I Knew It Was In Vain To
Think Of Escaping, And Therefore Turned Back And Met Them, When Two
Of Them Caught Hold Of My Bridle, One On Each Side, And The Third,
Presenting His Musket, Told Me I Must Go Back To Ali.
When the
human mind has for some time been fluctuating between hope and
despair, tortured with anxiety, and hurried from one extreme to
another, it affords a sort of gloomy relief to know the worst that
can possibly happen.
Such was my situation. An indifference about
life and all its enjoyments had completely benumbed my faculties,
and I rode back with the Moors with apparent unconcern. But a
change took place much sooner than I had any reason to expect. In
passing through some thick bushes one of the Moors ordered me to
untie my bundle and show them the contents. Having examined the
different articles, they found nothing worth taking except my cloak,
which they considered as a very valuable acquisition, and one of
them pulling it from me, wrapped it about himself, and, with one of
his companions, rode off with their prize. When I attempted to
follow them, the third, who had remained with me, struck my horse
over the head, and presenting his musket, told me I should proceed
no farther. I now perceived that these men had not been sent by any
authority to apprehend me, but had pursued me solely with a view to
rob and plunder me. Turning my horse's head, therefore, once more
towards the east, and observing the Moor follow the track of his
confederates, I congratulated myself on having escaped with my life,
though in great distress, from such a horde of barbarians.
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