These Arabs Are Much Poorer Than The Aeneze, And Consequently
Live Much Worse.
Had it not been for the supply of butter which I bought
at Beszeyra, I should have had nothing
But dry bread to eat; there was
not a drop of milk to be got, for at this time of the year the ewes are
dry; of camels there was but about half a dozen in the whole encampment.
I here came to an explanation with my guide, who, I saw, was determined
to cheat me out of the wages he had already received. I told him that I
was tired of his subterfuges, and was resolved to travel with him no
longer, and I insisted upon his returning me the goats, or hiring me
another guide in his stead. He offered me only one of the goats; after a
sharp dispute therefore I arose, took my gun, and swore that I would
never re-enter his tent, accompanying my oath with a malediction upon
him, and upon those who should receive him into their encampment, for I
had been previously informed that he was not a real Howeytat, but of the
tribe of Billy, the individuals of which are dispersed over the whole
desert. On quitting his tent, I was surrounded by the Bedouins
[p.415] of the encampment, who told me that they had been silent till
now, because it was not their affair to interfere between a host and his
guest, but that they never would permit a stranger to depart in that
way; that I ought to declare myself to be under the Sheikh’s protection,
who would do me justice. This being what I had anticipated, I
immediately entered the tent of the Sheikh, who happened to be absent;
my guide now changed his tone, and began by offering me two goats to
settle our differences. In the evening the Sheikh arrived, and after a
long debate I got back my four goats, but the wheat which I had received
at Beszeyra, as the remaining part of the payment for my mare, was left
to the guide. In return for his good offices, the Sheikh begged me to
let him have my gun, which was worth about fifteen piastres; I presented
it to him, and he acknowledged the favour, by telling me that he knew an
honest man in a neighbouring encampment, who had a strong camel, and
would be ready to serve me as a guide.
August 18th.—I took a boy to shew me the way to this person, and driving
my little flock before us, we reached the encampment, which was about
one hour to the westward. The boy told the Bedouin that I had become the
Sheikh’s brother, I was therefore well received, and soon formed a
favourable opinion of this Arab, who engaged to take me to Cairo for the
four goats, which I was to deliver to him now, and twenty piastres
(about one pound sterling) to be paid on my arrival in Egypt. This will
be considered a very small sum for a journey of nearly four hundred
miles; but a Bedouin puts very little value upon time, fatigue, and
labour; while I am writing this, many hundred loaded camels, belonging
to Bedouins, depart every week from Cairo for Akaba, a journey of ten
days, for which they receive twenty-five piastres per camel. Had I been
known to be an European, I certainly should not have been able to move
without promising at least a thousand piastres to my guide. The
excursion of M. Boutin, a French traveller, from
SHOBAK
[p.416] Cairo to the Oasis of Jupiter Ammon, a journey of twelve days,
undertaken in the summer of 1812, cost for guides only, four thousand
piastres.
August 19th.—In the morning I went to the castle of Shobak, where I
wished to purchase some provisions. It was distant one hour and a
quarter from the encampment, in a S.E. direction. Shobak, also called
Kerek el Shobak (Arabic), perhaps the ancient Carcaria,[Euseb. de locis
S.S.] is the principal place in Djebel Shera; it is situated about one
hour to the south of the Ghoeyr, upon the top of a hill in the midst of
low mountains, which bears some resemblance to Kerek, but is better
adapted for a fortress, as it is not commanded by any higher mountains.
At the foot of the hill are two springs, surrounded by gardens and olive
plantations. The castle is of Saracen construction, and is one of the
largest to the south of Damascus; but it is not so solidly built as the
castle of Kerek. The greater part of the wall and several of the
bastions and towers are still entire. The ruins of a well built vaulted
church are now transformed into a public inn or Medhafe. Upon the
architraves of several gates I saw mystical symbols, belonging to the
ecclesiastical architecture of the lower empire. In several Arabic
inscriptions I distinguished the name of Melek el Dhaher. Where the hill
does not consist of precipitous rock, the surface of the slope is
covered with a pavement. Within the area of the castle a party of about
one hundred families of the Arabs Mellahein (Arabic) have built their
houses or pitched their tents. They cultivate the neighbouring grounds,
under the protection of the Howeytat, to whom they pay tribute. The
horsemen of the latter who happen to encamp near the castle, call
regularly every morning at one of the Medhafes of Shobak, in order to
have their mares fed; if the barley is refused, they next day kill one
of the sheep belonging to the town.
At one hour and a half north of Shobak, on the side of the
[p.417] Ghoeyr, lies the village of Shkerye (Arabic). From Shobak the
direction of Wady Mousa is S.S.W. Maan bears S.S.E. The mountain over
Dhana, N.N.E. To the east of the castle is an encampment of Bedouin
peasants, of the tribe of Hababene (Arabic), who cultivate the ground.
As I had no cash in silver, and did not wish to shew my sequins, I was
obliged to give in exchange for the provisions which I procured at
Shobak my only spare shirt, together with my red cap, and half my
turban.
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