Stormy weather drove them ashore where armed Arabs on camels
stripped them of clothes and stores and left them to die among
the sand dunes.

On foot they trudged day after day in the direction of Muscat,
and how they suffered and what they endured was told by one of
the survivors, young Daniel Saunders. Soon they began to drop out
and die in their tracks in the manner of "Benjamin Williams,
William Leghorn, and Thomas Barnard whose bodies were exposed
naked to the scorching sun and finding their strength and spirits
quite exhausted they lay down expecting nothing but death for
relief." The next to be left behind was Mr. Robert Williams,
merchant and part owner, "and we therefore with reluctance
abandoned him to the mercy of God, suffering ourselves all the
horrors that fill the mind at the approach of death." Near the
beach and a forlorn little oasis, they stumbled across Charles
Lapham, who had become separated from them. He had been without
water for five days "and after many efforts he got upon his feet
and endeavored to walk. Seeing him in so wretched a condition I
could not but sympathize enough with him in his torments to go
back with him" toward water two miles away, "which both my other
companions refused to do. Accordingly they walked forward while I
went back a considerable distance with Lapham until, his strength
failing him, he suddenly fell on the ground, nor was he able to
rise again or even speak to me. Finding it vain to stay with him,
I covered him with sprays and leaves which I tore from an
adjacent tree, it being the last friendly office I could do him."

Eight living skeletons left of eighteen strong seamen tottered
into Muscat and were cared for by the English consul. Daniel