Page 225 - Neglected Arabia Vol 1 (2)

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NEGLECTED ARABIA 15
can alVurd tu do so but when poor people offer their little, but their
beat, at Ui*wu sacrifice to themselves and one tries to remember their
jKjverty and to eat sparingly, it bothers one to see Arab helpers who
have no "conscientious objections” in the matter eat greedily of what is
placed before them.
After bidding adieu to our host we were off. A strong wind had
blown up and the first part of the way was hard going because of the
water. We returned by a slightly different route and so had the
experience of having our mashhoof lowered over a dam to lower
level. We got back to the launch about midafternoon, hot and thirsty,
hut well satisfied with our visit. As we saw the importance of all
these streams in their many ramifications and noticed the difference in
vegetation where water was abundant and where it was l$ss so, there
came to mind, with a new emphasis the importance of the words front
iuekiel’s prophecy: “and everyth'.ng shall live wherever the river
coiiieth/’ I hese words brought before u*’. a very' vivid picture of the
physical blessings the river brings in this hot and dry land but the
unport of the words loomed up larger and more forceful in its spiritual
I meaning. Where the river of life comes there will be life, and O! the
pity of it, what a small trickle is the Gospel stream until now, how
many parched, dry places there still are, still so many barren waite?.
what a preparing of soil there is ‘.till before us. On the other hand
what cause for gratitude we have that this work has been begun
alter so many years of desire and \ rayer. It is now our duty to push
thi> work with the utmost endeavor.
Kcturiling to Uni Ain a few mure cull* were made mid then a
million return was decided upon because the sheikh there had two
lick suns, both down with fever. 1 hey had had quinine hut seemed to
thilik the treatment was not what it shouhl be, and the hoys, like
qioilcd sons of an imperious sheikh, grunted and groaned very hard
although they were no: nearly as sick as the two boys referred t»'
previously. The sheikh decided re send his sons to Aipara with us,
tat wanted us to leave at once, though it was after dark, This was
pot very wise and since there was no emergency, Mr. Dykstra held
out for early morning and the sheikh agreed rather unwillingly. In
the meantime a very sick policeman was taken aboard to be taken <o
Amaru and a family group of women. The next morning we waited
long but the sheikh's boat did not appear so finally a messenger was
•cut who returned with the curt message that we could go. Once more
ihn petty sheikh who came into power only recently ,-erified the reputa-
he bears. With our cargo of twelve passengers we returned, going
*p stream all the way, making the trip in about five hours. Here enu.-»
^ lug to date.

Amara, May 31, 1924.