chiefs now appeared on the field, and were
received with loud acclamations. "Allah, Allah! God is great, and
Mohammed is his Prophet!" shouted the crowd surrounding us, while their
countenances exhibited their hostile feelings.

Terrible was the doom preparing for us; whatever might have been the
wishes of Sheikh Hamed and the black chief, the voices of the marabouts
and the people prevailed. We were doomed to a fate scarcely less
terrible than that of Tantalus. We were condemned to be buried alive,
with our heads above the sand,--water and food being placed just beyond
our reach, so that we might see the means of saving life and yet be
unable to profit thereby. Certainly, I think, the vivid imaginations of
the old heathens could not have invented a more horrible punishment.

Again the marabouts came to us, and asked whether we would become
faithful followers of the Prophet; promising to receive us as brothers,
and to raise us to rank and honour in their tribe, if we would do so,
and pointing out the dreadful fate which would be ours if we refused.
But we all remained firm, declaring that we could not embrace a religion
in which we did not believe.

Selim, influenced by our example, shouted out,--"I once professed to be
a follower of your false prophet, and I am sorry for it. I don't
believe in him, or the Koran, or in the wrong and foolish things it
teaches. You may kill me, along with these white men; I would rather
die with them than live with such wretches as you are." The marabouts,
as he spoke, rushed forward and struck him, and tried to drown his words
by their shouts and execrations. Boxall, Halliday, and I, seeing no
advantage in irritating the fanatical feelings of our captors, had said
nothing, except that we would not turn Mohammedans; but Ben shouted out,
in the best Arabic he could command,--"I believe in one God; but I know
very well that Mohammed was not one of His prophets; and only blind,
ignorant fools such as you are would believe in him or the stupid book
he wrote. You may bury me, or do what you like; but as long as I have
got a tongue above ground to wag, I will not knock off speaking the
truth.--I say, Mr Blore, I don't think they quite make out what I mean.
You just tell them, please; and give them a bit of your own mind too."

Fortunately for Ben, only the first words of his speech were
comprehended, and many of the people fancied that he was ready to turn
Mohammedan; so that, ins