ied
they were close to rivers and islands, covered with luxuriant foliage,
but still were doomed to disappointment; as all was the result of the
highly-rarefied air, and the refraction of the sun's rays on the sultry
plain. What would they have given for a bush even to afford them any
shelter from the noonday sun, for the crowns of their heads appeared as
if covered with live coal, and their minds began to wander. The poor
horses moved at the slowest pace, and only when driven on by Omrah, who
appeared to suffer much less than his masters. Every now and then he
handed to them the pipe, but at last even that had no longer any relief.
Speech had been for some hours totally lost. Gradually the sun sunk down
to the horizon, and as his scorching rays became less intense they to a
certain degree recovered their wandering senses.

At night they sat down by the side of the horses, and, worn out with
fatigue and exhaustion, fell into a troubled sleep; a sleep which, if it
relieved their worn-out frames, condemned them to the same tantalizing
feelings as had been created by the mirage during the day. They dreamed
that they were in the bowers of paradise, hearing heavenly music;
passing from crystal stream to stream, slaking their thirst at each,
and reclining on couches of verdant green. Every thing that was
delightful appeared to them in their dreams; they were in the abodes of
bliss, and thus did they remain for an hour or two, when they were
wakened up by the roar of a lion, which reminded them that they were
without food or water in the desert.

They awoke speechless with thirst, their eyes inflamed, and their whole
bodies burning like a coal, and the awful roar of the lion still
reverberated along the ground. They started on their legs, and found
Omrah close to them, holding the bridles of the horses, which were
attempting to escape. They were still confused, when they were fully
restored to their waking senses by a second roar of the lion still
nearer to them; and by the imperfect light of the stars they could now
distinguish the beast at about one hundred yards' distance. Omrah put
the bridles of their two horses in their hands, and motioned them to go
on in the direction opposite to where the lion was. They did so without
reflection, mechanically obeying the directions of the man-child, and
not perceiving that Omrah did not follow them. They had advanced about
one hundred yards with the terrified animals, when another lo