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BEDOUINS OF WADY MOUSA.

which ran away after we had left the camp, was plundered.

Our connexion with these people, though leading to no important results, was certainly very annoying. They spent the day, and many of them the nights, about our camp, varying in number, at different times, from twenty or thirty to perhaps one hundred. They were noisy and rude, very savage in their aspect and mien, and filthy in their dress. All were armed with matchlocks, short swords, and commonly long knives, each in its kind of the worst description. They had angry and boisterous controversies with the old sheik, who had received our tribute at Acaba, and whom they accused of defrauding his people of their share, and an endless succession of petty contests about their respective claims to the honours and emoluments of acting as our guides and guardians. I much doubt if Wady Mousa had witnessed three consecutive days of such uproar and confu sion for many ages previous to our coming. The people were constantly disposed to thrust themselves into our tents, though a little positiveness was generally sufficient to dislodge them, and to deter them from persisting in a practice which we had such good reasons for discouraging. They claimed the privilege of acting as guides and guards to us wherever we were inclined to go, and expected, and generully succeeded in extorting, rather exorbitant fees for these services. I tried at first to elude their company; but, as two or three were sure to follow me, and demand bucksheesh for services not performed, I found it advisable to take one under pay, giving notice, at the same time, that I should not pay for more.

The morning after my arrival I succeeded in reaching the north extreme of the valley before my absence was discovered, but I soon perceived a most villanous, robber-looking man approaching me, armed with a long knife and matchlock. As I was quite out of sight of the camp, I re

UNPLEASANT INTERVIEWS.

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connoitered the savage with some attention. He soon attempted to make his benevolent objects known, though I did not at first understand him, nor feel very sure of his intentions and character, as he came from a direction opposite to that of our camp. In order to aid me in comprehending the import of his communication, which I afterward learned was to inform me that I was in imminent danger without a guide, he drew his knife, and went through all the forms of cutting his own throat, and then raised his crazy old gun to his face, pointing it directly at me, to signify that I was as likely to be shot as butchered. I made him comprehend, as well as I could, that I had no fears, and should break the head of any Arab who might render such an act expedient. He continued to accompany me, a measure to which, as I could not possibly prevent it, I at last consented, presuming that he was a Wady Mousa Bedouin. I took care for some time to keep him in advance, and always in my eye.

I had hardly become reconciled to such company before a second man made his appearance, with similar objects and claims. I insisted on his leaving me with so much earnestness, that he at last stopped, but stood for some minutes as if doubtful whether to go away or stay by me. I made him understand that I should give him no bucksheesh, though he followed me all day; and the other man, fearing that his own pay might be diminished, aided me so effectually that the warrior at length left us. A little before sunset of the same day, I had walked from the camp to examine the theatre, not far distant, in the mouth of Wady Syke; and, having paid my guide for the day, and dismissed him, was alone. Soon I perceived the discarded applicant for my patronage in the morning coming towards me, accompanied by two other armed Arabs. He at first urged me to go with them farther into the gorge, which I of course. declined. He then demanded bucksheesh for having guarded me through the northern part of the valley in the morn

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ing. I told him he had not served me, and I would give him nothing. He spoke to his companions, and then, turning again to me, repeated his demand with much violence of language and jesture, all three at the same time advancing towards me with a threatening aspect. I had not so much as a stick for defence; but I answered sternly and loudly, at the same time walking quickly towards them, and raising my hand with an air from which they might infer that my bosom was full of deadly weapons. These fellows take it for granted that all Franks are well armed, and they reverence nothing so much as percussion locks, which, indeed, are dangerous antagonists to their crazy matchlocks. They retreated precipitately at this bravado, and left me to my occupation.

Wady Mousa, compared with the other portions of Arabia Petrea which I have seen, is a verdant spot. A good deal of grass appears in the ravines, and a plentiful growth of shrubs and large bushes beautify the valleys and spring up on the highest summits of the mountains, often, as it seems to the beholders below, out of the very brow of the rock.

