THOMAS SANDERS ad. 



1584. 

 and on a time he appointed me for one of the 18. and 

 wee departed at eight of the clocke in the night, and upon 

 the way as wee rode upon the camels, I demaunded of one 

 of our company, who did direct us the Way ? he sayd, 

 that there was a Moore in our company which was our 

 guide : and I demaunded of them how Tripolis and the 

 wood bare one off the other ? and hee said. East North- 

 east, and West Southwest. And at midnight or neere 

 thereabouts, as I was riding upon my camel, I fell 

 asleepe, and the guide and all the rest rode away from 

 me, not thinking but I had bene among them. When I 

 awooke, and finding my selfe alone durst not call nor 

 hallow for feare least the wilde Moores should heare me, 

 because they holde this opinion, that in killing a Christian 

 they do God good service : and musing with my selfe 

 what were best for me to do, if I should goe foorth, and 

 the wilde Moores should hap to meete with mee, they 

 would kill mee : and on the other side, if I should 

 returne backe to Tripolis without any wood or company, 

 I should be most miserably used : therefore of two evils, 

 rather I had to goe foorth to the loosing of my life, then 

 to turne backe and trust to their mercie, fearing to bee 

 used as before I had seene others : for understanding by 

 some of my company before, howe Tripolis and the saide 

 wood did lie one off another, by the North starre I went 

 forth at adventure, and as God would have it, I came 

 right to the place where they were, even about an houre 

 before day: there altogether wee rested and gave our 

 camels provender, and assoone as the day appeared, we 

 rode all into the wood : and I seeing no wood there, but 

 a sticke here and a sticke there, about the bignesse of a 

 mans arme growing in the sand, it caused mee to marveile 

 how so many camels should be loden in that place. The 

 wood was Juniper, we needed no axe nor edge toole to 

 cut it, but pluckt it up by strength of hands rootes and 

 all, which a man might easily do, and so gathered it 

 together, a little at one place and so at another, and laded 

 our camels, and came home about seven of the clocke that 



303 



