Gallabe-(the Arabs who go to Darfur with merchandise)—brought me, and my master, the Medir, took

me.” 'Oh yes!" said I; "he told me what a fine fellow you were, and how quickly you learnt to cook." I liked to amuse myself in talking thus to this poor fellow, sold for a trifling sum by his own parents or his Sultan. I felt sorry for him and his companions. At sunset the fever left me, but I was dreadfully reduced-a mere shadow. I could not walk a step. Although every change of position gave me great pain from the tumours with which my body was covered, I may say I slept well.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

CONVALESCENT FROM THE

TWENTY-SECOND TO THE

TWENTY-SEVENTH, WHEN WE LEFT LOBAIED.

THE next morning I awoke free of fever, and with a great appetite, and ordered Gabir to make me a dish of rice. The captain came to congratulate me, and then returned to his own room to breakfast. He had been recovering for five days. The slave who brought us daily the bread, arrived just as Giaber was bringing in the rice, and, as usual, enquired how my skin was. I was rejoiced to be able to say better; thanks be to God I eat the rice with great appetite. At noon the captain returned to tell me he had already made a bargain.with the Arabs to set off four days hence, adding that he wanted to go by Dongola so as to avoid the vexation of the same route by which we had come. "Very well," said I; "then, we go by the Desert of Dongola, and shall taste the delights and bitterness of it; it will be well if it be not brother to the Desert of Corosco. I no longer suffered from fever, but the tumours were very painful, and I could not stand from weakness; but this was not to be wondered

at, not having had half an hour's rest for sixteen days and nights, and living only on water. I thought of attempting to rise and see if the corporeal machine was was rusty. Night arrived with its black mantle, and I happily withdrew myself into the bosom of sleep, from which I was only aroused by the brilliant sun of the morning of the twenty-third. The captain was the first who came in to wish me good morning, and said he proposed setting off in two days, if I was well enough to undergo the hard fatigues of the journey. I told him I could not possibly say to him how I should be; but if not well, he might leave me. But to this he said "No." The day galloped, noon passed, and the sun was already declining, when Giaber came for orders for supper, and was glad to cobab. "Oh! yes, sir, plenty of meat," which he soon brought, and I forced myself to eat a little (nan); but my appetite was hindered by "tristis erat anima mea usque ;" after my supper, I soon fell asleep, and was only aroused by the drums at daybreak. The captain coming into my room, found me awake, and I asked me if the soldiers, with their half-spoilt and bad drums, did not annoy me. A little after sunrise, I got up, and attempted to cross the room, my legs trembled under me, and I had to lean against the wall, but I dragged myself here and there in this noble domain. The captain, seeing me on foot, called to inquire if I would be ready to set off the day after to-morrow. I said, "Yes, directly, if you like." He

hear my wish for roasted

said, "No, but in two days." "Very well," I rejoined; "but you must take the trouble to bury me in the Desert, if you cover my body with sand and put my cross and Rosary near my head-it will suffice." He was displeased at my saying this, and I also, vexed, said, "he must be rather out of his senses, seeing that I could hardly stand on my feet to ask if I could travel in two days." He left me, and I burst into bitter lamentations. "O, Lord!" I exclaimed! " consoler in all afflictions, do not abandon me! Thy holy name has moderated the sufferings of this cruel fever, and revived me. Now do but give me rest? Oh, Lord, in Thee is my hope and trust! Blessed Virgin, remember that thou are called comforter of the afflicted; see in what trouble, anguish, and oppression I am! send joy and peace to my troubled heart, and drive away all sadness! Guardian angel, faithful companion of the good Tobias, though I am but a very humble imitator of him, yet I keep a friendship towards thee, and recommend myself daily to thee to pray the Lord of Hosts to be near me, and bring me in safety through all my doings." While thus meditating, the Mufdi came to see me. Kanagia Jusef, how you are reduced!" "Thanks be to God! that I am yet alive!" The captain came in to thank the Mufdi for his kindness in taking the trouble to write two letters of recommendation to Bargu and Barum, and they both left. I remained alone till Giaber came in the evening to receive orders for supper.

"Ah, Meschin

I

could only eat a little rice, my appetite was gone; but I fell asleep, and did not open my eyes till the morning of the twenty-fourth, which was polite enough to bring me the appetite I had lost yesterday. A dish of cobab was quickly brought me, and I immediately sent it into exile in that empty land of the stomach, which yesterday was only nourished by grief.

The captain came and asked me how I was, and departed without saying anything else. I contrived to take a long walk of two or three minutes, and then fatigued, threw myself on the ancarib. The Moor coming in with the bread, I began to laugh. Naharac said, "Iakauaggia Jusef, (a happy day to you)." "Naharac Asad, (a happy one to you). Thanks be to God my skin is well to-day; how is yours?" “Oh, mine," replied he, "is always well, when I drink a little 'Marisi.' "What! do you drink spirits ?" "Only Marisi; don't you drink it," said he; "in this country one must drink." Exchanging mutual good wishes for our skins, we bade adieu. I found that this amusing conversation had greatly benefitted my skin. The captain found me laughing, and I explained to him the Moor's usual question, which made him laugh also. When he quitted me, I beheld the doctor; and exultavit spiritus meus, and I determined to benefit my skin by fresh jests of that of the doctor, who seemed to me a ninny of the first class, and said to him in Arabic, "A very good morning to you," and added in Latin, "tandem aliquando ad me venis, qui militum