them for me. I will give you your liberty, I will give you all
I possess in the world, for that small flask of water," he exclaimed.
"You will not require it, for beneath yonder trees, in the distance, you
will find a fountain where you may drink your fill. Have mercy,
stranger, have mercy!"

It was difficult to withstand the poor wretch's earnest appeal. I
poured out a little more water, which he drank off at once. I then gave
him a small lump of cocoa; and scraping up a heap of sand, I placed him
leaning against it, so that he might feel any breath of air which might
blow; promising faithfully to return to bring him to the oasis, if we
were fortunate enough to reach it in safety.

"But the voracious condors and the lions will come and destroy me, if I
remain here during the night alone," he shrieked out. "O take me with
you, generous Englishman, take me with you!"

To do this was utterly impossible. My horse could scarcely carry me,
much less another person in addition.

"Come, David," said my father; "you have done your utmost for this
miserable man. We risk our own lives by further delay."

In spite, therefore, of the entreaties of the Spaniard, I again mounted
my horse. It just then occurred to me that if he had his pistols, he
might defend himself against any wild beasts. On my offering to load
them for him, he told me that he had thrown them away. So I gave him
one of my own, with a little ammunition, that he might reload it, if
required. He seized the weapon eagerly as I presented it.

"Then you will not stay to help me, or carry me with you!" he exclaimed
fiercely as I rode off. "You will not!--then take that;" and levelling
at me the pistol which I had just given, he fired. The ball just grazed
my side, but did no further mischief.

"The poor wretch is delirious with fear," observed my father, when he
found that I was uninjured. "Let us ride on."

On we rode, but though we made some progress, the oasis was still in
appearance as far off as when first seen. The sun was sinking rapidly--
it reached the horizon--it disappeared; the short twilight changed into
the obscurity of night; and the beacon by which we had hitherto directed
our course was no longer to be seen. The stars, however, shone brightly
forth; and I had marked one which appeared just above the clump of
trees. By that we now steered, though, I had too soon strong proof, the
instinct of our horses would have led them towards