Page:Monthly scrap book, for October.pdf/5

"In the month of August, a small caravan ⟨prepared⟩ to set out from Berber to Daraou. They ⟨consisted⟩ of five merchants and about thirty slaves, ⟨with⟩ a proportionate number of camels. Afraid ⟨of⟩ the roboer Naym, who at that time was in the ⟨habit⟩ of waylaying travellers about the well of (illegible text)edjeym, and who had constant intelligence of the ⟨departure⟩ of every caravan from Berber, they ⟨determined⟩ to take a more eastern road, by the well ⟨Owareyk⟩. They had hired an Ababde guide, ⟨who⟩ conducted them in safety to that place, but ⟨who⟩ lost his way from thence northward, the route ⟨being⟩ very unfrequented. After five days' march ⟨in⟩ the mountains their stock of water was exhausted, nor did they know where they were. They ⟨resolved⟩, therefore, to direct their course toward ⟨the⟩ setting sun, hoping thus to reach the Nile, ⟨after⟩ two days' thirst; fifteen slaves and one of the ⟨merchants⟩ died; another of them, an Ababde, who ⟨had⟩ ten camels with him, thinking that the camels ⟨might⟩ know better than their masters where water ⟨was⟩ to be found, desired his comrades to tie him ⟨fast⟩ upon the saddle of his strongest camel, that ⟨he⟩ might not fall down from weakness; and thus ⟨be⟩ parted from them, permitting his camels to take ⟨their⟩ own way: but neither the man nor his ⟨camel⟩ were ever heard of afterwards. On the ⟨eighth⟩ day after leaving Owareyk, the survivors ⟨came⟩ in sight of the mountains of Shigre, which ⟨they⟩ immediately recognized; but their strength was quite exhausted, and neither men nor beasts were able to move any farther. Lying down under a rock they sent two of then servants, with the