drifts. As it was nearly midnight, they thought it not worth while to pitch tents, but compelled us to lie down in the deep sand, and charged us not to exchange a word with each other, or make the least noise. Here, in our most exhausted state, were we compelled to lie on the bare ground, without the smallest shelter from the heavy dews of the night, and enduring, beside the cravings of hunger, excruciating pains in all our limbs. Our masters, accustomed to such hardships, did not even complain of fatigue.

As soon as the day light appeared they allowed us a small portion of what remained of the camel, after which we were called upon again to pursue our journey. The Arabs were exceeding careful in their preparations to depart, not to make the least noise, and forbid our uttering a word, least they should be discovered by an enemy more powerful than themselves. By sun rise we were on our march--they compelled my husband and his poor fellow captives to keep up with camels, although their feet were extremely sore and swollen--for my own part, next to hunger and thirst, the most that I had endured was from the scorching rays of the sun beating upon my bare head; but having now gone so long bare-headed, my head had become accustomed to the heat, and though it remained uncovered, it did not pain me. Since my captivity, I had many times begged my master that he would return me my bonnet, as the only means by which he