scorning or fearing women; but he desired
to see this slave so lauded, and having seen
her and admired her, paid the price demanded
for her and she became the partner of his
bosom.

Like a true Oriental, Mustafa refrained
from entering into many particulars of his
domestic happiness; but he said enough in
general terms to make me feel a great interest
in Sagara. She followed him in all his expeditions
into the interior; and their mutual
attachment increased with knowledge. Next
year, likewise, she accompanied him to Egypt,
in obedience to the decrees of destiny; for it
was necessary that what was written should
come to pass.

They left the port of Alexandria on their
return voyage in a small vessel, with a crew
of five men, bound direct for Derna. A light
wind carried them in two days as far as the
point of Akabah, about halfway to their
destination; but a tremendous tempest suddenly
fell upon them, and as they were upon a lee
shore, they knew at once that their danger
was great. After manoeuvring for a few
hours, they saw the steep white cliffs of the
African coast looming through the heavy
atmosphere, and endeavoured to save
themselves by casting anchor; but the cables
snapped, and they were driven on shore,
luckily in a shallow bay and upon sand. For
some time it was impossible to land on
account of the violence of the waves, which
rose over the ship and threatened every
moment to break her ropes; but at length
they succeeded in getting ashore, without
being able to take with them anything the
ship contained, even provisions. However, it
was their hope that the vessel would not go
to pieces, and that, when the tempest abated,
they could at least save some money and a
little food, with which they could set out on
foot for Derna.

Whilst they sat wet and miserable on the
beach, they suddenly saw some forms moving
along on the other side of the bay; and they
remembered that the Bedawins of these parts
are celebrated for their violence and brutality
to strangers, especially such as are wrecked.
But there was no escape, and the little party
waited patiently, therefore, for what was to
come to pass. The Bedawins had perceived
the wreck and were coming round for the
purposes of plunder. When, however, they
saw a group of men awaiting their approach
they halted, and seemed to be calculating
their strength and the probabilities of resistance.
At length, a single individual of their
party detached himself and came forward with
demonstrations of peaceful intentions; but he
had no sooner discovered that the strangers
were without arms, than he shouted to his
companions to advance. In a few minutes,
a band of half-a-dozen truculent-looking
Bedawins, armed to the teeth, rushed up and
proceeded at once to appropriate the persons
of the shipwrecked men, whilst waiting until
the sea allowed them to appropriate their
property.

Hagg Mustafa fell to the lot of an individual
who appeared to be the chief, and who likewise
laid claim to Sagara. The Bedawins
would not listen to any expostulations, but
ordered their prisoners to station themselves
at certain distances apart from one another,
and to remember the names of their masters.
Mustafa and Sagara, placed together, were
impressed, by means of awful menaces, with
the necessity of saying in answer to all
questions:

"I belong to Yunus."

The object of this precaution now became
apparent; for other Bedawins came flocking
from all sides, so that above two hundred,
including women and children, were collected
within a few hours. They all seemed to
respect the right of property based on original
occupation; and did not attempt to dispute
with the first comers for the possession of the
prisoners— waiting with patience until they
could go aboard the ship and plunder it.

It is customary for the Bedawins of this
coast to exact a reward, which may be called
a ransom, for conducting persons under the
circumstances of our travellers to a civilised
country; and Mustafa was not very uneasy
about the result of this adventure. He was
known to many members of the various
Ordanes or tribes along the coast, having
performed the journey by land, and expected to
be let off for a small sum. Unfortunately,
Yunus had beheld and admired the slave-girl
Sagara, and had resolved to possess her.
When the plunder of the vessel was completed,
he took Mustafa aside, and said, " O
friend! thou knowest the custom, that
strangers who fall into our hands must liberate
themselves with money. Now, I will
deal handsomely by thee. Take my part
of the merchandise from the wreck, and proceed
on thy way in peace. I will give thee
two young men as an escort. But leave unto
me Sagara, to be an ornament of my tent."
Mustafa replied that he would rather give all
that he possessed, than part with his beloved
slave; and begged Yunus to name any ransom
that he desired. But the Bedawin was
obdurate; and finding he could not prevail
by persuasion, smote the unfortunate
merchant upon the face, and separated him from
Sagara, and ordered her to be taken to his
tent.

Mustafa was led towards evening to the
encampment over the hills, and saw no more
of his companions, who were kept prisoners
some time, and then sent back to Egypt
without ransom, for they were too poor to
pay any. Yunus took possession, as I have
said, of Sagara, and sought to render himself
agreeable to her; but she answered his advances
by tears, and could not find a smile
for the man who had torn her from her
master whom she loved. But Mustafa was
treated with every kind of severity and