Page 81 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

62 SLIERM TO SINAI. [CH.

ing of the 8th, accompanied by the purser
and three European seamen, and after the
usual wrangling and clamour amidst the
Arabs respecting the distribution and pack­
ing of the few articles the party had with
them, about nine o’clock we proceeded on our
journey*. The route continued in a north­

westerly direction along the sea-shore, but
was so rugged, that we were compelled to
walk; about one o’clock, we halted near a
few straggling mimosa trees. Our guides
proved better Mussulmans than those who
accompanied me on my journey from Tor,
for they neither partook of spirits, nor
neglected the observance of the Ramadan.
The party now distributed themselves to
obtain firewood, but were soon recalled by

the intelligence that the Bedowins possessed
a store, which had been cut and left to dry
near our encampment. Such stores are con­
sidered the common property of the tribe in
whose territories they are found, and as they

* As I was enabled to fix the position of Sinai with exactness,
by observation, I have not swollen this chapter with the dry
detail of the names of each particular valley or locality. They
will all be found correctly detailed in the map.