298 
A NIGHT-ATTACK. 
sound of the trampling of feet around my tent. I 
conjectured immediately what was up. " Another 
attack !" I repeated mechanically to myself, and 
getting up, began to dress myself. At first I 
thought our assailants were at some distance off, 
but vv'hen the boxes began to be drawn from around 
my tent I exclaimed, " Oh, oh, they are upon me, 
and are carrying off the things." Still I had become 
so accustomed to these attacks, or attempted attacks, 
by night and by day, that I felt quite indifferent, 
and began to dress myself as if nothing was the 
matter, or simply as if some one had called me up 
suddenly to breakfast, or that we were to start off 
early on our way. 
I found my clothes, however, with some diffi- 
culty, and tore them a little in putting them on. At 
last I went out. All our people were up, as well as 
the Germans. On inquiring the news, I learned 
that a band of robbers had attacked us ; from six 
to ten had been counted. My servants had all 
decamped, with the exception of Said. Some of 
them had been struck by the robbers, and others 
had been threatened, and had ran away. M}^ ser- 
vant Said, as soon as he sallied out and saw what 
was going on, seized his matchlock, and pointed it 
at the assailants, especially those who were removing 
the saharees (large square boxes). Upon this they 
began to quake, and, parleying with Said, begged 
for mercy, and said they would go immediately if 
the powder was not used against them. Said took 
