He set out, but had not proceeded a mile before he
saw the robbers running upon him from different quarters, and
endeavouring to cut him off from the road. They fired at him, upon which
he returned their fire, and gallopped back to the castle. The officer
and his valiant garrison were now thrown into the greatest
consternation, and could not devise any means of relief. I offered to
ride to Suez, provided the officer would lend me his horse; but he
appeared to be more afraid of losing the horse, than of dying from
thirst. Being thus unable to effect any thing, I was under the necessity
of waiting patiently till the great caravan from Suez should pass.
June 10th.—There was now not a drop of sweet water in the castle, and
all that we could procure of the well-water of Adjeroud had been
standing in the tank since it was filled from the well at the time of
the last pilgrimage. The wheels of the well, which is two hundred and
fifty feet in depth, are put in motion only at that time; during the
rest of the year the building which encloses the well is shut up; and
the person who keeps the key was now at Cairo. The water we were thus
obliged to drink was saline, putrid, and of a yellow green colour, so
that boiling produced no improvement in it, and our stomachs could not
retain it.
June 11th.—A slight shower of rain fell, which the Turk ascribed to his
prayers; but all the water we could collect in every vessel which the
castle could furnish, scarcely afforded to each of us a draught. Hamd
made a second attempt to night to go to Suez, but it being unfortunately
moonlight, he was seen and again driven back.
June 12th.—After three days blockade, I had the pleasure of descrying
the Suez caravan at a distance, on its way towards
WADY KHOUYFERA
[p.629] Cairo; we immediately got every thing ready, and when the
caravan was opposite the castle, at about twenty minutes distance, Hamd
and I hastily joined it. What became of the officer and his garrison, I
never heard. I bought of the Bedouins of the caravan a supply of water,
sufficient to last me to Cairo.
Although the passage of this desert is less dangerous than formerly, it
is impossible to protect it effectually, without establishing a small
body of horsemen or dromedaries at Adjeroud; and it is a discredit to
the government of Egypt, that this is not done.
