TRAVELS IN THE SAHARA. 
Arabs, who quickly advanced to meet them with 
frightful shrieks and gesticulations. Terror seized 
the companions of M. de Brisson as the Arabs ad- 
vanced ; and the polished steel of their weapons 
reflected the sun-beams ; they dispersed themselves 
in confusion ; and were quickly overpowered, strip- 
ped, and plundered. Brisson and eleven others 
surrendered themselves to the Talbe, or priest, who 
was unarmed, and were conducted to a wretched 
hut, covered with moss, at the distance of a league 
from the shore. Here, during the absence of Sidi 
Mahomet, the priest, who was of the tribe of Lab- 
desseba, they were attacked and maltreated by a 
party of the Ouadelims, and, during the bustle 
which ensued, Brisson had almost lost his life. 
Instead of compassionating his forlorn situation, the 
women threw sand into his eyes, as they said, to dry 
his eye-lids. The Arabs, into whose hands he had 
fallen, had only come down to the sea-coast to 
gather wild grain, three days before the shipwreck; 
and, to preserve their booty, they immediately 
retreated to the interior of the desert. A guide 
preceded the horde, to place at intervals small py- 
ramids of stone, to direct their course, at a distance 
from every hostile tribe. After passing some very 
high mountains, wholly covered with small greyish 
pebbles, as sharp as flints, they descended into a 
sandy plain overspread with thorns and thistles. 
When Brisson was unable to walk, on account of 
vol. i. s 
