DELICATE NEGOTIATIONS. ' 61
turn me what was left. I suspected, that as he
could not find out from Paul either how much I
had with me, or what I intended to give him, this
story of the tribute was merely a pretext to levy
an immediate contribution. The precise danger
I had to fear was, that he would get my money
from me piecemeal, and when we came among
Bedouins, where it would be necessary to buy my
peace, go off and leave me to their mercy. I did
not want to have any rupture with him, particu-
larly at the moment when I was at the very
door of Petra, and might lose all that I had been
endeavouring with so much personal difficulty to
accomplish; and therefore told him, as to the
bucksheesh for entering Petra, that I expected,
and when we should arrive there and learn how
much it was, would be ready to pay it j but, in the
meantime, for any little casual expense that might
be incurred, I would give him a purse of five hun-
dred piasters, or twenty-five dollars. Touching the
hire of the camels, I said that I did not expect to
pay it until we should arrive at Hebron ; and hurl-
ing back upon him one of his own flourishes, told
him that it was distrusting my honour to ask it now.
I reminded him of our conversation at Cairo, re-
marking that I had eome into the desert upon the
faith of his promise j and he replied very imperti-
nently, if not menacingly, that one word here was
worth a hundred at Cairo. I was somewhat
roused at this, and, determined not be dragooned
into compliance, forgot for a moment my prudea-
i?2
turn me what was left. I suspected, that as he
could not find out from Paul either how much I
had with me, or what I intended to give him, this
story of the tribute was merely a pretext to levy
an immediate contribution. The precise danger
I had to fear was, that he would get my money
from me piecemeal, and when we came among
Bedouins, where it would be necessary to buy my
peace, go off and leave me to their mercy. I did
not want to have any rupture with him, particu-
larly at the moment when I was at the very
door of Petra, and might lose all that I had been
endeavouring with so much personal difficulty to
accomplish; and therefore told him, as to the
bucksheesh for entering Petra, that I expected,
and when we should arrive there and learn how
much it was, would be ready to pay it j but, in the
meantime, for any little casual expense that might
be incurred, I would give him a purse of five hun-
dred piasters, or twenty-five dollars. Touching the
hire of the camels, I said that I did not expect to
pay it until we should arrive at Hebron ; and hurl-
ing back upon him one of his own flourishes, told
him that it was distrusting my honour to ask it now.
I reminded him of our conversation at Cairo, re-
marking that I had eome into the desert upon the
faith of his promise j and he replied very imperti-
nently, if not menacingly, that one word here was
worth a hundred at Cairo. I was somewhat
roused at this, and, determined not be dragooned
into compliance, forgot for a moment my prudea-
i?2