the palm-grove, which was soon followed up by a second. I ran up towards
the encampment as rapidly as possible; and just as I reached it, another
shot rang awfully upon my ear. I found our party in a state of the
greatest consternation, and gathered closely together, gazing wildly
towards the grove. The first thing I learnt, was the harrowing fact,
that poor Suleiman had just been murdered by the Mezzeni! It was an
astounding announcement. To what would this desperate blow lead--here,
in the Desert? The prospect of further bloodshed was terrible. It would
have been insupportable, but for the influence of that inward calmness
which is the privilege of the children of God. We were braced up for the
worst, and stood gazing upon the scene, in full expectation that out of
a deep and deadly spirit of revenge, we should be immediately
overpowered by the enemy, and held entirely at their mercy--as any shew
of defence against so many as had now come down upon us, would have been
utterly futile, and might have led to the destruction of us all. How
wild and desolate this awful theatre of death appeared, while, with the
sound of gun-shots still vibrating in our ears, we thought of Suleiman
writhing in his death-throes, and anxiously watched the movements of the
murderers. We were motionless--almost breathless. Each man among us
gazed silently upon his fellow. Our suspense was not of great duration,
but long enough to get the heart secretly lifted up in communion with a
God of mercy. And there was sweet peacefulness in that brief
exercise.... My worst fears were groundless. The hearts of all men are
in God's hands. Our helplessness must have been a powerful matter of
temptation to the blood-stained men, over whom the departed soul of
Suleiman was hovering. But God restrained them....

Having slaughtered their victim, the Mezzeni (of whom above forty were
counted), quietly marched back towards Nuweibia, without exchanging even
a word with us; leaving behind them the corpse of poor Suleiman--a sad