Page 243 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

204 TRAVELS IN OMAN. [CH.

mere description to convey an idea of the

singular effect produced by the verdant ap­
pearance of this hollow, when contrasted with

the light brown or chalky appearance of the
hills which bound it. At 110 we left Feletch,

with a ragged guard of six individuals, which
the Sheikh insisted upon our taking. Our new
friends certainly appeared, as far as clothing

went, in somewhat indifferent trim. Their
matchlocks too were rusted more than half

through; and otherwise, both as regards equip­
ment and variety of figure and age, they really

formed no bad prototypes of Falstaff’s re­
cruits. Moreover, they rode on asses, which
here are somewhat diminutive, and the con­

trast they presented to those mounted on the
magnificent animals they were sent to protect,

was too amusing to pass unnoticed even by
the sedate and sober- Ali, for, directly it

appeared that he would have to travel in their
company, he quitted the ass procured for him
in lieu of the one he had lost, and mounted

a camel. Our route lay for some time along
the margin of a valley called W&di Gabir,

whose bed was but just moistened in the
centre by a stream, which, however, formed