A Lamp Gleamed From The Window Of The Apartment
Which I Had Quitted, And The Camels, Donkeys, And People Belonging
To The United Parties, Formed Themselves Into Very Picturesque Groups
Upon The Sand, Constituting Altogether A Picture Which Could Not Fail
To Excite Many Agreeable Sensations.
The whitened bones of animals
perishing from fatigue and thirst, while attempting to cross the arid
expanse, associated in
Our minds with privation, toil, and danger,
told too truly that these notions were not purely ideal; but here
was a scene of rest and repose which the desert had never before
presented; and mean and inconvenient as the building I contemplated
might be, its very existence in such a place seemed almost a marvel,
and the imagination, kindling at the sight, could scarcely set bounds
to its expectations for the future. In the present frame of my mind,
however, I was rather disturbed by the indications of change already
commenced, and still to increase. I had long desired to spend a night
alone upon the desert, and without wandering to a dangerous distance,
I placed a ridge of sand between my solitary station and the objects
which brought the busy world to view, and indulged in thoughts of
scenes and circumstances which happened long ago.
According to the best authorities, we were in the track of the
Israelites, and in meditations suggested by this interesting portion
of Bible history, the time passed so rapidly, that I was surprised
when I found the people astir and preparing for our departure. My
garments were rather damp with the night-dews, for, having left some
of my friends sleeping upon my fur cloak, I had gone out more lightly
attired than perhaps was prudent. I was not, therefore, sorry to find
myself warmly wrapped up, and in my chair, in which I should have
slept very comfortably, had Hot the man who guided the donkeys taken
it into his head to quarrel with one of his comrades, and to bawl out
his grievances close to my ear. My wakefulness was, however, amply
repaid by the most glorious sunrise I ever witnessed. The sky had been
for some time obscured by clouds, which had gathered themselves in a
bank upon the Eastern horizon. The sun's rays started up at once,
like an imperial crown, above this bank, and as they darted their
glittering spears, for such they seemed, along the heavens, the
clouds, dispersing, formed into a mighty arch, their edges becoming
golden; while below all was one flush of crimson light. Neither at sea
nor on land had I ever witnessed any thing so magnificent as this,
and those who desire to see the god of day rise in the fulness of his
majesty must make a pilgrimage to the desert.
We made no stay at the rest-house, which we reached about nine o'clock
in the morning; and here, for the last time, we saw the governor of
Jiddah and his party, winding along at some distance, and giving life
and character to the desert.
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