112 
MR- LUCAS'S 
ing compleated the difficult paflage of the dellirt, and having 
gained the firft afcent of the mountains, they proceeded with- 
out oppofition, till at length the natives, who waited in ambufli, 
rulhed upon them, and with the bows and arrows, and lances, 
with wliich they were armed, began a furious affault: but the 
inftant that the foremoft of the foldiers had given their fire, the 
mountaineers, more alarmed at the dreadful founds which they 
heard, and at the imagined lightning which they faw, than ter- 
rified with the {laughter that was made, threw down their arms, 
and flying with great precipitation, abandoned, to the mercy of 
the vidors, their houfes and their helplefs inhabitants. The 
next morning, a deputation, from the natives, of their principal 
people arrived at the camp, with humble intreaties that their 
wives and children might be fpared, and an offer, on that con- 
dition, to fubmit to any terms which the Alcaid fliould defire to 
impofe. The Alcaid accordingly demanded, and received, as 
hoftages for their future condu6l, twenty of their principal peo- 
ple, with whom, and with all the plunder which the country 
afforded, he returned in triumph to Fezzan. There the King 
entertained them with kindnefs, and under a promife that their 
nation fliould acknowledge him as their Sovereign^ and fhould 
annually pay to him a tribute of twenty camel loads of fenna, 
made them valuable prefents; and with fbrong imprefHons on 
their 
