remaining water with camels' urine. The allowance of this
mixture to each camel was only about a quart for the whole
ten days : each man was allowed not more than about half
a pint a day.
The Moors who had been in confinement at Tombuctoo
becoming every day weaker, three of them in the four
following days lay down, unable to proceed. They were
then placed upon the camels : but continual exposure to
the excessive heat of the sun, and the uneasy motion of the
camels, soon rendered them unable to support themselves,
and towards the end of the second day they made another
attempt to pursue their journey on foot, but could not. The
next morning at day break they were found dead on the
sand, in the place where they had lain down at night, and
were left behind without being buried. The next day
another of them lay down; and, like his late unfortunate
companions, was left to perish: but on the following day
one of the Moors determined to remain behind, in the hope
that he who had dropped the day before might still come
up, and be able to follow the party: some provisions were
left with him. At this time it was expected, what proved
to be the fact, that they were within a day's march of their
town: but neither of the men ever afterwards made his
appearance; and Adams has no doubt that they perished.
Vied Duieim* (the place at which they now arrived) was
a village of tents inhabited entirely by Moors, who from
their dress, manners, and general appearance, seemed to
be of the same tribe as those of the encampment to which
Adams was conveyed from El Gazie. (42) They had
numerous flocks of sheep and goats, and two watering
places, near one of which their tents were pitched ; but the
other lay nearly five miles off.
The first fortnight after the arrival of the party, was
devoted to their recovery from the fatigues of the journey;
but as soon as their strength was re-established, Adams and
his companion were employed in taking care of goats and
sheep. Having now begun to acquire a knowledge of the
Moorish tongue, they frequently urged their masters to take
them to Suerra ; which the latter promised they would do,
provided they continued attentive to their duty.
Things, however, remained in this state for ten or eleven
months, during which time they were continually occupied
in tending the flocks of the Moors. They suffered severely
from exposure to the scorching sun, in a state of almost
utter nakedness; and the miseries of their situation were
aggravated by despair of ever being released from slavery.
The only food allowed to them was barley-flour, and
* fVoled D'leim, D.