Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1911-07-21

huuh NhO hheW tue cOuntfl WAS
warned that he would probably mur-
der me aud possess himself OF my ef-
fects. and when found man with a
reputation lot morality he knew moth
ing about the desert finally started
with no one but myself 10 rely on, and
l had occasion to bitterly rue my te-
merlty.
My journey was one continued effort
to protect myself against thieves and
robbers. II was. useless to put my
men on guard at night. for they did
not seem TO care whether what had
was stolen or not One night while |
myself was watching noticed a large
dog prowling near my camp. Pres
emily | discerued desert thief direct
ing the animal. who bad been taught
to steal.
But this was a mere bagatelle com
pared with sandstorm that overlook
US. and the sand>sorm was not so dan
geiOuS MS man ! hired for a guide
from one oasis to another. who tried
to pilot me Into an ambush where a
band Of robbers were waiting to kill
me.
Not being satisfied with hiring
guides. determined to 20 through to
the next oasis without one. The dis
lance WAS three days travel. but at
the end Of The thIsd day looked In
vain on the horizon for that bunch of
fauna which indicates an oasis.
cnmped. aud the next day we Travelled
in the burning sun without seeing any
sign Of point for refreshment. nor
did we meet caravan. The sand
storm had obliterated any tracks of
the great route between Tripoli and
the Sudan on which we had stlrted
All about us was an unmarked will
derness of sand. The desert Is so i'm
mense that when one loses his position
there Is no hope Of finding It again
One on that boundless sea without
knowing what direction &c take can
only go on day after day. hoping to
strike an oasis.
That Is what we were compelled to
do.
The sensation of being lost In
wilderness Of sand was frighffui
enough in itself. but to see the stock Of
provisions day by day growing smaller.
the skin pouches holding the water
growing thinner. with the hot sun pour
ing down on ones brain, is maddening.
So we toied on. hoping each day for
some end TO this frightful journey
Either distant caravan. an oasis or
even band Of robbers would have
been welcome And now the humps
on the camels' backs became shrunken
We had no water to give them. for we
were using ourselves what remained
in one of the pouches. We killed one
Of the camels for the water In Its
hump. Then we killed another One
Of my men died, then another and an
other. most of them mad. till about all
were dead and ! was left alone. hu-
man being with camel Alas. must
sacrifice my only companion for what
water was left in him. | killed him
and was alone on the great desert Of
Sahara
fell asleep that evening praying
that | might never awaken. But |
was awakened by a touch. There. by
the light Of a full moon that had
arisen perhaps an hour before. saw
skeleton OF man In Bedouin cos
time bending over me.
.Allah has sent me-" he said
f.. t,f- nrad
rled me away. knew not where. for
to me there was no north. south. east
or west Most of the time | was IN
conscious. When ! was not was
looking MP into the dome Of the heav
ems. whose stars seemed to be glaring
at me. Then suddenly ! thought !
was in a boat in choppy sea. but
soon recognized the motion Of a camel
| pul out my hand and felt hair. Straps
were about me so that ! could not fall
| felt cup Of water placed to my lips
and saw the face of the man had
saved Mt Tripoli holding it while ]
drank Then slept
In the morning found myself lying
on green grass in an oasis.
have told my story shall not at
tempt to explain il. Nor am going to
ask any one to believe Il. certainly do
not expect persons to believe what
would not believe myself had ii been
told me instead of having happened TO
me One thing occurred to me the mo
ment was conscious of having been
saved. ! was seized with a desire to
know whether had been saved by the
quick or the dead.
joined caravan passing through
the oasis nnrthward of Tripol On
reaching there. after rest and having
satisfied myself that the escaped pris
oner | had hidden no longer occupied
either the popular or official mind. !
| might pick up. ! interviewed those
m charge rs 10 what had beeome OF
the man VIM had escaped and found
that his Iailers felt considerable super
stition as TO his disappearance. claim
ing that in his chains and hunted by
SO many persons be could not have
escaped without the interposition OF
Allah.
asked them who be was. but was
told that he had been in prison so long
that his identity had been forgotten
was greatly disappointed at this. for
1t precludcd the possibility of my ever
hunting up the man through bis rcla
tives and discovering whether he was
living or had died So reluctantly
sailed away from Tripoli. feeling that
must wait for mn explanation until
had entered that existence where all
things will be made plain.