The Monks
Live In Such Constant Dread Of The Bedouins, Who Knowing Very Well Their
Timid Disposition, Take Every Opportunity
To strengthen their fears,
that they believe a person is going to certain destruction who trusts
himself to the guidance
Of these Bedouins any where but on the great
road to Suez or to Tor. I had been particularly pleased with the
character and behaviour of Hamd Ibn Zoheyr, the Bedouin who had joined
us at Suez; and not being equally satisfied with the guide who had
brought me from Cairo, I discharged him, and engaged Hamd for the
journey to Akaba; he did not know the road himself, but one of his
uncles who had been there assured us that he was well acquainted with
the tribe of Heywat, which we should meet on the road, and with all the
passages of the country; I therefore engaged him together with Hamd.
As no visitor of the convent is permitted to leave it without the
knowledge of one of the Ghafyrs, who has a right to share in the profits
of the escort, I was obliged to give a few piastres to him who is at
present the director of the affairs of the convent in the desert. The
Arabs have established here the same custom which I remarked in my
journey from Tor to Cairo. Every one who is present at the departure of
a stranger or of a loaded camel from the convent is entitled to a fee,
provided the traveller has not passed
WADY SAL
[p.492] a line, which is about one mile from the convent.
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