in the book the swiss family robinson?

Question

what did the "arabs" turn out to be

thanks.....

Answer 1

ostriches

"‘Arabs, my boy! Certainly not; but take the spy-glass and make them out exactly. We shall have to be on our guard, whatever they are!’

‘I cannot see distinctly enough to be sure,’ said he presently, ‘and imagination supplies the deficiency of sight in most strange fashion. I could fancy them wild cattle, loaded carts, wandering hay-cocks, in fact almost anything I like.’

The spy-glass passed from hand to hand; Jack and Ernest agreed in thinking the moving objects were men on horseback; but when it came to my turn to look, I at once pronounced them to be very large ostriches."