Page 482 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

XXVI.] NAKAB EL HAJAR. 441

our safety, when it was discovered that Ha­

med had not accompanied us.

It was not indeed until afterwards that we

ascertained the extreme risk we had encoun­

tered on this journey; for the Diyabi Be-

dowins, finding we had passed through their

territory, lay in wait for us, under the im­

pression we should return by the same route.

But the ship fortunately took up a second

station, about twenty miles to the westward

of the former one, and on receiving intelli­

gence of that we returned by another and

more direct road to her. Some idea may be

formed of the reception destined for us from

the following incident:—A few days after­

wards, one of our boats was lying at anchor

close to the shore; a party of this tribe

appeared, and coolly kneeling, took delibe­

rate aim, and fired into her. The midship­

man in charge very quickly returned it, but

no blood was shed.

The success which has attended this brief

journey to the interior will, it is hoped, prove

an inducement to others to follow up our re­

searches. Had I been differently situated,

I should have proceeded on to ’Abban, on the

road to which there are at a village called