Matters having come to this point, our escort, camel-drivers and servants, could not but communicate to us the demand made--namely, that we should change our religion or return by the way we had come. This time, likewise, even our own servants prayed that we would accept the proposition, or seem to accept it, if only for a few days, to deliver ourselves from present danger. My colleagues, and particularly Dr. Barth, indignantly and passionately resisted. For my part, I looked upon the affair with a little more calm, the same thing having occurred to me on a former occasion in these deserts. I told our people that we would pay the tribute imposed by the Mahometan law on infidels, or for our passage through the country, or else that we would take our chance and return. Upon this our servants exclaimed, with tears in their eyes, "To return would be certain death!" There was now nothing left for me to do but to say, with my colleagues, that we would wait patiently for death, but that to change our religion was impossible. Although, of course, the threats that were made against us could not but produce considerable uneasiness, I always felt pretty sure that the Sheikhs did not exactly mean what they said, and would come at last, as had the others, to a money compromise. Yet, during the absence of our people, who took the message that we were ready to die for the honour of our country and religion, I passed, as did my friends the Germans, a most distressing half hour. Every sound we heard seemed to be that of people approaching to attack us. At length we heard voices, through the darkness. Our ambassadors were coming back with the message: "It is arranged, O Consuls, that you shall pay a certain sum of money!" Children of the desert, you are not the only ones who make a demand for conscience sake, and then compound for cash!