alk on the subject our host got up, and, having
carefully examined all the outlets to the room to ascertain that no one
was looking in, produced a stout black bottle from a chest, and some
glasses. I found that the bottle contained most veritable Schiedam.

"Now, as I don't think this good stuff was known to Master Mohammed when
he played his pranks on earth, he cannot object to any of his faithful
followers tasting a drop of it now and then."

Thereon he poured out a glass for each of us, and winked at Sidy, as
much as to say, "We understand each other--we are both of us rogues."
The captain took but little; so did I: but Muly Hassan the merchant, and
the interpreter, did not stop their potations till they had finished the
bottle, and both were very drunk. The merchant had sense enough left to
hide his bottle, and then his slaves came and made him up a couch in one
corner of the room. They also prepared beds for us in the other
corners.

The next morning we were up before break of day, and mounted on some
small horses, almost hid by their gaily-coloured saddle-cloths and
trappings. And such saddles! Rising up in peaks ahead and astern, a
drunken tailor could not have tumbled off one of them had he tried. I
do not remember much about the appearance of the country. A large
portion was lying waste; but there were fields of various sorts of corn,
and even vineyards, though the grapes produced from them were not, I
suppose, used for the manufacture of wine: indeed, I know that they are
eaten both fresh and dried. Date-trees were, however, in great
abundance, the fruit being one of the principal articles of food among
the people. The roads were very bad; and altogether there was an air of
misery and neglect which will always be seen where the ruler is a tyrant
and the people are slaves. We rested in some sheds put up for the
accommodation of passengers during the heat of the day, and in the
afternoon proceeded on to our destination.

"Now, my friends, look out for your countryman," said the renegade.
"You will probably see him tending cattle or labouring in the fields
among other slaves. He is probably in his own dress, and you will
easily recognise him."

Curiously enough, we had not ridden on for ten minutes further, when,
not far from the road, we saw a man seated on a bank a short distance
from the road, and looking very sorrowful and dispirited. His dress was
that of a seaman. I looked round, and seein