ound; for on our arrival he appeared at the door of his tent, and
called me up to him.

"I have saved your life and that of your companions," he said; "but as
you were attempting to escape from bondage, I am bound to deliver you up
to Sheikh Hamed Aben Kaid, who will treat you as he thinks fit. All I
can do is to report favourably of the way in which you conducted
yourself towards my daughter and her children, and this may tell in your
favour; but I warn you that a severe punishment awaits those who attempt
to fly from their masters. You will set out to-morrow morning. And
take my advice: as soon as you arrive you must express your desire to
become faithful followers of the Prophet, and all will be well; if not,
you may expect no mercy."

I thanked the black sheikh for the kindly feeling which prompted his
advice, but did not say whether I intended to take it. I felt very sure
that my companions would suffer anything rather than turn Mohammedans,
and I hoped that even the fear of death would not make me do so.

For the remainder of the day we were placed in a tent by ourselves, and
were amply supplied with food. As soon as we were alone, I told my
friends what the black sheikh had said. Their answers were as I
expected; and we all agreed to support each other in the resolution we
had formed to be firm to our faith.

Next morning we set out at daybreak on our dreary journey, escorted by a
party of black troops on foot, with a few camels to carry provisions.
We kept the road I had come, turning neither to the right nor to the
left. Nothing occurred to us during the march worth narrating; we were
not ill-treated, and were sufficiently supplied with food, our guards
wishing to bring us back in good condition. We had got within about a
day's journey of the camp, when we saw a party of Arabs approaching,
mounted on camels, and as our guards did not appear alarmed we knew that
they must be friends. As they drew nearer I recognised Sheikh Hamed at
their head; and as he saw us a frown gathered on his brow, and he
inquired of the leader of our guards how we had been taken. On being
told what had happened, his anger increased, his own people gathering
round him and crying out that we deserved nothing but death. While he
and they were discussing the matter, one of the marabouts, who had taken
part in the discussion I once had with the sheikh on religious subjects,
proposed that we should be forgiven, provided we would