ng a journey." I fully perceived the justice of his
reasoning, and resolved therefore to have recourse to patience.

The heat was so excessive, that the flocks, half-starved, could find no
pasture, and the sheep and goats returned in the evening with their dugs
almost empty; and yet it was their milk and that of the camels which was
to supply food for a numerous family. One may judge from this, how much
our portion was diminished. As we were Christians, even the dogs fared
better; and it was in basins destined for their use that we received our
allowance!

One day the keeper of the camels complained grievously that he was
ashamed to serve a master who was so weak as not to keep his slaves to
their duty. His wife did not fail to support this complaint in such a
manner, that her husband, long accustomed to be her dupe, persuaded me,
that, to prevent murmuring, he would appoint Baudre to that charge, as
he was the youngest. Soon after I was obliged to take an equal share of
the sheep and goats. The Sieur Devoise, on account of his age and bad
health, was exempted from every sort of servitude, but his situation did
not free him from cause of complaint, as he was constantly exposed to
the savage treatment of the cruel Arabs. I happily escaped this by my
new employment.

One day, as I was returning with my flock, one of my sheep brought forth
a young one upon the side of a hill. I took it in my arms, and proceeded
to carry it, with equal haste and care, to my master's favourite. I
presented it to her when I reached home, supposing that she would
receive it with the same pleasure which she had lately shown on a
similar occasion. I asked her at the same time, if she would give me the
first milk of the mother, as it was customary to give it to those who
had the charge of the flocks. By way of reply, she threw a great knife
at my legs, and drove me from the tent with disdain, and loading me with
abuse. Her husband, who had been witness of her brutality, came to me
with an assurance, that, by way of recompense, he should appoint me a
very large share of the milk. I had uniformly given credit to his
promises, but how much was I astonished, when, in passing by the back of
the tent, I heard that rogue joining his wife in her laugh at the stroke
which she had given me. I was provoked; but my anger was not a little
increased in the evening, when I began to seek the milk which had been
promised to me, my mistress came to me in a rage,