breath, and apparently much affrighted, and informed us that they had been pursued by a party of the natives, some of whom were mounted on camels, and that they were then but a short distance from us! they had scarcely finished their story, when a dreadful yell announced the arrival of their pursuers! Their appearance was indeed frightful, being nearly naked, and armed with muskets, spears and scimeters⚫ .

Our company having no weapons with which to defend themselves, they approached and prostrated themselves at the feet of the Arabs (for such they proved to be) as a token of submission. This they did not however seem to regard, but seizing us with all the ferocity of cannibals, they in an instant stripped us almost naked. For my own part such had been my sufferings, that I no longer felt any fear of death--such was my thirst at this moment, that I think I should have been willing to have exchanged my life for a draught of fresh water.

As soon as the Arabs finished stripping us, a warm contest arose among themselves, each claiming us individually as his property. This contest lasted for more than an hour, nor could I compare the combatants to any thing but hungry wolves contending for their prey!--sometimes we were laid hold of by a dozen of them at once, attempting to drag us off in different directions--they aimed deadly blows at each other with their scimeters, within two feet of my head, and inflicted wounds which laid the