The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-01-08


condition to do much or go far. man.
aged, however, to work my wav up to
the top of the high, steep cliff that faced
the sea, hoping and praying that some
cheering prospect would there meet my
view; but when at length my feveri>h
eyes looked off upon mighty desert Of
sand, as far as my sight could reach in
any direction, my very heart seemed to
die within me, and, falling prone on the
wet earth, | gave myself up for lost
And here it was, in that forlorn
condition, strange as it may seem, fell
into sweet sleep, and dreamed | was
once more rowing over the beautiful hills
and wales, and along the green I'd shady
banks Of the murmuring streams of my
native laud. | awoke, with the sun
, curing hotly down upon me, poor,
miserable, starving aast away, upon the
great Sandy desert Of Sahara. but |
awoke with new life, new strength, and
new hope. That sweet dream, l some
how felt, had not come by chance alone,
bat had rather been sent from On High,
% an omen of good, to encourage me
to exertion and perseverance, that l
might ultimately be saved. / may have
been wrong in that supcrstitious belief;
but through the long years that have
since interviewed, my faith il, Divin.
interposition has remained unshaksn.
con again rising to my feet. and
looking over the grea. sandy plain, be
held, with will thrill Of joy. body of
perhaps a hundred camels and twenty
individuals, and more than r,ile dis
taut, moving along parallel with the
coast. l shouted, hoping they might
hear, and almost tearing off my coat, |
shook and swung it above my head, to
attract their notice, though had known
what cruel, merciless set of wretches
they really were, think should rather
have plunged into the sea than sought
my deliverance through their hands.
Ii did not take long for their keen,
watchful eyes to perceive me-; (; and then,
leaving the main body, sone half Il do
zen men came running toward me,
each striving to outstrip the Others and
be the first to claim me as his prize. Ia
this race, two of the younger got the
lead, and maintained it, with about equal
pace, till within u couple OF hundred
yards Of me. when both simultaneously
drew their bright sei,nitars, and, with
loud yells of anger and defiance, fell to
fighting for the mastery, cutting and
slashing each other 10 a manner that
was frightful to behold. This gave those
in the rear an opportunity to pass the
fleet-footed combatants, and, DRAWN Q
their scimitars also, they flouri she'd them
over their heads, and came on with the
widest yells. On seeing all this, be,
lieved my minutes were numbered, and
commended my soul to God.
"The drst that reached me was a lit
tie, brown-skinned, weazen faced, hide
Gus old man, with small, black, fiery
eyes, all afame with avaricious passion,
and long, shaggy, dirty hair and beard,
and WHOSE only covering, or article of
die ess, was sort Of coarse sack, belted
around his waist, without sleeves, and
reaching down about half way to his
knees. He Instantly seized me by the
throat, with strength that belied his
appearance, and, in my weak state,
hurled me forcibly to the ground. Then
planting one foot upon my prostrate bo--
dy, he flourished and flashed his bright
scimitar in the hot sun, and seemed to
defy the others TO come and take me
from his possession. As no one appeared
disposed to dispute his claim, he soon
removed his foot, and made sigus for me
to get up, which | did with much diff
GU y. The two combatants now came
up, all cut and bloody, and appeared by
their loyks to think they had done a
very foolish thing, in fighting for prize
which by that means both had lost
My captor now made signs TO know
if any of my company had escaped from
the wreck; aud on my replying, as well
as | could by signs, that all were lost,
he fell to stripping me, and only ended
by leaving me entirely naked. My coat,
vest and shoes he appropriated to him
self, as well as all the money and little
trinkets he found in my pockets; but
TIE rest OF my Aclothing he divided
among his swarthy companions, giving
each a portion, some Of the garments
being torn in half to make the division
more equal. This done, he pointed to-
ward the little caravan, and pricked me
with his scimitar, to indicate that was
to set off in that direction in advance of
my cruel drivers.
From that moment my sufferings