s abortive attempts
to reply induced the kind physician to desist from his premature
endeavours at consolation. He left his new domestic, or guest, in
quiet, to indulge his sorrows, and having commanded all the necessary
preparations for their departure on the morning, sat down upon the
carpet of the tent, and indulged himself in a moderate repast. After he
had thus refreshed himself, similar viands were offered to the Scottish
knight; but though the slaves let him understand that the next day would
be far advanced ere they would halt for the purpose of refreshment, Sir
Kenneth could not overcome the disgust which he felt against swallowing
any nourishment, and could be prevailed upon to taste nothing, saving a
draught of cold water.

He was awake long after his Arab host had performed his usual devotions
and betaken himself to his repose; nor had sleep visited him at the
hour of midnight, when a movement took place among the domestics, which,
though attended with no speech, and very little noise, made him aware
they were loading the camels and preparing for departure. In the course
of these preparations, the last person who was disturbed, excepting the
physician himself, was the knight of Scotland, whom, about three in the
morning, a sort of major-domo, or master of the household, acquainted
that he must arise. He did so, without further answer, and followed him
into the moonlight, where stood the camels, most of which were already
loaded, and one only remained kneeling until its burden should be
completed.

A little apart from the camels stood a number of horses ready bridled
and saddled, and the Hakim himself, coming forth, mounted on one of them
with as much agility as the grave decorum of his character permitted,
and directed another, which he pointed out, to be led towards Sir
Kenneth. An English officer was in attendance, to escort them through
the camp of the Crusaders, and to ensure their leaving it in safety; and
all was ready for their departure. The pavilion which they had left was,
in the meanwhile, struck with singular dispatch, and the tent-poles and
coverings composed the burden of the last camel--when the physician,
pronouncing solemnly the verse of the Koran, "God be our guide, and
Mohammed our protector, in the desert as in the watered field," the
whole cavalcade was instantly in motion.

In traversing the camp, they were challenged by the various sentinels
who maintained guard there, and suffered