mley's narrative, 493 
was ashamed, saying, that " men who had beards 
" like him ought not to shed tears," At the in- 
treaty of Riley, he agreed to purchase and convey 
him to Sweerah (Mogadore) ; but he was not so 
far blinded by humanity, as not to drive as hard 
a bargain as possible 5 assuring our traveller, that 
if deceived as to the ransom, he would cut his 
throat. On the 24th, Riley, to his infinite satis- 
faction, saw the price paid for himself, consisting 
of two blankets, one cotton covering, and a bundle 
of ostrich feathers. From this time his sufferings 
were no longer so extreme. His skin, however, 
was severely excoriated by riding without saddle 
on the hard backs of the camels, often fifty, seven- 
ty, or even a hundred miles in the day. The sur- 
face of the desert was a dead level, like the sea 
when unruffled by the slightest breeze. Camels, 
discoverable at a vast distance, were seen travers- 
ing it in every direction. At one place, near the 
sea shore, they came to a chain of loose sand hills,, 
piled up like drifted snow ; " here was no path to 
" guide our footsteps, nor had we a compass to 
4 4 direct our course, obstructed by these dreadful 
" barriers." The trade wind, hitherto refreshing, 
now blew like a tempest, and drove the sand in 
clouds, cutting their flesh like hailstones, and of- 
ten hiding them from the view of each other. 
After passing these hills, they came again to the 
dead level of the plain. 
