Page 36 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

i.J t6r to suez. 19

desirous of ascertaining the reason; and, in
answer to my inquiries, was assured that they
were the abode of spirits. At first those with
whom we were conversing could not be per­
suaded that we designed to pass the night
there; but when we had spread our carpets
within, and made the usual preparations for
that purpose, they endeavoured to excite our
fears by narrating the misfortunes of those
whom rashness or ill-luck had brought after
dark to their vicinity ; but, finding their argu­

ments unavailing, before the sun had set, we
found ourselves deserted by the whole party.
In the morning, it was discovered that no other
interruption to our slumbers had occurred be­
yond the passing of a snake, probably at­
tracted by our fire, over the face of one of the
party ; and when our Arab friends rejoined us,
and discovered this to be the case, they, with­
out hesitation, referred our escape to an alli­
ance with the supernatural tenants of these
rocky retreats, and thus furnished themselves
with a satisfactory elucidation of our eager­

ness to pass the night within them. I was
much amused at the eagerness with which
they disputed all our assigned motives after
c 2