Page 457 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

418 NAKAB EL HAJAR. [CH.

of our business, &c.? his reply was, that we
were Kafirs going to visit Nakab el Hajar,

in order to seek for treasure. Others he gra­
tified with the intelligence that we arrived
here to examine and report on their country,
of which we were desirous of obtaining pos­

session. In vain I endeavoured to impose
silence, he laughed outright at my expostu­

lation ; while oui- guides, either disliking to
be seen in our company, or having some busi­
ness of their own, left us the instant we arrived
near the village.

They returned shortly after sunset, and we
were preparing to halt near a small hamlet,

when the inhabitants sent a message, request­
ing they would remove us from the vicinity of
their habitations. Remonstrances or resist­
ance, except on the part of our guides, who

remained quiet spectators of all which was
passing without an attempt at interference,
would have been equally vain, and we were

consequently obliged to submit.
Being now dark, it became evident that
our guides had but an imperfect idea of the

road, for we had not proceeded more than
three or four miles, when we found ourselves