nds, I seized a baton which he had armed with a lance,
and run up to strike him; but, running away, he escaped from my rage.

I at the same time observed my master advancing to my assistance; but as
I did not know his design, I cried out to him, that if he intended to
avenge his comrade, he would find me determined to resist, rather than
suffer myself to be beat any more. My determination and threatenings
made him laugh; notwithstanding, he relieved me of my uneasiness,
assuring me that I had nothing to fear. This adventure served likewise
to convince me, that by firm behaviour, I might shun much of that bad
treatment to which I would be exposed by showing any timidity; and I
experienced in the sequel that this idea was well founded. The Arabs
show their courage most when they meet with no opposition.

Meantime I observed they were making preparations which very much
alarmed me. They made red hot some stones in a great fire, then, raising
up a great stone which lay at the side of a bush, they dug a hole in the
earth, and the Arabs, repeating my name, raised great bursts of
laughter. At last they called upon me, and desired me to approach the
hole which they had digged. The man I had stuck, made several different
signs with his hand. He crossed and recrossed himself on the neck, as if
he meant to cut it, hereby signifying to me, that I would be cut there
myself. Notwithstanding my resolution to defend myself, all these
gestures displeased me not a little. But what was my surprise, when I
saw them draw up out of the the ditch, as I approached it, a goat's skin
bottle full of water, a small leather bag, which was full of barley
meal, and a goat just killed! The sight of these provisions perfectly
restored my tranquillity, though I remained ignorant to what purposes
the stones which were on the fire were to be applied. At length I saw
them fill with water a great wooden vessel, into which they turned the
barley meal, while the red hot stones thrown into the water served to
make it boil. It was thus our masters dressed a sort of broth, which
they then kneaded with their hands, and eat unchewed. As for us slaves,
we had nothing to eat but the same kind of paste. The Arabs threw it to
us upon a kind of carpet, which our patron generally spread below his
feet, when he repeated his prayers, and which he employed as a mattress
during the night. After having kneaded this leaven a long time, he gave
it to me, that I might divide it