Page 139 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat
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120 SURVEY OF THE [cii.
time, that the high opinion Europeans had
hitherto entertained of Bedowin honor and
hospitality would no longer exist after such
an outrage when under their protection.
The success of Mohammed Ali’s army in
the Hedjaz was at this time doubtful, the in
surrection at Jiddah had also weakened his
authority, and ’Alayan was encouraged in his
knavery by the general opinion that Mo
hammed Ali was in a fair way to meet the
usual fate of a rebel Pacha.
With this specimen of the faith of an
Arab Sheikh, and expecting Sheikh Mugbul
every hour, who was to have passed us on to
’Akabah, and who might also have had a de
sire to fleece us, Captain Moresby deemed it
most advisable to satisfy the demand and re
turn to the ship. But it must be understood,
however, that in complying with such an act
of robbery, we had no means to prevent or
punish it, for here there is no anchorage, and
the Sheikh had no other town, or any boats
on which we could retaliate.
Magnah is nothing more than an extensive
date plantation, occupied by seven or eight
different tribes. Of these, the Omran Ho-
