, only one."

His words were soon after proved to be true. They were carried apart
from each other, evidently with the design of being appropriated by
different owners, and the fear that they might also be separated again
came over them.

When the slaves, camels, tents, and articles that had been gathered from
the wreck were distributed amongst the eleven Arabs, each one took the
charge of his own; but there still remained Golah, his wives and their
children, to be disposed of.

No one seemed desirous of becoming the owner of the black sheik and his
wives. Even those who had said that he would make a valuable slave,
appeared unwilling to take him, although induced to do so by the taunts
of their companions.

The fact was, that they were afraid of him. He would be too difficult
to manage; and none of them wished to be the master of one who
obstinately refused both food and drink, and who so defiantly invoked
upon the heads of his captors the curse of Mahomet, and swore by the
beard of the Prophet that the moment his hands were free, he would kill
the man who should dare to own or claim him as a slave.

Golah, with all his faults, was neither cunning nor deceitful; and,
having a spirit too great to affect submission, he did not intend to
yield.

He was arrogant, cruel, avaricious and vindictive; but the wrongs he did
were always accomplished in a plain open-handed way, and never by
stratagem or treachery.

By accepting the terms the Arabs had offered him, his strength, courage,
and unconquerable will might afterwards have enabled him to obtain
revenge upon his captors, and regain a portion of his property; but it
was not in his nature to sham submission, even for the sake of gaining a
future advantage.

As not one of the Arabs was willing to accept of him at the value at
which he had been appraised, or to allow another to have him for less,
it was finally decided that he should be retained as the common property
of all, until he could be sold to some other tribe, when a distribution
might be made of the proceeds of the sale. His wives and children were
to be disposed of in like manner.

This arrangement was satisfactory to all but Golah himself, who
expressed himself greatly displeased with it. Nevertheless, he seemed a
little disposed to yield to circumstances; for, soon after the decision
of his captors was made known to him, he called to Fatima, and commanded
her to bring him a bowl of water.

The fa