DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12664#0266
A DIVIDED DUTY.
253
stop to read on this lonely rock a greeting in his
native tongue, I sought with great care a stone
that would serve as a pencil. It made a mark
which did not suit me, and I laid it down to break
it into a better shape, but only smashed my fingers,
and in one moment all my enthusiasm of sentiment
was gone ; I crammed my fingers into my mouth,
and danced about the rock in an a^-my of heroics ;
and so my inscription remained unwritten.
At seven o'clock of the tenth day from Cairo, I
was again on my dromedary, and during the whole
day the lofty top of Sinai was constantly before me.
We were now in a country of friendly Arabs. The
Bedouins around Mount Sinai were all of the same
tribe, and the escort of any child of that tribe was
a sufficient protection. About nine o'clock Toua-
leb left me for his tent among the mountains. He
was a little at a loss, having two wives living in
separate tents, at some distance from each other,
and he hesitated which to visit. I made it my bu-
siness to pry into particulars, and found the sub-
stance of the Arab's nature not much different from
other men's. Old ties and a sense of duty called
him to his old wife—to her who had been his only
wife when he was young and poor; but something
stronger than old ties or the obligation of duty im-
pelled him to his younger bride. Like the Prophet
whom he worshipped, he honoured and respected
his old wife, but his heart yearned to her younger
and more lovely rival.
The last was by far the most interesting day of
my journey to Mount Sinai. We were moving
VOL. I.-Y
253
stop to read on this lonely rock a greeting in his
native tongue, I sought with great care a stone
that would serve as a pencil. It made a mark
which did not suit me, and I laid it down to break
it into a better shape, but only smashed my fingers,
and in one moment all my enthusiasm of sentiment
was gone ; I crammed my fingers into my mouth,
and danced about the rock in an a^-my of heroics ;
and so my inscription remained unwritten.
At seven o'clock of the tenth day from Cairo, I
was again on my dromedary, and during the whole
day the lofty top of Sinai was constantly before me.
We were now in a country of friendly Arabs. The
Bedouins around Mount Sinai were all of the same
tribe, and the escort of any child of that tribe was
a sufficient protection. About nine o'clock Toua-
leb left me for his tent among the mountains. He
was a little at a loss, having two wives living in
separate tents, at some distance from each other,
and he hesitated which to visit. I made it my bu-
siness to pry into particulars, and found the sub-
stance of the Arab's nature not much different from
other men's. Old ties and a sense of duty called
him to his old wife—to her who had been his only
wife when he was young and poor; but something
stronger than old ties or the obligation of duty im-
pelled him to his younger bride. Like the Prophet
whom he worshipped, he honoured and respected
his old wife, but his heart yearned to her younger
and more lovely rival.
The last was by far the most interesting day of
my journey to Mount Sinai. We were moving
VOL. I.-Y