ght in which his liberation was to be attempted was fixed on;
ropes were ready to enable the prisoner to escape over the
prison-wall. In the mean time the next of kin of the man who had
been murdered, sought the blood of the prisoner, and was persuaded
by the man that had engaged to liberate the prisoner, that the
latter was not in prison, that he had made his escape, but that the
former would undertake to put him in his power, so as to enable him
to accomplish his revenge. This was agreed to, and accordingly a
sum of money was paid as a remuneration for the service. All
matters were arranged, and the person who paid the money was
desired to be on the rock, near the prison, outside of the town
wall, at two o'clock in the morning, and there he would find his
enemy. The person who made the first engagement was directed to be
at the same spot at three o'clock. In the mean time the liberation
was effected at two o'clock, and the prisoner was informed that his
friend would meet him under the rock at three o'clock, to conduct
him to a place secure from discovery. Soon after two o'clock, the
next of kin to the person whom the prisoner had killed came and
295 plunged a dagger into his heart; afterwards came the other man, and
saw the body of his friend, whom he recognized. On expostulating
with the liberator, the latter replied, "I have executed my
engagement to liberate your friend; I am entitled to my reward:
what has happened to him since his liberation is no concern of
mine; see you to that. But I should inform you, that soon after his
liberation, I saw a man approach, and fearing that I was
discovered, I ran and hid myself under a rock. In a short time I
returned and found your friend weltering in his blood. When I
approached him, he had just time before he expired to name to me
his murderer, who, he said, was the next of kin to the man he had
himself killed."--Note, The Shelluhs consider it a duty incumbent
on them, each, individually to revenge the blood of their family;
that they are bound to seek the murderer, if possibly he can be
found. Such is their invariable attention to this principle of
revenging blood for blood, that I have known instances of men who
have relinquished eligible appointments, to go into distant
countries, several years after a mur