CHAPTER XL 
riley's narrative. 
Shiptorech, — Cajptivity. — Deliverance. — Sidi Ishem, — Narrative 
of Sidi Hamef, — Adventures in the Desert, — Tombuctoo, — - 
Wassanah, 
James Riley, master and supercargo of the 
brig Commerce of Hartford, sailed from New 
Orleans on the ^4th June 1815, and arrived at 
Gibraltar on the 9th of August. From that 
place he set sail on the ^3d for the Cape de Verd 
islands. In passing the Canaries the sea began 
to run high, and the weather became so dark and 
foggy, that they could not discern their track. 
On the 28th, near Cape Bojador as it afterwards 
proved, the vessel struck ; it soon began to fill 
with water, and seemed every moment in danger 
of going to pieces. The crew, therefore, put out 
the long-boat, and having placed on board of it 
the most valuable articles, reached with difficulty 
the shore. They were soon joined by an Arab 
family, consisting of a man, two wives, and five 
or six children. The man resembled an oran- 
outang rather than a human being j and the 
