Arabs, with sword and shield, and white topes or
plaids, guided their milk-white dromedaries .through
the confused throng with the usual placid dignity of
their race, simply passing by with the usual greeting,
“ Salaam aleikum,” “ Peace be with you.”
It was the Exodus ; all were hurrying towards the
promised land—the “ land flowing with milk and
honey,” where men and beasts would be secure not
only from the fevers of the south, but from that
deadly enemy to camels and cattle, the Jly ; this
terrible insect drove all before it.
If all were right in migrating tp the north, it was
a logical conclusion that we were wrong in going to
the south during the rainy season ; however, we now
heard from the Arabs that we were within a couple
of hours’ march from the camp of the great Sheik
Achmet Abou Sinn, to whom I had a letter of introduction.
At the expiration of about that time we-
halted, and pitched the tents among some shady
mimosas, while I sent Mahomet to Abou Sinnjwith
the letter, and my firman.
I was busily engaged in making sundry necessary
arrangements in the tent, when Mahomet returned,
and announced the arrival of the great sheik in
person. He was attended by several of his principal
people, and as he approached through the bright
green mimosas, mounted upon a beautiful snow-white
hygeen, I was exceedingly struck with his venerable
and dignified appearance. Upon near arrival I went
forward to meet him, and to assist him from his
camel; but his animal knelt immediately at his cdmmand,
and he dismounted with the ease and agility of
a man of twenty.
He was the most magnificent specimen of an Arab
that I have ever seen. -Although upwards of eighty
years of age, he was as erect as a lance, and did not
appear more than between fifty and sixty ; he was of
Herculean stature, about six feet three inches high,
with immensely broad shoulders and chest ; a T-p.ma.rk-
ably arched nose ; eyes like an eagle, beneath large,
shaggy, but perfectly white eyebrows ; a snow-white
beard of great thickness descended below thé middle
of his breast. He wore a large white turban, and a
white cashmere abbai or long robe, from the throat
to the ankles. As a desert patriarch he was superb,
the very perfection of all that the imagination could
paint, if we would personify Abraham at the head of
his people. This grand old Arab with the greatest
politeness insisted upon our immediately accompanying
him to his camp, as he could not allow us to
remain in his country as strangers. He would hear of
no excuses, but he at once gave orders to Mahomet to
have the baggage repacked and the tents removed,
while we were requested to mount two superb white
hygeens, with saddle-cloths of blue Persian sheepskins,
that he had immediately accoutred when he
heard from Mahomet of our miserable camels. The
tent was struck, and we joined our venerable host with
a line of wild and splendidly-mounted attendants,
■who followed us towards the sheik’s encampment.