Part 16 (1/2)
His guards declared that they had seen a thick smoke ascend from where he lay, and that when they went to the spot he had disappeared,--thus proving without doubt that the Jins (or evil spirits) had carried him off. A diligent search was made round the camp, but no traces of him could be found, and no one could guess the direction he had taken.
We now again moved forward, and were once more in the open country. By Selim's advice, Halliday and I did our best to ingratiate ourselves with the sheikh. ”He thinks well of you already,” he observed, ”because you can speak his language; and if you can gain his confidence you will certainly be better treated, and perhaps be able to obtain your liberty.” We were well-disposed to take this advice. The sheikh, I considered, was only following the instincts of his nature in making us slaves; and I hoped, by working on his good feelings (supposing he possessed any), ultimately to obtain our liberty: and, at all events, we should be better off while we remained with him.
I must briefly describe the chief incidents of our journey. We had now again obtained the use of camels, and were riding on ahead with the sheikh, who usually liked to converse with us, as we could tell him of strange countries, and of events of which he had no previous conception.
The noonday sun was beating down on our heads, without a breath of wind to cool the air, when we saw before us a vast, almost perpendicular wall of sand, which seemed completely to bar our way, extending as it did so far to the east and west that it might require not only one, but several days' journeys to get round it. The sheikh, though at first somewhat daunted at the appearance of the barrier, declared that there must be a pa.s.sage through it, and that through it we must go if such pa.s.sage could be found.
Turning to the left, he led the way under the sand cliff, narrowly eyeing the ground in the hope of finding the footmarks of any camels which might have preceded us. On we went, the remainder of the caravan waiting for a sign from their chief to advance. At length there appeared a gap in the cliff, if I may so call it,--just as if a violent current of wind had forced its way through the barrier. The sheikh examined it, evidently doubting whether it would afford a safe pa.s.sage for himself and his numerous followers, with their flocks and herds.
At last he moved forward ahead of us, to examine the pa.s.sage more narrowly; now looking to the right, now to the left, as if disliking the appearance of the towering ma.s.ses of sand above his head. At length he exclaimed, ”If it is the will of Allah that we should perish, why longer hesitate?” and waving his spear, he urged on his camel into the centre of the gorge.
I was on the point of shouting to him to stop, for I observed the summit of the cliff begin to tremble ominously, as if it felt the effect of the camel's feet at its base; but in another instant down came the avalanche of sand, entirely surrounding the sheikh, who in vain endeavoured to force his way out. Higher and higher it rose, his camel struggling violently--while he clung to its back, knowing that should he lose his hold he himself would be speedily overwhelmed. His brother and the rest of the leading party stood aghast, afraid of sharing his fate should they attempt to go to his rescue; while, regardless of what might be the consequences to myself, I dashed forward, calling to Halliday and Ben.
Fortunately, I carried secured to my saddle a long coil of rope, which I had found useful in surrounding my flock at night; and telling my companions to hold fast to one end, I took the other, and, throwing myself from my camel, dashed into the midst of the sand. I knew, however, that at any moment, should I be completely overwhelmed, they could draw me out.
I made my way with great difficulty, almost at times covered up by the sand, till I succeeded in crawling rather than walking up to the spot where the sheikh was struggling.
”I have been sent to your rescue, O sheikh,” I cried out, throwing him the end of the rope. ”Secure this to your camel's body.” He quickly did as I advised him.
”Is it secure?” I asked. The reply was in the affirmative.
”Hold on then, O sheikh, and we will draw you forth!” I exclaimed; when, hurrying back to my companions, we fastened the other end of the rope to our three camels, which with might and main we urged away from the bank.
Faster and faster came down the sand from above; but we pulled and pulled, while the sheikh's camel struggled, trampling the sand down with its fore feet; and in a few seconds we had hauled him out from the midst of the sand, and once more safe among his followers--who rode up to congratulate him, and to compliment us on the service we had rendered.
”You have done well, O young Nazarene,” he exclaimed, turning to me; ”and from henceforth know me as your friend. Though I cannot grant you your liberty--which in this place would be of no use, as you would certainly be murdered were you to attempt to cross the desert alone-- yet, on my return to the north, I will venture as near the settled districts as I can, that you may have an opportunity of reaching your countrymen.”
I thanked the sheikh in proper terms, a.s.suring him of the satisfaction my companions and I felt at having rescued him from the dangerous position in which he had been placed.
Quickly recovering himself, and being quite indifferent to the quant.i.ty of sand clinging to his garments, he rode along in search of a more practicable opening. This at length was found; and as the valley was much broader, and the sand slanted more gradually on either side, there appeared a fair prospect of our being able to pa.s.s through. The whole caravan then entered the defile between the sand-hills; but we were fully three hours travelling between those prodigious ma.s.ses of sand.
