‘“Do you know the Bashador?”
‘“For years I was his servant.”
‘“Is the Bashador he that lived at Senya el Hashti?”
‘“The same.”
‘“Is he well? And his son and household, are they well?”
‘“He is well, they are all well.”
‘“Do you know the hunters of Suanni and their Sheikh Hadj Hamed and Hadj Ali and Alarbi and Abd-el-Kerim?”
‘“I know them all. Abd-el-Kerim—God’s peace be with him—was my father.”
‘“And the Bashador, you say, is well and his son and his household. Alhamdulillah! He it was who procured my release when I was imprisoned at Tangier. I have worked in his garden, at Senya el Hashti: I have eaten and drank in his house. His friend is my friend. On my head be it to carry out the Bashador’s wishes. This Nazarene, you say, is a friend of the Bashador who wishes him to be helped on his journey. It is well. I will see him safely through. On my head be it. This tribe will assuredly not grant free passage to the Christian, nor to the Sultan’s escort, but I will arrange that, ‘enshallah,’ the Bashador’s wishes be carried out. Even now will I dispatch a speedy messenger to my brother, telling him what is required. By sunset the escort my brother will send should be here, and after resting till the prayer of the ‘Asha’ is called (about nine p.m.), we will start, ‘enshallah.’ See to it that the Nazarene be then ready to go with us. Through the night will we ride and shortly after sunrise we shall, with God’s help, be out of the district inhabited by this rebellious tribe. The country immediately beyond is now infested by bands of robbers, and the Sultan’s authorities have fled, but before sundown, ‘enshallah,’ I will hand you all over in safety to the Governor of the next district.”
‘The Sheikh’s men arrived about sunset, some hundred men, mostly mounted and all well armed. Shortly after the hour of the ‘Asha’ prayer we started, our party riding in the centre of this escort. As we travelled we found other parties of the Sheikh’s men waiting for us at intervals; these, as we met them, joining and continuing with us until—as daylight showed—the escort amounted to some three hundred armed men.