Page 187 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

148 TRAVELS IN OMAN. [CH.

our Arab guide. Yesterday morning they
grew more than usually importunate, but find­
ing I paid little attention, they took advan­

tage of our absence from the house, and threw
everything out of the bags in which our bag­

gage had been placed, breaking several of the
articles, and then took their departure. We

were consequently, on our return, left without
any means of quitting, and being aware of

the share the villagers had in the fracas, I
was anxious to leave before they should be

excited to any further mischief. I accordingly
went this morning to the Sheikh, who at first

evinced no inclination to assist us, but after
two hours’ talking, (for the Arabs never per­
form the most trifling undertaking or engage­

ment without an enormous expenditure of

words,) he agreed, upon the promise of a pre­
sent, not only to furnish us with asses, but also
to accompany us himself to Birket el Moge.

All was prepared by 8 30, and we then com­
menced our descent to Neswah by another

road, called Durbh Moidien: its general di­
rection being s. 13° e. it is unnecessary for me

to detail the windings of our route.
Before us, there rose from the centre of the