Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-11-05
MISC ELL A n Y.
LIFE IN THE DESERT:
OR. HOW A PANTHER FELL IN LOVE WITH
FRENCH SOLDIER,

During the enterprising expedition into
upper Egypt, by General Dessaix. provin-
cial soldier fell into the power OF tribe OF
Arabs, called Maugrabins, and was thence
carried into the desert, beyond the cataract
of the Nile. In order to place safe dis
tance between themselves and the French
army, the Maugrahins made forced march,
and did not stop till night closed in. They
encamped around fountain surrounded by
palm trees. Not suppo>ing their prisoner
would attempt to escape, they oontented
themselves with merely binding his hands ;
and after having fed their horses, and made
their supper upon dates, they all Of them
slept Soundly. As soon as the French PrlS-
oner was convinced Of is fact, he began
to gnaw the cords that bound him, and soon
he regained the liberty of his hands. He
seized carbne, and took the precaution to
provide himself with some dry dates and a
little bag of grain, armed with Scimetar,
started off in the direction Of the French
army.
In his eagerness to arrive at place OF
safety, he urged that already weary horse
until the generous animal fell down dead,
and left his rider alone in the midst OF the
desert. For q long time the FrenchEan
walked on with the perseverance ola runaway
slave, but was at last obliged to stop. The
day was finished; Notwithstanding the beau
tv and freshness Of oriental nights, he did
not feel strength enough to pursue his jour
ncy. Having reached little cluster of
palms, which had gladdened his heart at a
distance. he laid his head upon stone and
slept, without taking any precaution for his
defence.
He was awakened by the pitiless rays OF
the sun which fell upon HIM with intolera-
BILE fervor; for in his WEAKNESS he had re-
posed on the side oppo-ite to the morning
shadows of the majestic palms. The pros
pect around him filled him with despair
In every direction nothing met his eye but
a wide ocean of sand, sparkling and dane
ing like dagger in the sunshine. The
pure briliancv of the sky left the imagi gina-
ton nothing to desire Not cloud obscur-
ed its splendor, not a zephyr moved The SUI
face of the desert The earth and the heav-
ems seemed on fire. There was mild and
awful majesty in the universal stiffness !
God, in all his infnity seemed present to
the soul
The desoate waudercr thought of the
fountains and roses of his own native prov
inces, aud wept aloud He claSped the
palm, as if it had been living friend. He
shouted to relieve the forgetfulncss of utter
solitude The wide wilderness sent back a
sharp sound fom the distance but no echo
was awakened. The echo was in his head
With melancholy steps he walked around
the emincnee on which the palm trees grew.
To his great joy, he discovered on the op-
poSitc side sort of natural grotto, formed
by plies Of granite. Hope was awakened
in his breast. The palm woods furnished
him with dates for food, o..a human beings
might come that wav before they were eX-
hausled. Perhaps another party Of Maugra-
bins, whose wandering life began to have
some charms for his imagiuation-or he
might hear the noise of approaching cannon
for Napoleon Bonaparte was then passing
over Egypt. The Frcnchnan experienced
a sudden transition from the deepest Gcs-
pair to The widest joy. lie occupied him
s-lf during the day with cutting down some
palm trees to defend the mouth Of the grotto
against wild beasts, which would come in
the night time to drink at the rivuIet flow
ing at the foot the palms. Notwithstand-
ing the eagrrness produced by lear OF belng
devoured in his sleep he could not finish
his fertilization during the day. Towards
evening the mighty tree he was cutting fell
to the ground with crash that resounded
through the desert, as if solitude had utter
ed deep groan.
But like al heir, who soon ceases to mourn
over rich parent, he Immediately began to
strip off the broad and beautiful leaves to