They Were The Genuine Beasts Of The Desert, And It Was Sad
And Painful To Witness The Agony They Suffered When Thus They Were
Forced To Encounter The Fixed Habitations Of Men.
They shrank from
the beginning of every high narrow street as though from the
entrance of some horrible cave or bottomless pit; they sighed and
wept like women.
When at last we got them within the courtyard of
the khan they seemed to be quite broken-hearted, and looked round
piteously for their loving master; but no Selim came. I had
imagined that he would enter the town secretly by night in order to
carry off those five fine camels, his only wealth in this world,
and seemingly the main objects of his affection. But no; his dread
of civilisation was too strong. During the whole of the three days
that I remained at Gaza he failed to show himself, and thus
sacrificed in all probability not only his camels, but the money
which I had stipulated to pay him for the passage of the Desert.
In order, however, to do all I could towards saving him from this
last misfortune I resorted to a contrivance frequently adopted by
the Asiatics: I assembled a group of grave and worthy Mussulmans
in the courtyard of the khan, and in their presence paid over the
gold to a Sheik who was accustomed to communicate with the Arabs of
the Desert. All present solemnly promised that if ever Selim
should come to claim his rights, they would bear true witness in
his favour.
I saw a great deal of my old friend the Governor of Gaza. He had
received orders to send back all persons coming from Egypt, and
force them to perform quarantine at El Arish. He knew so little of
quarantine regulations, however, that his dress was actually in
contact with mine whilst he insisted upon the stringency of the
orders which he had received. He was induced to make an exception
in my favour, and I rewarded him with a musical snuffbox which I
had bought at Smyrna for the purpose of presenting it to any man in
authority who might happen to do me an important service. The
Governor was delighted with his toy, and took it off to his harem
with great exultation. He soon, however, returned with an altered
countenance; his wives, he said, had got hold of the box and put it
out of order. So short-lived is human happiness in this frail
world!
The Governor fancied that he should incur less risk if remained at
Gaza for two or three days more, and he wanted me to become his
guest. I persuaded him, however, that it would be better for him
to let me depart at once. He wanted to add to my baggage a roast
lamb and a quantity of other cumbrous viands, but I escaped with
half a horse-load of leaven bread, which was very good of its kind,
and proved a most useful present.
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