There were many mosques at Aila, and many Jews lived there; it was taken
by the Franks during the Crusades; but in 566, Salaheddyn transported
ships upon camels from Cairo to this place, and recovered it from them.
Near Aila was formerly situated a large and handsome town, called
Aszyoun [Arabic],” (Eziongeber.)
My guides told me, that in the sea opposite to the above mentioned
promontory of Ras Koreye, there is a small island; they affirmed that
they saw it distinctly, but I could not, for it was already dusk when
they pointed it out, and the next morning a thick fog covered the gulf.
Upon this island, according to their statement, are ruins of infidels,
but as no vessels are kept in these parts,
[p.512] Ayd, who had been here several times, had never been able to
take any close view of them; they are described as extensive, and built
of hard stone, and are called El Deir, “the convent,” a word often
applied by Arabs to any ruined building in which they suppose that the
priests of the infidels once resided.
The Bedouins in the neighbourhood of Akaba, as I have already observed,
are the Alouein, Omran, and Heywat. They are all three entitled to a
passage duty from the Hadj caravan; the Alouein exact it as owners of
the district extending from the western mountain, across the plain to
Akaba; the Heywat, as the possessors of the country from the well of
Themmed, to the summit of the same mountain; and the Omran as masters of
the desert from Akaba southward as far as the vicinity of Moeleh.
Caravans of these tribes come occasionally to Cairo in search of corn,
but they are independent of the Pasha of Egypt, of which they give
proofs, by continually plundering the loads of the Hadj caravans, and of
all those who pass the great Hadj route through their districts. Their
intercourse with Syria, especially with Khalyl, is much more frequent
than with Cairo.
We had had through the whole of this day a very intense Simoum, or hot-
wind, which continued also during the night. In the evening I bathed in
the sea, but found myself immediately afterwards as much heated as I had
been before. After retiring to sleep we were awakened by the barking of
Ayd’s dog, upon which Ayd springing up said he was sure that some people
were in the neighbourhood. We therefore got our guns ready, and sat by
the fire the whole night, for whatever may be the heat of the season,
the Bedouin must have his fire at night. Szaleh gave evident signs of
fear, but happily the morning came without realizing his apprehensions.
May 9th.—Ayd still expressed his certainty that somebody had
WADY MEZEIRYK
[p.513] approached us last night, so much confidence did he place in the
barking of his dog; he therefore advised me to hasten my way back, as
some Arabs might see our footsteps in the sand, and pursue us in quest
of a booty.
