572 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
did not I tell you this would happen for murdering the 
Aga?” | an 
Our people had come to fee what had paffed, and I: 
fent the women away, ordering them to be Kept feparate,. 
out of the hearing of’one another, to judge if in their an- 
fwers they did not prevaricate. The woman defired to have 
her child with her, which I granted. The little creature; — 
inftead of being frightened; crowed, and held out its little 
hands as it pafled me. We faftened the-Arab with the chain. 
of the camels, and fo far was well; but ftill we did not. 
know how near the Bifhareen might be, nor who thefé 
were, nor whether they had fent off any intelligence in the. 
night. Until we were informed of this, our cafe was little : 
mended. Upon the man’s appearing, all my people decla-. 
red, with one general voice, that no time was to be loft, but: 
that they fhould all be put to death as foon as the camels : 
were loaded, before we fet out on our journey; and, in- 
deed, at firft view of the thing, felf-prefervation, the firft 
law of nature, feemed ftrongly to require it. Hagi Ifmael: 
was fo determined on the execution that he was already 
feeking a knife fharper than his own. “ We will ftay, Hagi. 
Hf{mael, faid I, till we fee if this thief is a ltar alfo. If he pre-- 
varicates in the anfwers he gives to my queftions, you fhall 
then cut his head off, and we wilk confign him: with the: 
lie in his mouth, foul and body to hell, to his mafter whom 
he ferves.” Ifmael anfwered. “ The truth is the truth; -tf; 
he lies, he can deferve no better.. 
Tue reader will eafity underftand the neceflity of my 
fpeaking at that moment in terms not only unufual fora. 
Chriftian, but even in any feciety or converfation; and if the. 
: ferocity 
