DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11789#0117
ONE OF THE PARTY MISSING.
107
and probably its existence to the beautiful fountain
in the immediate vicinity. Our setting out from
Jerusalem had been retarded by some carelessness
or stupid neglect on the part of those who furnished
our horses, and before everything was satisfactorily
arranged, Mr. K-'s impatience was such that no
persuasion could induce him to await the starting of
the " caravan ;" so he dashed on ahead, with the
intention of visiting one or two interesting localities
situated at some distance from our road, which we
should have to miss, if we arrived at El Beer in sea-
sonable time that evening. "We had expected that
he would have met us on the road, and as we ap-
proached the place appointed for our encampment,
our eyes were strained in every direction to discover
him, but in vain. The evening was unusually cool,
and as I stood by, awaiting the erection of the tent,
I experienced for the first time in my travels, a
rather painful sense of loneliness, caused in part by
the chilly stillness that everywhere prevailed—the
village was at a considerable distance from us, and
we had now no band of Bedouins to guard our
tent as in the plain of Jericho—but chiefly by the
absence of our companion, whose vivacity and wit
constituted, on similar occasions, so important a
part of Our refreshment. But now, where he was,
107
and probably its existence to the beautiful fountain
in the immediate vicinity. Our setting out from
Jerusalem had been retarded by some carelessness
or stupid neglect on the part of those who furnished
our horses, and before everything was satisfactorily
arranged, Mr. K-'s impatience was such that no
persuasion could induce him to await the starting of
the " caravan ;" so he dashed on ahead, with the
intention of visiting one or two interesting localities
situated at some distance from our road, which we
should have to miss, if we arrived at El Beer in sea-
sonable time that evening. "We had expected that
he would have met us on the road, and as we ap-
proached the place appointed for our encampment,
our eyes were strained in every direction to discover
him, but in vain. The evening was unusually cool,
and as I stood by, awaiting the erection of the tent,
I experienced for the first time in my travels, a
rather painful sense of loneliness, caused in part by
the chilly stillness that everywhere prevailed—the
village was at a considerable distance from us, and
we had now no band of Bedouins to guard our
tent as in the plain of Jericho—but chiefly by the
absence of our companion, whose vivacity and wit
constituted, on similar occasions, so important a
part of Our refreshment. But now, where he was,