Stileiman a Prisoner.

319 tlie cost of being possibly eaten up by Avild beasts. I had much trouble in persuading him to remount. My greatest fear was that our horses would fall exhausted for want of water. As we now slowly proceeded, I noticed a place which must have been cultivated the year before. We reached it and found signs that some village must be near. All at once the cultivation ceased. The night was far advanced and there Avas no moon. I determined to halt, in the hope that some smoke or cry would show us the track of our people.

In fact, ten minutes had hardly passed when Ave heard afar off the braying of an ass. Without loss of time we turned towards the sound, and half an hour later rode into a poor village of five or six houses. There Ave Avere informed that our people Avere an hour distant, and I sent news of our arrival to reassure them. We passed the night in the best way Ave could, and early in the morning rejoined our escort. Only one Avho has been lost in a desert can have an idea of the moral suffering we endured Avhile in danger of dying of thirst, which I think must be the most horrible torture.

The day after I reached Dara, where I found my friend Messedaglio, the Governor of Darfour, and Signer Higolet, Grovernor of Dara. After a few days' sojourn there, I prepared to depart. I took three companies of regular troops, and on the 4th July set off for Kalaka to join six hundred men whom I had ordered from Shakka to meet me. The rainy season Avas far advanced, and it was Avith great difficulty that Ave reached Kalaka after four days' march. The troops from Shakka had not yet arrived, and I was obliged to send another messenger to tell them of my arrival, and to hurry them forward. At the same time I had sent men in every direction to gather news concerning the movements of the rebels. As I had noticed long since, the rebels were intending to go to Jebel Mara and join the