232 Account ^'Alexander Scott’s Captivity 
they found and attacked in fourteen days, but were resisted. 
In this action Scott was placed near his master, who threatened 
to kill him if he did not fire his piece, (liaving on a former occa- 
sion omitted to do so.) The head man of the enemy came to- 
wards Scott’s master, who drew a pistol and shot him. Another, 
in the mean time, advanced on Scott, who was ordered by his 
master to fire, which he did, and the man fell from his horse. 
The rest of the party were soon beaten and dispersed. It was 
on this occasion given out that Scott had killed the chief of the 
enemy, which was not true ; however, he was considered worthy 
of a particular name, as having slain an enemy in battle ; and, 
instead of calling him Christian or Alewk^ (their mode of pro- 
nouncing the abbreviation of his name, which he had told them,) 
he was afterwards styled Mahommed the Christian.’''' 
On another occasion, three Arabs were sent with Scott on 
a plundering expedition. On arriving at the enemy’s tents, 
they waited till about day-break, meaning to steal what they 
wanted ; but on approaching, a dog barked, and they fled, but 
were pursued and taken prisoners by some of that tribe, who 
carried them to their tents, deprived them of their arms, and 
detained them three days, threatening to murder Scott. In the 
middle of the third night, one of Scott’s companions looked out 
of the tent where they were confined, and perceived the guards 
asleep. Accordingly, they endeavoured to make their escape ; 
and leaving the tent, saw five men with guns, all fast asleep : 
they took the arms and slew the men ; seized twenty-seven ca- 
mels, and made off, but were pursued and overtaken, when one 
of Scott’s companions was killed, another wounded, and he with 
the other escaped with difficulty. After wa^idering five days 
without any provision but what herbs they could find, on the 
sixth they reached their own tents. . 
Soon after this last adventure, Scott having, while watering 
the sheep at the wells by the sea-shore, seen a brig at sea, con- 
ceived the idea of making his escape, and ran away ; he took 
shelter for the night in a cove among the rocks, which, from 
some foot marks at the entrance, he supposed might be the den 
of some wild beast He was, however, traced by the prints 
* It is probable that the dread of being overtaken by the Arabs overcame 
every other fear ; but Scott attributes his resolution, in part at least to a belief 
