Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1860-09-21


was then commanded TO kneel down---a
command which promptly declined to
obey, thinking that my last moments were
come. | told them that if my life was to
be forfeited they must take it as | stood.
! For moment no one stirred, and | was
in hopes that | had gone safely through,
another test, when the Nagib again sig
nalcd, and the four slaves, once more seiz-
ing upon me, placed mic forcibly in a
knecling posture, in which they held me
with iron grasps, in spite of my efforts to
rise. Then the Nagib, taking the cutlass
off the cushion, unsheathcd it, aud handed
it to a parsonage who appeared to be tho
state executioner who whrled it several
times around my head, the broad blade
flashing as it whizzcd close by. Selling
me by the hair with his left hand, the
hcadsman then bent my head over on one
side, and applied the clge of the sword
| to my neck.
1t fell cold. Under no circumstances
whatever, not even in sport, is the contact
of cold iron agreeable to the cuticle.
Having thus, as it were, marked the
spot whore the blow was to fall, the heads
man raised lis right arm to its full extent
and was about to strike, when voices were
heard i'll the ante-chambcr, and, at sign
from the Nagib, he dropped his arm and
held the sword with its point downward.
\ guard entered, announcing that per-
son wished to communicate with the coun-
ell. This person, who was no other than
Hanna, the man who threatened me with
his scimitar because | did not quell the
tempest, now entered, crying out to the
assembly that he came to demand my
death.
Rise, 1Iadji," said the Nagib, address
sing me, "and say whether this man is
known to YOU"
On my replying in the affirmative he
ordered my accuscr to divcst himself of
his Weapons and speak.
This Hadji," said Hanna, when he
had given up his weapons to one of the
slaves, q is an emissary of the devil,
magician, caster of the evil eye. On
the march from Saiia to March, he ascend
ed Massr el-Chetan, from which he re.
turned i'll safety; and as he is the only
man who has ever done so, | hereby i'm
peach him of compact with the evil spirit,
and of having caused the death Of many
of our company by delivering them over
to scrpents."
Already" replied the Nagib, "has
the Iladji been condemned to forfeit his
life, 1t matters not, then, whether your
ACQUISITION be trdc OF false, for die he
must"
Grant me one favor, thcn," rejoined
Hanna. & have made vow to kill
this man with my own hand, if the thing
is possible. Bet me relecm this vow by
executing the sc It3n;c you have passed
upon him."
u To aid those who have vowed is sa-
cred duty said the Nagib "by your
hand, then, let this man die
Again the four slaves made gestures to
me to fall on my knees, an order which
now obcycd, seeing that resistance was
useless. The sword was passed from the
hands of the headsman to those of my
second exeeutioner who grasped it with
hands, and was about to bring it downup-
on me with all his might, when the Nagib
stopped him, saying
g 1oH strike Oh one condition only
that YOU lose your own head if you fail
to take off that OF the victim at single
blow
"Srpposo Kill him at the first blow
with another weapon than this, said Ham.
IN, his Arab eyes cleaning with cunning
light ':what thea -
You can choose your weapons," re-
Piled the Nagb.
"t;iyc me my pistols Them
" Not So, SAID the Nagib the sentence
MUST be executed with an edged weapon"
That condition was not made in grant
ing my demand, rctorted the fanatic.--
:" | have already accepted your terms, aud
it is unjust to IMPOSE new ones upon me-"
i" There is truth in the words of this
man." said Nagib. "Give him his pistols"
IIamza seized the weapons with trcm-
bling haste. tried them with the ramrol
10 see that the charges had not been
drawn, and pointing them close to my bo-
ly with both hands, fired. Il did not fall
nor did | feel amy sensation of pain ex-
ce e.eting a sharp twin.e at my left side;
my f0uta was ON fire there. but it was i'm
mediately removed hy order Of the Nagb,
and my wound, which proved to be moth
ing more than Il slight eXcoriation caused
by the blaze of the pistol, carefully exam
ined 1t was evident that the pistols had
not been loaded with ball,
There" exclaimed iIamza--" told
YOU that this man was sorccrcr, an en-
iSSarv Of he'll -
= lie is neither the one nor the other"
said the Nagb--'' 1t is the will of .\llal,
that he should live; and as for you, know
that your life is nov in his hands"
g" am ready" said the wrctched fanat-
ic, whose fury against me was now chang
ed into terror, as he fell on his knees be-
fore me, rccting the Besm-Allah; but [
desired him to rise, saying that | wished
him no harm.
The spectators now congratulated me
upon my uragc and cooness, but not Il
word was said about my clcmcncy. For
it is peculiarty of the Arabs to regard
clemency as II weakness, and cruelty as
energy; they respect no man so much rs
Il Il. l.