as brought to me to mount. Accompanying the chief, I rode
on to the head of the caravan. As he passed along the line he issued
his orders in a tone which showed that he was accustomed to be obeyed,
and this increased my confidence that he would be enabled to assist me
effectually. There were nearly three hundred people, I calculated,
altogether; quite a little army. Some of the younger men and boys were
on foot, lightly clad, with sticks in their hands to drive the horses
and cattle; others were on horseback, while some of the very old men and
women and children were carried in the waggons, which were driven by
some of the men on foot. The story of my having preserved little Azeota
from the wolves had already got about, and as I rode by, I was saluted
with expressions of gratitude, which were very satisfactory. I felt
indeed thankful that I had again fallen among friends so well able to
help me. At the time to which I allude, I had remained many days in the
camp. I had conversed much with the gipsies on religious subjects, and,
alas! Had found their minds totally ignorant of the truth. Though
living in a land at least called Christian, they knew nothing of that
pure faith; they were almost destitute of any hope, any fear; this life
was all they thought of. The future, eternity, was totally beyond their
comprehension. They put their hands before their eyes as if to shut it
out when I spoke of it. Gradually I unfolded to them holy things; I
spoke to them of the Bible and its wonderful history, and by degrees
they listened and were interested. Finally, I believe that I made much
impression on the minds of many of them. Then I was once more obliged
to fly for my liberty. Still I often visited the Zingari whenever I had
an opportunity, and never was otherwise than kindly received by them.
But to return to my late adventure with them.

"We had ridden some versts, and the gipsy chief had long been silent,
when he turned to me, and said:--

"`I have thought of a plan by which you may not only see your Aneouta,
but you may, if she will consent, carry her away from those who keep her
from you. You shall disguise yourself as a gipsy, and, accompanied by
one of the young women of the tribe, you will easily gain access to her,
under the pretence of telling fortunes. If you can persuade her to fly
from her persecutors, we will protect her. No one will suspect that you
have gone to the house for any other purpose th