escape. The
negro was one of those human beings who cannot own themselves, and who
never feel at home unless with some one to control them. He quietly
took his place along with the other slaves, apparently resigned to his
fate, a fate that doomed him to perpetual slavery, though a condition
but little lower than that he had occupied with his brother-in-law.

Eight days were now passed in journeying in a direction that led a
little to the east of north.

To the white slaves they were days of indescribable agony, from those
two terrible evils that assail all travellers through the Saara, hunger
and thirst. Within the distance passed during these eight days they had
found but one watering-place, where the supply was not only small in
quantity, but bad in quality.

It was a well, nearly dried up, containing a little water, offensive to
sight and smell, and only rendered endurable to taste by the
irresistible power of thirst.

The surface of the pool was covered nearly an inch thick with dead
insects, which had to be removed to reach the discoloured element
beneath. They were not only compelled to use, but were even thankful to
obtain, this impure beverage.

The route followed during these eight days was not along the seashore;
and they were therefore deprived of the opportunity of satisfying their
hunger with shell-fish. The Arabs were in haste to reach some place
where they could procure food for their animals; and at the pace at
which they rode forward, it required the utmost exertion on the part of
their slaves to keep up with them. The old man-o'-war's-man, unused to
land travelling, could never have held out, had not the Arabs allowed
him, part of the time, to ride on a camel. The feat he had performed,
in ridding them of that enemy who had troubled them so much, and who,
had he not been thwarted in his att