Sand was below our feet, sand in front and behind, sand on each side. A sudden blast would inevitably cover us with it for many feet. It was nervous work. Fatalism alone could have induced men, fully alive to the danger they were incurring, to venture into such a position. To add to our danger, the loaded camels frequently fell down, and we were compelled to take off their burdens to enable them to rise.
At length, overcome with fatigue, the whole caravan emerged from the defile on firm ground, where we encamped,--but without a drop of water to quench our burning thirst. The only liquid that we could procure, and that in very small quant.i.ties, was milk from the camels and goats.
We at length reached a pool of brackish water, which somewhat restored us. Further on we pa.s.sed over a region of salt. Here the ground, as we advanced over it, gave way under our feet, producing a crackling noise, just as snow does when trod on after being slightly melted and again hardened by the frost. I observed numerous heaps of beautiful crystallised salt, perfectly white, arranged in peculiar order and symmetry. This salt region was of considerable extent. In certain places we found that the ground had been dug up; and I heard that caravans came there for the express purpose of loading their animals with salt, to convey it to far-distant parts of the continent.
Though the sheikh may have thought it beneath his dignity to express many signs of grat.i.tude to us for the service we had rendered him, yet our condition was considerably improved, and we had less hard work than usual to perform; still, we were by no means allowed to eat the bread of idleness.
As we were travelling on, when I happened to be in the rear I observed in the far distance a small black object, which, from its constantly appearing in the same direction, I could not help believing was some person following the caravan. The Arabs did not seem to have noticed any one; but my mind instantly fixed on Antonio, and I felt sure that he had some treacherous object in view. However, until I had ascertained that I was right in my conjectures, I thought it would be more prudent not to tell the Arabs, as, should he be pursued, he would in all probability make his escape or hide himself, and I should be accused of creating a false alarm, and might be ill-treated in consequence. I contented myself, therefore, with merely telling Halliday and Ben, who were of opinion that I was right; and we agreed to be on the watch, lest he should steal into the camp at night with the intention of murdering us, or watch for us should we venture outside. At all events, we were certain he was capable of any treachery, and that he would run any risk for the sake of gratifying his revenge.
CHAPTER ELEVEN.
CONVERSATION ON RELIGIOUS MATTERS WITH THE SHEIKH AND MARABOUTS--THE SLAVE TRACK--AT THE SHRINE OF THE SAINT--I START ON A JOURNEY--THE SHEIKH GRANTS ME A FAVOUR--AN UNPLEASANT DUTY--ATTACKED BY A WILD BEAST--ANTONIO HAUNTS OUR CAMP--ARRIVAL AT OUR DESTINATION.
Day after day we continued to travel southward--further and further from home, as it seemed to us. Whenever we could meet, Halliday, Ben, and I--not trusting to the sheikh's promises, of whose fickleness we had many proofs--eagerly discussed the possibility of escaping. Ben's idea was, that if we should arrive at length at a river running into the sea, we might either steal a canoe or build a raft, and float down the stream. We might thus escape from our present masters, who, unaccustomed to the water, would be unable to follow us; but we should run the risk of falling into the hands of still greater savages, who might very likely murder us. Still, our present slavery was well-nigh unbearable, and we were ready to run every risk to escape from it. We were doubtful whether we might venture to take Selim into our counsels.
He seemed attached to us, and especially to me; but then, as he had shown a readiness to act treacherously in the case of Antonio, he might, should it be to his interest, play us a similar trick, Halliday thought.
I was more inclined to trust him; I liked the expression of the lad's countenance, and he had hitherto, as far as we could judge, been faithful to us. During the time he had been on board an English s.h.i.+p-of-war, he had learned the truths of Christianity from the boatswain and three or four of the men, who, having become truly converted themselves, had endeavoured to win over their s.h.i.+pmates, and had taken great pains with him. He had been the only survivor of a boat's crew wrecked on the northern coast of Africa--he, being an excellent swimmer, having gained the sh.o.r.e. He had been kept in slavery a year or more by the Moors; but he at length managed to swim off to a Spanish vessel, and afterwards entered on board the galleon where we first met with him. Accustomed, therefore, to the habits of the Moors, he was able to conduct himself discreetly towards them; and pa.s.sing for a good Mohammedan, he had in a considerable degree gained their confidence. He had, however, expressed to me more than once his regret at having to play the hypocrite.
”What can I do?” he would observe. ”I know that Mohammed was a false prophet; but if I were to say so I should have my head cut off--and to that I cannot make up my mind. Every time I cry out 'Allah is great, and Mohammed is his prophet,' I know that I am telling a lie, and pray to be forgiven. Do you think that the true G.o.d will forgive me?”