DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5074#0130
114
'ain jidi.
The splendour of the sunset colouring had scarcely
faded when the full moon—-a globe of pure fire—■
started up from behind the eastern mountains, and
spread a broad flood of silver and gold over the sea and
land: even the Bedoueens seemed subdued into silence
by the superb loveliness of the scene, and left off singing,
to repeat again and again, in low tones, " Quiyis — quiyis
keteer!" and the sweet cool breeze tried to console us
for the excessive fatigue which had now overtaken us.
About seven o'clock the welcome sound of rushing waters
met our ears, and we were soon struggling up the steep
ascent — too steep to ride in the dark ■—■ to the " foun-
tain of the kid," 'Ain Jidi, where our tents were pitched,
just beyond the thick bosquets of deliciously shady trees
that cluster round the spring. We were thankful indeed
to see them, all the more when we heard that the servants
had had rather a skirmish in getting there, the Ba~
shaidya Bedoueens of the place having refused to admit
the Jehaleen Bedoueens, as escort, into their territory;
nor would they, even at the last, allow the camp to be
placed very near the water. We went to bed, rejoicing
in the prospect of a quiet Sunday's rest on the morrow,
in this beautiful spot.
Nothing could be more delicious than the climate here,
— although, probably, oppressively and most unhealthily
hot in summer and spring, it was now quite perfect —
warm, fresh and balmy; and we would gladly have
stayed for many days, enjoying the superb colouring and
the pleasant trees, but that no food being procurable
nearer than Hebron, for either man or beast, we could
have only one day to linger ; and the Arabs were un-
willing to grant even that much use of the spring. Soon
after breakfast we heard loud and angry words : the:
Eashaidya Bedoueens refused to let our men take any
'ain jidi.
The splendour of the sunset colouring had scarcely
faded when the full moon—-a globe of pure fire—■
started up from behind the eastern mountains, and
spread a broad flood of silver and gold over the sea and
land: even the Bedoueens seemed subdued into silence
by the superb loveliness of the scene, and left off singing,
to repeat again and again, in low tones, " Quiyis — quiyis
keteer!" and the sweet cool breeze tried to console us
for the excessive fatigue which had now overtaken us.
About seven o'clock the welcome sound of rushing waters
met our ears, and we were soon struggling up the steep
ascent — too steep to ride in the dark ■—■ to the " foun-
tain of the kid," 'Ain Jidi, where our tents were pitched,
just beyond the thick bosquets of deliciously shady trees
that cluster round the spring. We were thankful indeed
to see them, all the more when we heard that the servants
had had rather a skirmish in getting there, the Ba~
shaidya Bedoueens of the place having refused to admit
the Jehaleen Bedoueens, as escort, into their territory;
nor would they, even at the last, allow the camp to be
placed very near the water. We went to bed, rejoicing
in the prospect of a quiet Sunday's rest on the morrow,
in this beautiful spot.
Nothing could be more delicious than the climate here,
— although, probably, oppressively and most unhealthily
hot in summer and spring, it was now quite perfect —
warm, fresh and balmy; and we would gladly have
stayed for many days, enjoying the superb colouring and
the pleasant trees, but that no food being procurable
nearer than Hebron, for either man or beast, we could
have only one day to linger ; and the Arabs were un-
willing to grant even that much use of the spring. Soon
after breakfast we heard loud and angry words : the:
Eashaidya Bedoueens refused to let our men take any