148 



The National Geographic Magazine 



be ill-treated, for should it be deemed 

 necessary to starve or torture us into 

 signing for a heavy ransom, I believe we 

 shall be left to these ruffians. So long as 

 Raisuli himself is in view, I do not think 

 we need apprehend any violence." 



"I do not see him anywhere at present, 

 do you?" inquired Varley. 



The men who led our animals now 

 warned us to be silent. It was therefore 

 with a distinct sense of relief and satis- 

 faction that, just as dawn broke and 

 when a halt had been called on a hillside, 

 we saw Raisuli himself emerging from 

 the gloom. 



As he rode up I recognized the horse 

 on which he was mounted as one I had 

 lately purchased for my wife. This horse 

 had been admirably broken to the saddle, 

 but so soon as he was left to his own de- 

 vices he became a terror to the grooms. 



What, then, was my surprise to see the 

 horse kneel in order that Raisuli might 

 dismount, and, after the latter had 

 thrown the bridle carelessly over the 

 horses's neck, the animal stood, never 

 offering to move as Raisuli advanced to- 

 ward me. 



Hastily dismounting, I approached the 

 chieftain, insisting that I should be al- 

 lowed to communicate with my friends, 

 explaining to Raisuli that I was an in- 

 valid and that unless I could procure the 

 remedies I required he might at any mo- 

 ment have a dead prisoner instead of a 

 live one on his hands. 



Raisuli made no answer; he merely 

 drew forth from beneath his mantle a 

 carnet or book, from which he extracted 

 a sheet of European note paper, an en- 

 velope, and a pencil, which he handed me, 

 none of these being articles used by na- 

 tives. 



I at once wrote to my wife, and then 

 asked if my letter could be sent to El 

 Minzah, our town residence, whither I 

 presumed that my wife would have gone 

 after what had occurred at Aidonia on 

 the preceding evening. 



Raisuli asked me whether I could 



guarantee that his messenger would not 

 be arrested at Tangier. 



I answered, "Certainly ! My people 

 will realize that any such detention would 

 injure me !" 



Hereupon he called one of his follow- 

 ers and taking the man aside gave him 

 his instructions. 



From where I stood I could see that 

 the messenger did not at all relish these 

 orders. However, after further insist- 

 ence, the man looked up to Raisuli with 

 an expression of devotion, and, stooping, 

 kissed his leader's mantle in token of 

 submission. 



I then bethought me also of writing to 

 the young Wazani chereefs to come up 

 and negotiate my release. To this second 

 request Raisuli did not so easily accede. 

 However, ultimately he produced further 

 paper and envelopes, and the messenger, 

 taking both my missives, mounted one of 

 my mules and rode back to Tangier. 



We were now furnished with turbans 

 and Moorish haiks or mantles, as the 

 party did not wish to have it seem that 

 any strangers or Europeans were with 

 them. As the sun rose above the hills 

 these mantles and the turbans added to 

 our discomfort, as the heat became more 

 and more oppressive. 



About one o'clock we were halted for 

 stream ,and the two natives who preceded 

 me, mounted on Varley's horse, allowed 

 the animal to drink. 



In vain I endeavored to prevent the 

 man who was leading my gray from ap- 

 proaching the chestnut, as both horses 

 were great fighters ; but the thick-headed 

 mountaineer, paying no attention to my 

 admonitions, led my horse into the 

 stream. 



In a moment the two animals were 

 upon each other, while the natives were 

 falling about in the water, which was full 

 of great boulders, in the midst of which,, 

 the two horses reared and bit and fought 

 each other, while I kept my seat as best I 

 could under these trying circumstances. 



Luckily I did not fall and ultimately 



