DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5295#0203
170 TRAVELS IN EGYPT, NUBIA,
their cattle : an amicable treaty between both parties en-
sured safety from pillage. The cattle I had seen in the
valleys belonged to the Arabs: they were driven to pasture
during the day, and at night were brought back. In the
present infected state of the country I did not think it
prudent to enter the tents, to which I was invited by the
sheik: his women, who came out with their faces uncovered,
joined the men in their hospitable invitations.
On my return to the convent at Jerusalem, I found the
aga had brought the Arab chief of St. Jeremiah to make
his apologies to me. I recollected the face of the man who
had seized my bridle, and was rather astonished at the humi-
lity with which he excused himself for what he had done:
he professed great attachment to the British nation, and to
Sir Sidney Smith in particular, and promised that no English-
man should ever be stopped again. He begged me to accept
a horse in token of his good intentions, promised to send
his own slave to accompany me back to Ramla, and said he
should have refreshments prepared for me at his village. I
was obliged to go through the ceremony of accepting the
horse, which I again returned, as I could not, according to my
plans of travel, use it; this etiquette was necessary to prove
amity : we then touched hands in token of friendship, and
parted. The submission I had witnessed made me understand
that the country was under better government than a few
their cattle : an amicable treaty between both parties en-
sured safety from pillage. The cattle I had seen in the
valleys belonged to the Arabs: they were driven to pasture
during the day, and at night were brought back. In the
present infected state of the country I did not think it
prudent to enter the tents, to which I was invited by the
sheik: his women, who came out with their faces uncovered,
joined the men in their hospitable invitations.
On my return to the convent at Jerusalem, I found the
aga had brought the Arab chief of St. Jeremiah to make
his apologies to me. I recollected the face of the man who
had seized my bridle, and was rather astonished at the humi-
lity with which he excused himself for what he had done:
he professed great attachment to the British nation, and to
Sir Sidney Smith in particular, and promised that no English-
man should ever be stopped again. He begged me to accept
a horse in token of his good intentions, promised to send
his own slave to accompany me back to Ramla, and said he
should have refreshments prepared for me at his village. I
was obliged to go through the ceremony of accepting the
horse, which I again returned, as I could not, according to my
plans of travel, use it; this etiquette was necessary to prove
amity : we then touched hands in token of friendship, and
parted. The submission I had witnessed made me understand
that the country was under better government than a few