h we endeavoured to forget. It
seemed wonderful that the poor lady should have survived the hardships
she had already endured. They were all reduced to the last stage of
starvation, with the exception of the black boy Pedro, or Selim,--as
will call him in future,--who, accustomed as he was to coarse food, had
flourished on the shell-fish, and the roots of some low bushes which
grew in the neighbourhood.

Notwithstanding the treatment we had received from some of the unhappy
people on board their ship, and though we had been intentionally
abandoned, we felt bound to do our utmost to assist them. The camp
having been pitched in the neighbourhood, the sheikh ordered them to
pack up their tent and move to it. This they were utterly unable to do;
but, after much entreaty, we obtained a camel, on which we placed the
canvas, arranging it so as to form a seat for the poor lady--her husband
mounting to assist in holding her on. As we placed her on it, I doubted
whether she would reach the camp alive. The others were compelled to
walk, and though somewhat strengthened by the food we had obtained for
them, they could with difficulty drag their feet over the sand. On
reaching the camp, we divided the canvas so as to form a small tent for
the dying lady, and put up another for the rest of the party, who
faintly expressed their gratitude to us.

We did not escape having to perform our allotted duties, for all that.
The next morning, at daybreak, we were sent down with a couple of
baskets to bring up shell-fish from the shore. On our return we found a
party of strange Arabs in the camp, engaged in a discussion with the
sheikh; and on drawing near I discovered that they were bargaining for
the purchase of the unfortunate people who had just fallen into his
power, and who, from their weakness, he did not wish to carry along with
him.

They took the information I conveyed to them almost with indifference.
"It matters little indeed into whose hands we fall," observed Don
Fernando, the chief man among them; "but I beg you to say that if they
will convey us to the neighbourhood of any place where a European consul
resides, they will obtain a large sum for our ransom."

I told the strange sheikh this, and it made him ready to give a better
price than he might otherwise have done, much to the satisfaction of
Hamed.

On going to the tent of Don Fernando I found him stretched over the body
of his wife, who had just breathed her la