This He Did With The Natural Grace Of A Savage, And Was Led
Away Crying By His Companions, Who Embraced Him With Tears, And
They Parted With The Affection Of Brothers.
Now to hard-hearted and civilized people, who often school
themselves to feel nothing, or as little as they
Can, for
anybody, it may appear absurd to say that the scene was
affecting, but somehow or other it was; and in the course of
half-an-hour, those who would have deserted had become staunch
friends, and we were all, black and white, Mahometans and
Christians, wishing the pilgrim God speed upon his perilous
journey to Mecca.
The camels started, and, if the scene was affecting, the invalids
began to be more affected by the tartar emetic; this was the
third act of the comedy. The plot had been thoroughly ventilated:
the last act exhibited the perfect fidelity of my Tokrooris, in
whom I subsequently reposed much confidence.
In the afternoon of that day, the brothers Sheriff arrived; these
were the most renowned of all the sword-hunters of the Hamrans,
of whom I have already spoken; they were well mounted, and,
having met our caravan of camels on the route, heavily laden with
dried flesh, and thus seen proofs of our success, they now
offered to join our party. I am sorry to be obliged to confess,
that my ally, Abou Do, although a perfect Nimrod in sport, an
Apollo in personal appearance, and a gentleman in manner, was a
mean, covetous, and grasping fellow, and withal absurdly jealous.
Taher Sheriff was a more celebrated hunter, having had the
experience of at least twenty years in excess of Abou Do, and
although the latter was as brave and dexterous as Taher and his
brothers, he wanted the cool judgment that is essential to a
first-rate sportsman.
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