near a fpring fhaded with trees in a pleasant meadow, where we were fet upon the ground, and offered fuch refreshments as our mafters were partaking. I was fuffered to fit with my maids apart from the reft, and none attempted to comfort or infult us. Here I first began to feel the full weight of my mifery. The girls fat weeping in filence, and from time to time looked on me for fuccour. I knew not to what condition we were doomed, nor could conjecture where would be the place of our captivity, or whence to draw any hope of deliverance. I was in the hands of robbers and favages, and had no reafon to fuppofe that their pity was more than their juftice, or that they would forbear the gratification of any ardour of defire, or caprice of cruelty. I, however, kiffed my maids, and endeavoured to pacify them by remarking, that we were yet treated with decency, and that, fince we were now carried beyond perfuit, there was no danger of violence to our lives.

"When we were to be fet again on horfeback, my maids clung round me, and refufed to be parted, but I commanded them rot to irritate those who had us in their power. We travelled the remaining part of the day through an unfrequented and pathleis country, and came by moon-light to the fide of a hill, where the rest of the troop was ftationed. Their tents were pitched, and their fires kindled, and our chief was welcomed as a man much beloved by his dependants.

"We were received into a large tent, where we found women who had attended their husbands in the expedition. They fet before us the fupper

which they had provided, and I eat it rather to encourage my maids, than to comply with any appetite of my own. When the meat was taken away, they spread the carpets for repofe. I was weary, and hoped to find in fleep that remiffion of diftress which nature feldom denies. Ordering myself therefore to be undreft, I obferved that the women looked very earnestly upon me, not expecting, I suppose, to fee me fo fubmiffively attended. When my upper veft was taken off, they were apparently ftruck with the splendour of my clothes, and one of them timorously laid her hand upon the embroidery. She then went out, and, in a fhort time, came back with another woman, who feemed to be of higher rank, and greater authority. She did, at her entrance, the usual act of reverence, and taking me by the hand, placed me in a smaller tent, spread with finer carpets, where I spent the night quietly with my maids.

"In the morning, as I was fitting on the grafs, the chief of the troop came towards me. I rose I rofe up to receive him, and he bowed with great respect. "Illuftrious lady, faid he, my fortune is better than I had prefumed to hope; I am told by my women, that I have a princefs in my camp." Sir, answered I, your women have deceived themselves and you; I am not a princess, but an unhappy ftranger who intended foon to have left this country, in which I am now to be imprifoned for ever.

Whoever, or whencefoever, you are, returned the Arab, your drefs, and that of your fervants, fhew your rank to be high, and your wealth to be great. Why should you, who can fo easily procure your ranfom,

ranfom, think yourself in danger of perpetual captivity? The purpose of my incurfions is to increase my riches, or, more properly, to gather tribute. The fons of Ifhmael are the natural and hereditary lords of this part of the continent, which is ufurped by late invaders, and low-born tyrants, from whom we are compelled to take by the fword what is denied to juftice. The violence of war admits no distinction; the lance, that is lifted at guilt and power, will fometimes fall on innocence and gentlenefs."

"How little, faid I, did I expect that yesterday it fhould have fallen upon me!"

Misfortunes, anfwered the Arab, fhould always be expected. If the eye of hoftility could learn reverence or pity, excellence like yours had been exempt from injury. But the angels of affliction fpread their toils alike for the virtuous and the wicked, for the mighty and the mean. Do not be difconfolate: I am not one of the lawlefs and cruel rovers of the defert; I know the rules of civil life: I will fix your ranfom, give a paffport to your meffenger, and perform my ftipulation with nice punctuality.

"You will eafily believe that I was pleafed with his courtely and finding that his predominant paffion was defire of money, I began now to think my danger leis, for I knew that no fum would be thought too great for the releafe of Pekuah. I told him, that he fhould have no reafon to charge me with ingratitude, if I was ufed with kindness, and that any ranfom which could be expected for a maid of common rank, would be paid; but that

he

he must not perfift to rate me as a princefs. He faid, he would confider what he should demand, and then finiling, bowed and retired.

"Soon after the women came about me, each contending to be more officious than the other, and my maids themselves were ferved with reverence. We travelled onward by fhort journeys. On the fourth day the chief told me, that my ranfom must be two hundred ounces of gold; which I not only promised him, but told him, that I would add fifty more, if I and my maids were honourably treated.

"I never knew the power of gold before. From that time I was the leader of the troop. The march of every day was longer or fhorter as I commanded, and the tents were pitched where I chose to rest. We now had camels and other conveniences for travel, my own women were always at my fide, and I amused myself with obferving the manners of the vagrant nations, and with viewing remains of ancient edifices, with which these deferted countries appear to have been, in some distant age, lavishly embellished.

"The chief of the band was a man far from illiterate: he was able to travel by the ftars or the compafs, and had marked, in his erratick expeditions, fuch places as are moft worthy the notice of a paffenger. He obferved to me, that buildings are always best preserved in places little frequented, and difficult of accefs: for, when once a country declines from its primitive fplendour, the more inhabitants are left, the quicker ruin will be made. Walls supply stones more eafily than quarries, and palaces and temples will be demolished, to make stables of granate, and cottages of porphyry.

THE ADVENTURES OF PEKUAH CONTINUED.

WE wandered about in this manner for fome weeks, whether, as our chief pretended, for my gratification, or as I rather fufpected, for fome convenience of his own. I endeavoured to appear contented where fullennefs and refentment would have been of no ufe, and that endeavour conduced much to the calmnefs of my mind; but my heart was always with Nekayah, and the troubles of the night much overbalanced the amufements of the day. My women, who threw all their cares upon their miftrefs, fet their minds at eafe from the time when they faw me treated with refpect, and gave themselves up to the incidental alleviations of our fatigue without folicitude or forrow. I was pleafed with their pleafure, and animated with their confidence. My condition had loft much of its terrour, fince I found that the Arab ranged the country merely to get riches. Avarice is an uniform and tractable vice: other intellectual diftempers are different in different conftitutions of mind; that which fooths the pride of one will offend the pride of another; but to the favour of the covetous there is a ready way; bring money and nothing is denied.

"At last we came to the dwelling of our chief, a ftrong and spacious houfe built with ftone in an island of the Nile, which lies, as I was told, under the tropick. "Lady, faid the Arab, you fhall reft after your journey a few weeks in this place, where you are to confider yourself as fovereign. My occu