DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12664#0262
THE PACHA AND THE BEDOUINS. 249
running across the valley and extending up the
sides nearly to the top of the adjacent mountains,
built as a wall by the Bedouins of Sinai during
their war with the pacha of Egypt. Among the
strong and energetic measures of his government,
Mohammed Aly had endeavoured to reduce these
children of the desert under his iron rule ; to sub-
ject them to taxes, like his subjects of the Nile, and^
worse, to establish his oppressive system of milita-
ry conscription. But the free spirit of the un-
tameable could not brook this invasion of their in-
dependence. They plundered his caravans, drank
his best Mocha coffee, devoured his spices from
Arabia and India, and clothed themselves and their
wives in the rich silks intended for the harems of
the wealthy Turks. Hassan Bey was sent against
them with 2500 men; 400 Bedouins defended this
pass for several days, when, craftily permitting him
to force his way to the convent of Mount Sinai, the
tribes gathered in force between him and the Red
Sea, and held him there a prisoner until a treaty
of perpetual amity had been ratified by the pacha,
by which it was agreed that the pacha should not
invade their territory, and that they would be his
subjects, provided he would not call upon them for
duties, or soldiers, or, indeed, for any thing which
should abridge their natural freedom ; or, in other
words, that he might do as he pleased with them,
provided he did nothing but what suited them. It
was, in fact, the schoolboy's bargain, " Let me
alone and I will let you alone," and so it has been
faithfully kept by both parties} and I have no doubl
running across the valley and extending up the
sides nearly to the top of the adjacent mountains,
built as a wall by the Bedouins of Sinai during
their war with the pacha of Egypt. Among the
strong and energetic measures of his government,
Mohammed Aly had endeavoured to reduce these
children of the desert under his iron rule ; to sub-
ject them to taxes, like his subjects of the Nile, and^
worse, to establish his oppressive system of milita-
ry conscription. But the free spirit of the un-
tameable could not brook this invasion of their in-
dependence. They plundered his caravans, drank
his best Mocha coffee, devoured his spices from
Arabia and India, and clothed themselves and their
wives in the rich silks intended for the harems of
the wealthy Turks. Hassan Bey was sent against
them with 2500 men; 400 Bedouins defended this
pass for several days, when, craftily permitting him
to force his way to the convent of Mount Sinai, the
tribes gathered in force between him and the Red
Sea, and held him there a prisoner until a treaty
of perpetual amity had been ratified by the pacha,
by which it was agreed that the pacha should not
invade their territory, and that they would be his
subjects, provided he would not call upon them for
duties, or soldiers, or, indeed, for any thing which
should abridge their natural freedom ; or, in other
words, that he might do as he pleased with them,
provided he did nothing but what suited them. It
was, in fact, the schoolboy's bargain, " Let me
alone and I will let you alone," and so it has been
faithfully kept by both parties} and I have no doubl