180 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



the thief was only known to be living by his groans, and 

 they had thrown him at a fmall diflance, for any perfon to 

 own him that pleafed. It appeared, that he was a fervant 

 of Sidi Haflan, an Egyptian Have, or fervant to Shckh Ha- 

 mam, who conducted or commanded the caravan, if there 

 was any condntl or command in it. 



There were with me ten fervants, all completely armed, 

 twenty-five Turks, who feemed worthy to be depended up- 

 on, and four janiflarics, who had joined us from Cairo, fo 

 that there were of us forty men perfectly armed, befides 

 attendants on the cattle. As we had people with us who 

 knew the wells, and alfo a friend who was acquainted with 

 the Atouni, nothing, even in a defert, could reafonably a- 

 larm us. 



With great difficulty we pulled down an old acacia-tree, 

 and procured fome old-dried camels dung, with which we 

 roafled our two antelopes : very ill-roafted they were ; and 

 execrable meat, though they had been ever fo well drefled, 

 and had had the belt fauce of Chriflendom. However, we 

 were in the defert, and every thing was acceptable. We 

 had fome fpirits, which nnifhed our repaft that night : it 

 was exceedingly cold, and we fat thick about the fire. 



Five men with firelocks, and a number of Arabs with 

 lances, having come towards us, and being challenged by 

 the centinel for not giving the word, were then cleared to 

 Hand, or they would be fired upon. They all cried out, 

 Sdlam Alkum I and I intimated that any three of them might 

 come forward, but defired them to keep away the Arabs. 

 Three of them accordingly came, and then two more. They 



3 ; delivered , 



