History Channel: Skeletons on the Sahara

In 1815, a Connecticut merchant vessel became shipwrecked off the west coast of Africa. Captured by Arab nomads, Captain James Riley and his crew were sold into brutal slavery and marched across the exotic and deadly vistas of the Saharan Desert; a place where skin boils, eyeballs burn, lips blacken and men shrivel to less than ninety pounds.

Along the way, the Americans encountered everything that could possibly test them: barbarism, murder, starvation, and hostile tribes roaming the desert on armies of camels. Yet Riley and his men also discovered ancient cities, secret oases and a culture largely unknown to the modern world.

In this strange land, they also forged an unlikely bond with the Muslim slave trader who ultimately held the key to their survival. This friendship, initially hindered by mistrust, grew with an open-mindedness and understanding that seems especially relevant today, as the tenuous evolution of the relationship between the Western and Arab worlds continues.

This documentary takes viewers inside the adventure, with realistic recreations shot on location in Africa. It also features a number of compelling interviews with descendants of Riley, his crew and the Arabs who held them captive. Expert commentary from Dean King, author of the bestselling book of the same name, completes this unique and engaging foray into the world of Saharan survival.