I was often reminded of the prediction of the prophet, Isaiah, xxxiv.--by the multitude and noise of the wild fowl, "each answering to its mate." Our party shot two or three large eagles, and many partridges, the cormorants, it is said, of the Old Testament.

Of this wonderful city, whose unique and magnificent ruins may be justly regarded as one of the wonders of the world, the origin and early history are unknown. This may safely be taken as evidence of its high antiquity. It was a large city when, three centuries anterior to the Christian era, Antigonus, one of the fortunate generals who rose to supreme power upon the death of Alexander the Great, sent two military expeditions against it. It was celebrated as a place of great strength, as well as unbounded wealth, in the time of the Romans, under whose dominion it fell

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early in the second century. It was at this time the seat of an immense commerce-the great emporium of Indian commodities-where merchants from all parts of the world met for the purposes of traffic. It early fell under the Mohammeden Empire, which had its first development in Arabia, and from that time to the beginning of the present century was nearly lost from the memory of man. The magnificent city had, during the intervening period, become an unpeopled waste; and when Burckhardt discovered its forgotten site in the year 1811, he found only a solitary 'column and one ruinous edifice left standing, of all the sumptuous structures that once crowded this romantic vale. Such was the spectacle which it presented to our eyes, a mournful spectacle of prostrate grandeur and utter desolation, which has left upon my mind an ineffaceable impression of mingled wonder and melancholy.

A gentleman of the party became seriously ill soon after our arrival in Petra, and was confined to his tent during our stay by a violent fever. We were filled with alarm for his safety; but he recovered so far as to be able to mount his camel when we were ready to recommence our journey, and was soon quite restored. Nothing can be more distressing, or present a prospect more truly appalling, than severe illness under circumstances such as surround a traveller in the Desert, quite out of the reach of medical assistance, in the midst of savages and robbers, where delay and an attempt to advance are about equally dangerous and impossible. I felt truly thankful for the speedy restoration of my fellow-traveller.

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DEPARTURE FROM PETRA.

CHAPTER II.

Departure from Petra.-A long Walk.-Mohammedan Honesty.-Mount Hor.-The Tomb of Aaron.-Sheik of Jebel Haroun.- Death of Aaron. -Return to Wady Araba.- Descent towards the North.-Martial Display.-Mount Seir.-Early Civilization of Edom.-Present State of this Country.-Prophecies concerning Edom.-Their Fulfilment. — Erroneous Interpretation.-Edom not forbidden to Travellers.-The People did not live in Caves. - Ain Muridah. - Trees in Arabia Petræa. - The Acacia. Wady Fikara. - Mountain.-Cadesh Barnea. Its probable Situation. Battle with the Canaanites at Hormah.- Wanderings of the Israelites in the Desert. - Ascent of the Mountain. - Old Towers. -Flowers. Wady Kouroup.-Camels. - Bedouin Tents.- Curious Appearance.-Tomb and Mosque.-Ancient Wells. -Another Bedouin Encampment.-Another.-Description of it.-Delicacies.-Spinning Apparatus.-Ruins.-Mountains of Judah.-Signs of Former Tillage.— Landmarks.-Camp in Wady Carmel.-Ruins of the Ancient Carmel. -Historical Recollections.-David and Abigail.-More Ancient Ruins.Vineyards.-Approach to Hebron.

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APRIL 2, 1840. We left Petra to-day a little after noon, and stopped about five o'clock near our last encampment before entering Wady Mousa. My ride, or rather walk, was rather laborious. Sheik Salim had loaned me his own saddle after leaving Acaba, having failed to supply me with one according to his contract at the outset. The day after our arrival in Petra, he came to inform me that I had broken his saddle so badly that it could neither be used nor mended. I told him he must supply another, thinking little of the matter at that time. Upon setting out, however, I found my dromedary equipped with the very worst pack-saddle I had ever taken notice of. I remonstrated, and wholly refused to mount, but the sheik protested that he could not possibly obtain a better saddle; that, from my having spoiled his, he should be compelled to ride a similar one; and finally he swore, with great solemnity, that he could not furnish

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