Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-05-29

nand OF robbers were waiting to Kin
me.
Not being satisfied with bring
guides. determined to go through to
the next oasis without one. The dis
lance was three days travel. but at
the end of the third day 1 looked IN
vain on the &c rizon for that bunch of
fauna which indicates an oasis.
eamped. and the next day we travelled
In the burning sun without seeing any
sign Of a point for refreshment. nor
did we meet n caravan. The sand
storm had obliterated any tracks OF
the great route between Tripoi and
the Sudan on which we had started.
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 to 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 a
wilderness of sand was frightful
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 toiled on. hoping each day for
some end to this frightful journey.
Either a distant caravan, an oasis or
even a 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. a hui
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.
1 fell asleep that evening praying
that l might never awaken. But l
was awakened by touch There, by
the light of a full moon that had
arisen perhaps an hour before. 1 saw
a skeleton Of a man in Bedouin cos
time bending over me.
allah has sent me- he said.
He took me up in his arms and car
ried me away, I knew not where, for
to me there was no north. south. east
or west. Most OF the time 1 was I'M
conscious. When l was not l was
looking up into the dome of the heav-
ems, whose stars seemed to be glaring
at me- Then suddenly | thought /
was in a boat in q choppy sea, but
soon recognized the motion OF q camel.
1 put out my hand and felt hair. Straps
were about me so that could not fall.
felt q cup of water placed to my lips
and saw the face OF the man | had
saved at Tripou holding it while /
drank. Then 1 slept
In the morning l found myself lying
on green grass in an oasis.
1 have told my story. 1 shall not at
tempt to explain 1t. Nor am going to
ask any one to believe it. certainly do
not expect persons TO believe what l
would not believe myself had it been
told me instead of having happened to
me. One thing occurred to me the mo-
ment l was conscious of having been
saved. / was seized with a desire to
know whether had been saved by the
quick or the dead.
l Joined a caravan passing through
the oasis northward of Tripoli 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, l
went to the castle for any information
| might pick up. l interviewed those
m charge as to what had become of
the man who had escaped and found
that bis jailers felt considerable super
stition as to his disappearance, claim
ing that in his chains and hunted by
so many persons he could not have
escaped without the interposition OF
Allah.
l asked them who he was, but was
told that he had been in prison so long
that his identity had bcen forgotten.
l was greatly disappointed at this. for
It precluded the possibility of my ever
hunting up the man through his rela-
tives and discovering whether he was
living or had died. So / reluctantly
sailed away from Tripol. feeling that
/ must wait for an explanation until
had entered that existence where all
things will be made plain.