NASSUK. 
161 
he was then about to set them at liberty. When he 
had done speaking, the western door, — that by which 
the captives had entered, — rolled back upon its mas- 
sive hinges, and they beheld the narrow meidan 
round about the foot of the hill thronged with 
cavalry leisurely passing to and fro ; while, here and 
there, through openings in the forest, were seen num- 
bers of single horsemen dispersed about in all direc- 
tions ; so that it was impossible to form any concep- 
tion of their real strength. In obedience to Yakoob 
Lais’ s command, Dherin-ben-Nassuk’s troops formed 
three deep, and marched out of their prison with 
their sabres drawn. They had much ado, however, 
to keep their order, owing to the narrowness of the 
road ; and the less expert, as well as those with in- 
tractable horses, were fain to ride two deep. They 
were, however, warmly cheered and greeted on all 
sides by the banditti, to whom they replied with an 
honest assurance of friendship ; and when they had 
all marched out upon the plain, Yakoob formed 
them in line, facing the hill, and requested that they 
would see his troops pass in review, in order that 
they might carry a true report to Dherm-ben-Nassuk, 
concerning their training and appointment. Pre- 
sently a body of Yakoob Lais’s most magnificently 
caparisoned horsemen, in column four deep, were 
seen galloping up the winding road leading to the 
eastern entrance of the great cavern ; and in a few 
seconds they came dashing headlong, at an equal 
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