we could drink, and after returning thanks to heaven, as usual, for our preservation through the day, we retired to seek repose for the night.

The next morning we were ordered early to arise and prepare for our journey: but three of my unfortunate fellow captives (one of whom was a lad of but 12 years of age) signified to their masters, by signs, their inability to proceed one step further, unless they were provided with some sustenance, of which they had been deprived for the last thirty-six hours. The unmerciful Arabs thereupon became greatly enraged, and beat those who had complained of their weakness most unmercifully; but the blows inflicted upon the poor wretches only increased their inability to travel. The Arabs finding that blows had no effect, and unwilling to part with any of us, they next consulted together what was best to be done to preserve our lives, it being evident to them that none of us could survive another day without some kind of nourishment, of which they were themselves now destitute; they at length agreed to kill one of their camels, and the one on which I rode being the oldest of the drove, they obtained the consent of my master to butcher that: the business being thus settled, they began to make preparation for the slaughter. They compelled the poor animal to kneel down in the usual manner as when about to be relieved from, or to receive a load, and then with a rope hauling his head back nearly