Page 40 - Arabian Studies (V)

30 Arabian Studies V
W.S.W. At 3 hours wc entered the desert, a low range of hills extending on
our right. At six hours we stopped at a well for the night. I had some words
with the Bedouins, who talked of deviating from the direct route to visit
their tribe; this looking suspicious, I determined to be on my guard. I had
little fear from open violence being in point of equipment far superior to
them and their camels of the heavy draught kind, could not compete in
speed with the light dromedary 1 rode.
19th. Started in the morning after prayers the course nearly the same as
yesterday, the sand being very loose rendered our rate of travelling but
slow. Wc stopped at noon, the Bedouin camels appearing fatigued. While
pretending to sleep I overheard a conversation in which one of the
Bedouins by name Eaisan was attempting to persuade his comrades to join
in a plan for robbing me and leaving me in the desert. To this they generally
assented but differed in opinion as to the manner the robbery was to be
perpetrated, one of them said it would be quite impossible owing to the
pistols which 1 carried and which made me more than a match for them—
they at last came to the determination of taking me to their tribe which they
described as laying a few hours to the southward of the road we were
pursuing.
20th. On mounting this morning the course was changed to the South. On
enquiring the reason they told me it was absolutely necessary we should call
at their encampment owing to the skins in which they carried water having
become bad; to this I replied that it was not my intention to deviate from
the road and that I should either proceed on my journey or return to
Elriasa. Finding me resolute in my determination not to accompany them,
after a great deal of whispering two of them undertook to ride to the
encampment for the purpose of fetching other skins (of course intending to
bring a reinforcement). To this l consented thinking it better to have to deal
with one than three; they therefore set out I having promised to await their
return leaving Eaisan (the most determined of them) with me; as soon as
they were out of sight I went up to him and taxed him with his villainy,
telling him that it was only the disinclination I had to shedding human
blood that prevented me from shooting him on the spot, giving him to
understand that I intended returning to Elriasa immediately and if he
I 'stirred while I remained in sight I would come back and shoot him. He did
not appear at all abashed at this but attempted to draw his sword but while
in the act 1 gave him a blow in the mouth with the hilt of mine which
•I brought him to the ground. I then mounted and rode off at full speed, the
weather being calm, the tracks we had left still remained and I had little
difficulty in finding my way at dusk. I stopped to breathe my dromedary
and wait till the rising moon should enable me to continue my journey.
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21st. I arrived this morning at Elriasa. Finding the impossibility of getting
redress I determined to keep my adventure a secret, took my residence with
Salem my former host to whom I excused myself for returning so soon, by
telling him that I had changed my mind about going to Readth and had
therefore only gone as far as Mehboorey.
22nd. I went this morning to visit Abdulla Ben Amer as I had before given
myself out as a Mameluke of Doud Pasha, and had frequently in that

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