consent; and as she cried bitterly, the old man appeared
to be convinced that she was not to blame.
The old lady, however, declared her belief that the young
one was guilty, and expressed her conviction that she should
be able to detect her at some future time.
For some days after, Adams kept away from the lady;
but at the end of that time, the former affair appearing
to be forgotten, he resumed his visits. One night the
old woman lifted up the corner of the tent and discovered
Adams with Isha; and having reported it to her husband,
he came with a thick stick, threatening to put him to
death: Adams being alarmed, made his escape; and the
affair having made a great deal of noise, an acquaintance
proposed to Adams to conceal him in his tent, and to
endeavour to buy him of the Governor. Some laughed at
the adventure; others, and they by far the greater part,
treated the matter as an offence of the most atrocious nature,
Adams being “ a Christian, who never prayed.” (45)
As his acquaintance promised, in the event of becoming
his purchaser, to take him to Wadinoon, Adams adopted
his advice and concealed himself in his tent. For several
days the old Governor rejected every overture; but at last
he agreed to part with Adams for fifty dollars worth of
goods, consisting of blankets and dates; and thus he became
the property of Boerick, a trader, whose usual residence
was at Hilla Gibbila.
The girl (Isha) ran away to her mother.
The next day, Boerick set out with a party of six men
and four camels for a place called Villa de Bousbach,* (46)
which they reached after travelling nine days at the rate of
about eighteen miles a day; their course was north-east.
On the route they saw neither houses nor trees, but the
ground was covered with grass and shrubs. At this place
they found about forty or fifty tents inhabited by Moors,
and remained five or six days ; when there arrived a Moor
from a place called Hieta Mouessa Ali, named Abdallah
Houssa, a friend of Boerick, who informed him that it was
usual for the British Consul at Mogadore to send to
Wadinoon (where this man resided), to purchase the
Christians who were prisoners in that country; and, that as
he was about to proceed thither, he was willing to take
charge of Adams, to sell him for account of Boerick; at
the same time he informed Adams that there were other
Christians at Wadinoon. This being agreed to by Boerick,
his friend set out in a few days after, for Hieta Mouessa
Ali, taking Adams with him. Instead, however, of going
* Woled Aboussebah. D.