n the favour of the sheik's wife,
and was allowed to have the care of the child; but the little food and
drink he received for his attention to it were dearly earned.

The weight of the young negro was a serious encumbrance in a weary
journey through what seemed to be a burning plain; moreover, the
"darkey", in keeping its seat on the young Scotchman's shoulders, had
pulled a quantity of hair out of his head, besides rendering his scalp
exceedingly irritable to further treatment of a like kind.

Hungry, thirsty, weak, lame, and weary, the wretched captives struggled
on until the well was reached.

On arriving within sight of a small hill on which were growing two or
three sickly bushes, Golah pointed towards it, at the same time turning
his face to those who were following him. All understood the signal,
and seemed suddenly inspired with hope and happiness. The travellers
pressed forward with awakened energy, and after passing over the hill
came in sight of the well at its foot.

The eagerness exhibited by the slaves to quench their thirst might have
been amusing to any others than those who beheld them; but their master
seemed intent on giving them a further lesson in the virtue of patience.

He first ordered the camels to be unladen, and the tents to be pitched.
While some were doing this, he directed others to seek for fuel.

Meanwhile, he amused himself by collecting all the dishes and
drinking-vessels, and placing them contiguous to the well.

He then attached a rope to a leathern bucket, and, drawing water from
the reservoir, he carefully filled the utensils with the least possible
waste of the precious fluid his followers were so anxious to obtain.

When his arrangements were completed, he called his wives and children
around him. Then, serving out to each of them about a pint of the
water, and giving them a few seconds for swallowing it, he ordered them
off.

Each obeyed without a murmur, all apparently satisfied.

The slaves were next called up; and then there was a rush in real
earnest. The vessels were eagerly seized, and their contents greedily
swallowed. They were presented for more, refilled and again emptied.

The quantity of water swallowed by Sailor Bill and his three young
companions, and the rapacity with which it was gulped down, caused Golah
to declare that there was but one God, that Mahomet was his Prophet, and
that four of the slaves about him were Christian swine.

After all ha