It
Was Impossible To Refrain From Chastising His Insolence By A Polite And
Smiling Offer Of The Offending Pipe.
This made him draw his dagger
without a thought; but it was sheathed again, for we all cocked our
pistols, and these gentry prefer steel to lead.
We had travelled about
seventeen miles, and the direction of Al-Sufayna from our last halting
place was South-East five degrees. Though it was night when we
encamped, Shaykh Mas’ud set out to water his moaning camels: they had not
quenched their thirst for three days. He returned in a depressed state,
having been bled by the soldiery at the well to the extent of forty
piastres, or about eight shillings.
After supper we spread our rugs and prepared to rest. And here I first
remarked the coolness of the nights, proving, at this season of the
year, a considerable altitude above the sea. As a general rule the
atmosphere stagnated between sunrise and ten A.M., when a light wind
rose. During the forenoon the breeze strengthened, and it gradually
diminished through the afternoon. Often about sunset there was a gale
accompanied by dry storms of dust. At Al-Sufayna, though there was no
night-breeze and little dew, a blanket was necessary, and the hours of
darkness were invigorating enough to mitigate the effect of the sand
and Samum-ridden day. Before sleeping I was introduced to a namesake,
one Shaykh Abdullah, of Meccah. Having committed his Shugduf to his
son, a lad of fourteen, he had ridden forward on a dromedary, and had
suddenly fallen ill.
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