Page:Monthly scrap book, for October.pdf/6

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6
THE MONTHLY

two strongest remaining camels, in search of water. Before these two men could reach the mountain, one of them dropped off his camel deprived of speech, and able only to move his hands to his comrade as a signal that he desired to be left to his fate, The survivor then continued his route but such was the effect of thirst upon him that his eyes grew dim, and he lost the road, though he had often travelled over it before, and had been perfectly acquainted with it. Having wandered about for a long time, he alighted under the shade of a tree, and tied the camel to one of its branches; the beast, however, smelt the water (as the Arabs express it), and, wearied as it was, broke its halter, and set off galloping furiously in the direction of the spring, which, as it afterwards appeared, was at half an hour's distance. The , well understanding the camel's action, endeavoured to follow its footsteps, but could only move a few yards; he fell exhausted on the ground, and was about to breathe his last, when Providence led that way, from a neighbouring encampment, a Bisharye Bedouin, who, by throwing water upon the man's face, restored him to his senses They then went hastily together to the water, filled the skins, and returning to the caravan, had the good fortune to find the sufferers still alive. The Bisharye received a slave for his trouble. My informer, a native of Yembo, in Arabia, was the man whose camel discovered the spring; and he added the remarkable circumstance, that the youngest slaves bore the thirst better than the rest, and that, while the grown up boys all died, the children reached Egypt in safety."