to ask his blessing on the undertaking; and now he was
sent out into the world with the weight of his father's curse on his
head. But if before sorrow had bent him to the ground, this blow, so
undeservedly given, steeled his soul.

He went to the imprisoned pirate, to ask him where his ship was bound,
and learned that she was employed in the slave trade, and usually made
Balsora her market.

When he returned home to prepare for his journey, his father's wrath
seemed to have cooled somewhat, as he sent him a purse of gold for his
support on the journey. Mustapha then took leave of the parents of
Zoraide--his secretly betrothed bride, and started on his way to
Balsora.

As there was no ship from our small town bound directly for Balsora, my
brother made the journey by land; and in order that he might not arrive
too long after the pirates had reached there, he was forced to make
very long day's journeys. Still, as he had a fine horse, and no
luggage, he counted on reaching Balsora at the close of the sixth day.
But on the evening of the fourth day, as he was riding along quite
alone, he was suddenly attacked by three robbers. Observing that they
were powerful men and well armed, and believing that their purpose was
to take his money and horse, rather than his life, he called out that
he would surrender. Thereupon they dismounted from their horses, and
bound his feet together under his horse's belly. One of the men then
seized the bridle of Mustapha's steed, and, with my brother in their
midst, they galloped off in great haste without having once spoken a
word. Mustapha resigned himself to a gloomy despondency. His father's
curse seemed in process of fulfillment; and how could he hope to rescue
his sister and Zoraide, when, stripped of all he possessed, he could
employ only a miserable life towards securing their freedom?

Mustapha and his silent escort had ridden on for about an hour, when
they turned into a side valley, which was shut in by high trees. A
soft, dark-green sod, and a brook rushing swiftly through the middle of
the valley, invited them to rest. Scattered over the green were from
fifteen to twenty tents. Camels and fine horses were tied to the tent
stakes, while from one of the tents sounded the pleasing melody of a
guitar, accompanied by two fine male voices.

To my brother it seemed that people who had displayed such good taste
in the selection of their camping ground could entertain no sinister
desi