firearms, having been fortunately covered up, were fit for use.
Calling to his men to follow, two only being left in the boat, Adair set
off in pursuit of the Arabs and their captives. It seemed extraordinary
that the latter should have been willing to run off when friends were at
hand eager to rescue them from captivity, but they were evidently as
eager to escape as their masters. The Arabs, seeing only a small number
of Englishmen, would probably, as soon as they had gained the shelter of
the wood, have turned round and fired, and Adair fully expected to be
attacked. Fortunately, in their hurry to escape from the dhow, they had
left their muskets behind them, and their only chance of safety was by
flight. How the slaves, when they found them unarmed and in their
power, might be inclined to treat them was a different question.

Several black forms were still seen running as fast as their legs could
carry them towards the bush, and Adair and Desmond, who kept ahead, came
up with two young men, looking more like skeletons than living beings.
As they caught them by the arm, the poor wretches sank down on the
ground, shrieking with terror. Snatchblock and the men caught three
more, but it was no easy matter to induce them to run to the beach. Not
one Arab was to be seen, and the remainder of the blacks disappeared
among the thick bushes, where it would have been next to madness for so
small a party to have followed them, not knowing what enemies might be
lurking near at hand. After some persuasion the blacks were induced to
come back to the beach, though trembling in every limb from terror and
weakness as they walked along. Here four small children were found in
the same emaciated condition as their elders, and one unhappy woman, to
whom one of the children appeared to belong; she had injured her foot in
landing, and had been unable to run away. From her cries and shrieks it
was evident that she believed some dreadful fate was about to befall
her. How many poor creatures had been lost in the surf it was
impossible to say, and, as Hamed had not accompanied them, no
information could be gained from the blacks.

Adair, indeed, had now to consider how they were to get off again. As
from the higher ground on which he stood he looked over the wide belt of
foaming breakers, it seemed almost impossible that the boat, buoyant as
she was, could be forced through them. Even Snatchblock eyed them
anxiously. "We may do it,