Part 8 (2/2)
”If we knew our way to the coast it would be a good opportunity of escaping,” said Roger
”It would be an act of folly to o back, and show the Sheik that he may place confidence in us”
They returned at the sari them come back
”You shall have the horses to ride on for your journey,” he said
”How are you to travel, Juo on camel,” he answered ”The Sheik know that you can't run aithout me You can't talkee to the people”
In a short tiiven toEnglishmen, and Ju for soe ofbeaten paths On the sue of scenery Behind was the monotonous sterility of the desert, and before a cultivated country, in every part of which were considerable cahty tents over the plain They perceived numerous horses and mules, as well as camels, while travellers continually passed thereater number on horses of a small size, all well-armed About an hour after noon they arrived at a well, surrounded by a vast nuoats; and so coreatest difficulty that they reached the water to satisfy their burning thirst In the evening they reached soht He told them that the next day they would arrive at his tohere they were to spend soreeable news, as they hoped to obtain so Beirouc pointed out to them his habitation At first they looked everywhere without perceiving any building, but at length discovered towards the east, at the foot of a mountain, a circle of reddish walls, in the ht It had the appearance of being what it really was, a shelter for brigands On their right was a forest of palardens, while a nu carelessly about outside the walls The news of their arrival was soon circulated a all classes, and fro to see the Christians, whoth Beirouc told one of his attendants to conduct the three prisoners to their habitation The whole toas composed of houses built with sun-dried bricks of a yellowish tint They were conducted into a square, out of which opened several chambers, or houses with small doors; one of these they were told to enter It had a lare of day, they could see nothing, but as their eyes got accusto the nu to the walls Ju that they werebeen used as a stable Though the chief hitherto treated theht have been expected, they felt that they were slaves, and they asked Jumbo to make inquiries
”Yes, we all slavee,” he said ”Beirouc, he ht theence that they were not to re They had little rest, being exposed froaze of the Moors, who cas of curiosity alone, without the slightest tinge of co at theardeners, carpenters, bricklayers, or masons At all hours of the day their unwelco thee There were really no bars nor any guard placed over theot out into the country But Beirouc well knew that they would have been unable to find their way, and that they would either have been starved, or made prisoners by the inhabitants, or killed by wild beasts, and he told Juive them a hint that such would be their fate should they attempt it They had therefore to subnities offered theth one day a new character, who accompanied Beirouc,h so seated himself on a carpet in the centre of the court, he ordered the two captives, accompanied by Jumbo, to approach him, and inquired who they were, whence they had come, and how they had hitherto been eive such a report of them as would increase their importance in the eyes of their captors He declared that they were chiefs in their own country, that they were officers on board the shi+p, wonderfully expert navigators, and were possessed of great wealth, their object in leaving houessed that Juht, massa,” he answered, ”me tell the truth presently”
Ju their value in the estimation of the new arrival Jumbo informed them that the chief's name was Ibraim, that he resided in the northern part of the country, towards which they were forthwith to set out Soon afterwards Jumbo on his return to their cell burst into tears
”What is the matter?” asked Stephen
”Beirouc say he no sell me, and that I stay here”
”Tell him that we cannot do without you,” said Stephen
”Me tell Ibraim; that more use,” said Jumbo
Jumbo was evidently looked upon as a very clever fellow by the Arabs, and he so ed the lishmen, and they immediately set forward on their journey northward The whole party rode on horseback Their steeds were s at a great rate, up and down hill being apparently the sareed that it was farthan on ca than when stopping at night, when they were compelled to sleep in some dirty hut, with Jumbo and a number of Arabs as their coet any tolerable water to drink At first they fancied that they were to be carried to Marocco, but they found Ibrai the capital, which he left far away on the right On and farther on they went northward
”So er ”The farther north, the th, on passing over a lofty hill, Roger observed the blue ocean glittering brightly to the left, while in the far distance he made out the minarets, towers, and flat roofs of what appeared to hie town He pointed out the spot to Stephen
”That is a town, no doubt about it, and probably it is to be our future abode; we et Jumbo to learn its name”
”Dat Rabatt; they call it also Sallee,” said Jumbo
”Why, that is the place where the Sallee rovers sail froer ”For e can tell, the one who attacked us caerine; Captain Roberts thought so,” reround they had been traversing they crossed a river, the third they had passed sincedown its bank on the north side, they found thely-fortified toith high walls, towers, and battleateway, continued on along narrow streets and alleys croith people of all colours, though mostly dressed in Moorish costume Their arrival did not appear to create much interest; some stared at them, a few abused them as Christian slaves
At last Ibraim led the way into a court-yard, when he ordered them to dismount He pointed to a cell much like the one they had before occupied, where he told thee of being h they were so them to remain there, and to move out at their peril, Ibraim stalked away Several persons made inquiries about them of Jumbo This continued till dark, when they were allowed to rest on the bare ground in quiet As no one brought theether, they had to go supperless to sleep Next ry, and as there was no other way of getting food, they told Ju them some, but the hard-hearted Moors refused At last a white-haired man, habited as a Moor, his dress of nautical cut, his turban set somewhat rakishly on one side, ca at them for some minutes