CHAP. IV. 
DEATH OF MR. RITCHIE. 
191 
after fell asleep. I remained awake the greater part of the night, 
during which he slept soundly ; but in the morning I found he 
had crept from his bed, and was lying uncovered, and in a state of 
delirium, on the cold sand. We immediately put him to bed in his 
own room, and he appeared to rally again. 
On the 20th we got a fowl, of which we made a little soup for 
him ; and while he was taking it, a man came in, and told me a courier - 
had arrived from Tripoh with letters. I went out, but returned, to 
my sad disappointment, empty-handed, the man having no despatches 
for us. The broth which Mr. Ritchie dra^nk was the first nourish- 
ment he had taken for ten days, though we had used all our en- 
deavours to prevail on him to eat. He said he felt much revived 
by it, and turned round to go to sleep. I placed my bed at the 
entrance of his room, and remained watching him. He seemed to 
breathe with difficulty ; but as I had often observed this during 
his former maladies, I was not so much alarmed as I should other- 
wise have been. At about nine o'clock, BeHbrd, on looking at him, 
exclaimed in a loud voice, " He is dying !" I begged him to be 
more cautious, lest he should be overheard, and immediately exa- 
mined Mr. Ritchie, who appeared to me to be stiU in a sound 
sleep; I therefore lay down on my bed, and continued Hstening. 
At ten I rose again, and found him lying in an easy posture, 
and breathing more freely : five minutes, however, had scarcely 
elapsed before his respiration appeared entirely to cease ; and 
on examination I found that he had actually expired, without 
a pang or groan, in the same position in which he had fallen 
asleep. 
Belford and myself, in our weak state, looked at each other, ex- 
pecting that in a few days it might probably be our lot to follow 
our lamented companion, whose sad remains we watched during 
