168 
WELLS OF FARATISSA. 
worse treatment from such men, in the journey between el- 
Drah and Tafilet : I thanked them for it ; but for them I should 
have been obliged either to desert, or to seek another guide 
to conduct me to Ghourland. The Moors of my company 
were restrained from doing me greater mischief solely by the 
fear of passing for infidels. 
About ten in the morning, we halted near the wells of 
Faratissa, agreeably shaded by beautiful palms : in the envi 
rons are some veins of sand, studded with patches of grass on 
which the camels are accustomed to browse ; stunted mimo- 
sas are also scattered around. The wells are but two feet 
and a half deep ; the water is very good. 
From el-Drah, our little party had been increased by 
several Moors ; they all assembled round the wells, and 
talked much about me ; with the exception of my guide all 
appeared to take an interest in my fate : fears were expressed 
that on my arrival in Alexandria I might not meet with any 
parents. "Poor young man," said they, " what will he do 
all alone ?" I told them that I had full confidence in God, 
who had supported me through a thousand dangers and 
would not abandon me at the moment of reaching port. "In 
short," said I, "if God has called to himself my father and 
mother, he will have left me a brother and a sister." 
On such occasions Aly spoke highly in my favour and 
even pitied me : this day he carried his kindness so far as to 
shave my head, a compliment which I would willingly have 
dispensed with ; but, as it was a religious duty, I could not 
complain. In the very act he proved his hypocrisy by in- 
sulting me, and encouraging his slaves to follow his example. 
To escape these persecutions, I took refuge in the tents 
of the Moors, our fellow-travellers, where we passed the 
night under the palms, the coolness of whose foliage in- 
vited us to sleep. The camels and mules not having had 
water the whole day, we rested till three in the afternoon of 
the 17 th. 
