Too Much Publicity Is Certainly
Injurious To A Journey Of Discovery, And Far And Near Awakens Attention
And Suspicion; But A Too Sudden And Unexpected Appearance In The Towns
Of The Desert, Equally Excites Distrust And Suspicion, If Not Hostile
Feelings.
Mr. Robertson, whilst at Morocco, heard one of the numerous versions of
the death of Mr. Davidson.
He is said to have been killed by the mere
freak of a young Arab, who wished to have the pleasure of killing a
Christian, and who called out to his companions, "Come, let us go and
have a shot at the Christian." The party of Arabs to whom this
mischievous young man belonged, was afterwards extremely grieved at what
had been done. One of the Arabs, in plundering the baggage, lost his
hand by breaking a bottle containing aqua fortis. The glass cut a large
gash, and the aqua fortis entering immediately, consumed the hand. The
people cried out, "The devils of the Christian are in the water!" From
all I have heard, the great fault of Davidson appears to have been his
wishing to travel as like "a fine gentleman." This prejudiced all his
travelling-companions against him, and could not fail to render him
unpopular wherever he went.
It is of no use for a man to cry out in the Desert, "I am an
Englishman!" he must exclaim, "I am an Arab, and will do and suffer like
an Arab." If any one were to ask me, "What would carry a roan to
Timbuctoo through the Desert?
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