Page 479 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

438 NAKAB EL HAJAR. [CH.

Having now made all the necessary obser­

vations on the ruins and the surrounding
country, our Bedowins, as evening was ap­

proaching, became clamorous for us to depart.
About four p.m. we finished loading the

camels, and travelled until near sunset, when
we halted near one of the villages.

Our reception there was very different from
that which we experienced at the first village

on our journey from the well. Though about
fifty men crowded around us, their curiosity,

though much heightened by all they saw, was
restrained within the bounds of good taste.

The questions they asked respecting our
journey were proposed with a degree of delb

cacy which surprised and pleased me. Milk,
water, and firewood were brought to us almost

unsolicited, for which we had nothing to re­

turn but our thanks. I much regretted on
this occasion being unprovided with some
trifling presents, which we might have left

as a memorial of the Englishman’s sojourn

among them. What a different impression
we might have formed of this people had we

drawn our opinion from our guides or our first
reception

Saturday, May 2nd. Starting shortly after