Mr. Park advanced with great caution for about the space of a mile, when looking back he saw three Moors on horseback, galloping at full speed and brandishing their double-barrelled guns.  As it was impossible to escape, he turned and met them, when two caught hold of his bridle, and the third presenting his musket, said he must go back to Ali.  Mr. Park rode back with the Moors, with apparent unconcern, when, in passing through some thick bushes, one of them desired him to untie his bundle and show them the contents, but finding nothing worth taking, one of them pulled his cloak from him, and wrapped it about himself.  This was the most valuable article in Mr. Park’s possession, as it defended him from the rains in the day, and from the mosquitoes at night, he therefore earnestly requested them to return it, but to no purpose.  Mr, Park now perceived, that these men had only pursued him for the sake of plunder, and turned once more towards the east.  To avoid being again overtaken, he struck into the woods, and soon found himself on the right road.

Joyful as he now was, when he concluded he was out of danger, he soon became sensible of his deplorable situation, without any means of procuring food, or prospect of finding water.  Oppressed with excessive thirst, he travelled on without having seen a human habitation.  It was now become insufferable; his mouth was parched and inflamed, a sudden dimness frequently came over his eyes, and he began seriously to apprehend that he should perish for want of drink.  A little before sunset, he climbed a high tree, from the topmost branches of which he took a melancholy survey of the barren wilderness.  A dismal uniformity of shrubs and sand every-where presented itself, and the horizon was as level and uninterrupted as that of the sea.  Descending from the tree, Mr. Park found his horse devouring the stubble and brushwood with groat avidity.  Being too faint to attempt walking, and his horse too much fatigued to carry him, Mr. Park thought it was the last act of humanity he should ever be able to perform, to take off his bridle and let him shift for himself; in doing which he was suddenly affected with sickness and giddiness, and falling upon the sand, felt as if the hour of death was approaching.  “Here then,” said he, “after a short but ineffectual struggle, terminate all my hopes of being useful in my day and generation; here must the short span of my life come to an end.  I cast, as I believe, a last look on the surrounding scene, and whilst I reflected on the awful change that was about to take place, this world, with all its enjoyments, seemed to vanish from my recollection.”  Nature, however, resumed her functions, and on recovering his senses, he found the bridle still in his hand, and the sun just setting.  He now summoned all his resolution, and determined to make another effort to prolong his existence.  With this view he put the bridle on his horse, and driving him before him went slowly along for about an hour, when he perceived