'
"My forebodings were not this time just; a detachment of English soldiers
passed near the place where I lay: my groans were heard by them, and they
humanely came to my assistance. They carried me with them, dressed my
wound, and treated me with the utmost tenderness. Christians though they
were, I must acknowledge that I had reason to love them better than any
of the followers of Mahomet, my good brother only excepted.
"Under their care I recovered; but scarcely had I regained my strength
before I fell into new disasters. It was hot weather, and my thirst was
excessive. I went out with a party, in hopes of finding a spring of
water. The English soldiers began to dig for a well, in a place pointed
out to them by one of their men of science. I was not inclined to such
hard labour, but preferred sauntering on in search of a spring. I saw at
a distance something that looked like a pool of water; and I pointed it
out to my companions. Their man of science warned me by his interpreter
not to trust to this deceitful appearance; for that such were common in
this country, and that, when I came close to the spot, I should find no
water there. He added, that it was at a greater distance than I
imagined; and that I should, in all probability, be lost in the desert if
I attempted to follow this phantom.
"I was so unfortunate as not to attend to his advice: I set out in
pursuit of this accursed delusion, which assuredly was the work of evil
spirits, who clouded my reason, and allured me into their dominion.
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