he be startled at
committing a crime; but then he is afraid of his two brothers, who have
a very strong attachment to you. If he promise you liberty, it is only
to amuse you. He durst not even send you away, for fear that Muley
Adaram would cause him to be arrested, and take from him all that you
have given him, perhaps even his life."

This Muley Adaram[27] was a son of the Emperor. Having heard vague
reports of the effects which I had brought with me, he supposed that I
was a very rich Christian; and, in consequence, travelled more than a
hundred leagues, in order to make a purchase of me. I was, however, very
happy that I had not fallen into the hands of a prince, so cruel as to
revolt against his own father.

[Footnote 27: The Sieur Soret, one of my secretaries, Pinjon,
surgeon of the ship, the two friends, Brissiere and John, seamen
of the same ship, were made to suffer from this barbarous prince
the most cruel treatment. Sometimes they were beaten with a baton
or club, at other times their bodies were torn with the strokes of
a poignard. Burning firebrands and red hot iron were sometimes
employed in tormenting them. It is possible to bring the Sieur
Soret from Nantz, the wounds of whose body will attest the truth
of what I have advanced.]

This conversation of the Moorish girl extinguished every ray of hope,
that I should ever regain my native country. My mind was much agitated,
and I sank into a state of depression and melancholy. Ever after that
day, I experienced continually fresh causes of distress.

I now no more met with any of my unfortunate companions in the fields. I
much regretted the loss of the Captain's company. I had been accustomed
to it, and found a kind of consolation in talking over with him our
hardships, and the hope of soon being again blest with the sight of our
own country. One afternoon, that the coolness of the air had led my
camels to stray a little farther from home than usual, I was obliged to
follow them to a neighbouring hamlet.--My God! what a horrid spectacle
there presented itself!--the unhappy Captain, whom it was scarcely
possible to recollect, except by the colour of his body, lying stretched
out on the sand. He had one of his hands in his mouth, which extreme
weakness had doubtless prevented his devouring. Hunger had so altered
his appearance, that he now presented to the eye only a horrid carcass.
All his features were wholly effaced.