تحفة النظار في غرايب الامصار وعجايب الاسفار 7.1.6

7.1.6

I realized that they were going to kill me, so I spoke to the old man and tried to gain his favour, and he took pity on me. I cut off the sleeves of my shirt and gave them to him so that the other members of the band should not blame him on my account if I escaped. About noon we heard voices near the tank and they thought that it was their comrades, so they made signs to me to go down with them, but when we went down we found some other people. The newcomers advised my guards to accompany them but they refused, and the three of them sat down in front of me, keeping me facing them, and laid on the ground a hempen rope which they had with them. I was watching them all the time and saying to myself: “ It is with this rope that they will bind me when they kill me.” I remained thus for a time, then three of their party, the party that had captured me, came up and spoke to them and I understood that they said to them: “Why have you not killed him?” The old man pointed to the black, as though he were excusing himself on the ground of his illness. One of these three was a pleasant-looking youth, and he said to me: “Do you wish me to set you at liberty?” I said “Yes,” and he answered “Go.” So I took the tunic which I was wearing and gave it to him and he gave me a worn double-woven cloak which he had, and showed me the way. I went off but I was afraid lest they should change their minds and overtake me, so I went into a reed thicket and hid there till sunset.