I swallowed my vexation, trembling at the thought of what such men would do to me, if they discovered my real sentiments; they would have made a martyr of me; and I could not but think of the tortures which poor Major Laing must have suffered from beings who were still more ferocious. How I longed for the moment when I should reach Tafilet, and get rid of my tormentors. I had absolutely nothing left but the clothes I had on, and a new coussabe which I owed to the generosity of my Timbuctoo host, besides a padlock which secured the bag that contained my notes: not a day passed that these did not excite the cupidity of my companions; when I asked for water they said: “Give us thy new dress and thy padlock, and thou shalt have something to drink.” They purposely left me in want that I might give them what they wished; but I had courage to resist and they obtained nothing. The wells were now nearer together, and as we came to them more frequently, we could travel part of the day. When the heat was excessive, during the journey, those who wanted to drink were allowed to have water; on these occasions they pointed at me and said to one another: “Do not let us give _him_ any, till he has promised us something.” I disdained to have recourse to entreaty, and bore both hunger and thirst rather than ask for any thing at their hands; so I turned my head away, and pretended not to hear what they said. Thirst at last compelled me to apply to Sidi-Aly, who muttered when he ordered them to give me water; while I was drinking it he imitated the humming noise made to induce the camels to drink. He durst not refuse me the water for his own sake; for the other Moors in the caravan, who were not his associates, would have been indignant; in their presence he always pretended great kindness for me, and compassion for the sufferings which I had endured in the desert. It was impossible that he could altogether deceive them, for, notwithstanding the abundance of water which we had since we left Telig, I was often obliged to apply to the other Moors in the caravan when I wanted drink: I was also driven out of our tent many times by the rudeness of my tormentors, and took shelter with my neighbours, who were much amused with my conversation, and collected around me, to question me about my escape from the christians, their manners and customs; they asked me also whether I had been ill-treated by my white master. I always took care, as much as I could, to counteract the impression which they all have, that Musulmans are ill-treated amongst us, an idea which proceeds from their intolerant system. They all showed me their guns and inquired where they were made; and when I told them that they came from France, I observed that they thought them the more valuable: accordingly, if I wanted to flatter a Moor I told him that his gun was of French manufacture, and out of gratitude for the pleasure which I afforded him, he commonly offered me a share of his dokhnou and water.