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.
I was no sooner out of sight of the Moor than I struck into the
woods to prevent being pursued, and kept pushing on with all
possible speed, until I found myself near some high rocks, which I
remembered to have seen in my former route from Queira to Deena and,
directing my course a little to the northward, I fortunately fell in
with the path.
CHAPTER XIV - JOURNEY CONTINUED; ARRIVAL AT WAWRA
It is impossible to describe the joy that arose in my mind when I
looked around and concluded that I was out of danger. I felt like
one recovered from sickness; I breathed freer; I found unusual
lightness in my limbs; even the desert looked pleasant; and I
dreaded nothing so much as falling in with some wandering parties of
Moors, who might convey me back to the land of thieves and murderers
from which I had just escaped.
I soon became sensible, however, that my situation was very
deplorable, for I had no means of procuring food nor prospect of
finding water. About ten o'clock, perceiving a herd of goats
feeding close to the road, I took a circuitous route to avoid being
seen, and continued travelling through the wilderness, directing my
course by compass nearly east-south-east, in order to reach as soon
as possible some town or village of the kingdom of Bambarra.
A little after noon, when the burning heat of the sun was reflected
with double violence from the hot sand, and the distant ridges of
the hills, seen through the ascending vapour, seemed to wave and
fluctuate like the unsettled sea, I became faint with thirst, and
climbed a tree in hopes of seeing distant smoke, or some other
appearance of a human habitation - but in vain: nothing appeared all
around but thick underwood and hillocks of white sand.
About four o'clock I came suddenly upon a large herd of goats, and
pulling my horse into a bush, I watched to observe if the keepers
were Moors or negroes. In a little time I perceived two Moorish
boys, and with some difficulty persuaded them to approach me. They
informed me that the herd belonged to Ali, and that they were going
to Deena, where the water was more plentiful, and where they
intended to stay until the rain had filled the pools in the desert.
They showed me their empty water-skins, and told me that they had
seen no water in the woods.
