No
Sooner Had We Arrived In The Flooded Country Than My Wife Was
Seized With A Sudden And Severe Attack, Which Necessitated A Halt
Upon The March, As She Could No Longer Sit Upon Her Camel.
In the
evening, several hundreds of Arabs arrived, and encamped around
our fire.
It was shortly after sunset, and it was interesting to
watch the extreme rapidity with which these swarthy sons of the
desert pitched their camp--a hundred fires were quickly blazing;
the women prepared the food, children sat in clusters round the
blaze, as all were wet from paddling through the puddled ground,
from which they were retreating.
No sooner was the bustle of arrangement completed, than a grey
old man stepped forward, and, responding to his call, every man
of the hundreds present formed in line, three or four deep. At
once there was total silence, disturbed only by the crackling of
the fires, or by the cry of a child; and with faces turned to the
east, in attitudes of profound devotion, the wild but fervent
followers of Mahomet repeated their evening prayer.
The flickering red light of the fires illumined the bronze faces
of the congregation, and as I stood before the front line of
devotees, I took off my cap in respect for their faith, and at
the close of their prayer I made my salaam to their venerable
Faky (priest); he returned the salutation with the cold dignity
of an Arab. In this part the coorbatch of the Turk was
unnecessary, and we shortly obtained supplies of milk.
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