Houssa, a friend of Boerick, arrived from a place
called Hieta Mouessa Ali, 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 to that
place, which lay due north, they proceeded north-north-west,
and as they had a camel each, and travelled very fast,
the path being good, they went at the rate of twenty-five
miles a day, and in six days reached a place called
Villa Adrialla, [*] where there were about twenty
tents. This place appeared to be inhabited entirely
by traders, who had at least five hundred camels,
a great number of goats and sheep, and a few horses.
The cattle were tended by negro slaves. Here
they remained about three weeks, until Abdallah had
finished his business, and then set out for Hieta
Mouessa Ali, where they arrived in three days.
Adams believed that the reason of their travelling
so fast during the last stage was, that Abdallah was
afraid of being robbed, of which he seemed to have
no apprehension after he had arrived at Villa Adrialla,
and therefore they travelled from that place to Hieta
Mouessa Ali, at the rate of only about sixteen or
eighteen miles a day; their course being due north-west.
[Footnote: It is the opinion of Mr. Dupuis, that
this place should be written Woled Adrialla,
but he has no knowledge of it.]
Hieta Mouessa Ali was the largest place which Adams
saw, in which there were no houses, there being not
less than a hundred tents. There was here a small
brook issuing from a mountain, being the only one
he had seen except that at Soudenny; but the vegetation
was not more abundant than at other places. They
remained here about a month, during which Adams was
as usual employed in tending camels. As the time
hung very heavy on his hands, and he saw no preparation
for their departure for Wadinoon, and his anxiety
to reach that place had been very much excited, by
the intelligence that there were other Christians
there, he took every opportunity of making inquiry
respecting the course and distance; and being at length
of opinion that he might find his way thither, he
one evening determined to desert, and accordingly
he set out foot alone, with a small supply of dried
goats’ flesh, relying upon getting a further
supply at the villages, which he understood were on
the road. He had travelled the whole of that
night, and until about noon the next day, without
stopping, when he was overtaken by a party of three
or four men on camels, who had been sent in pursuit
of him. It seems they expected that Adams had
been persuaded to leave Hieta Mouessa Ali, by some