Owing to the absence of roads in the country the Arabs do not use
carts. All the carrying is done by camels, mules, or donkeys. The
donkeys are the commonest, being the cheapest; and very patient,
hard-working little servants they are.
On one of our tramps we came across an Arab standing very forlornly by
his donkey, which had fallen down. There was the little beast lying on
its side with its huge load of halfa grass partly across it, and the
owner quite at a loss to know what to do. This "halfa" or "esparto"
grass is collected by the Arabs on the mountain side, and brought down
and sold to merchants to go and make paper in England. It weighs very
heavy, which we soon found when we went to the assistance of the Arab,
and lifted the load off the donkey. The little animal seemed in no
hurry to rise from his comfortable position on the ground, and the
Arab was proceeding with a big stick to hint to him that it was time
to get up, when my wife intervened, and showed the Arab that this was
no way to treat the good little beast.
[Illustration: 1. IN DISTRESS.]
Having induced him at last to rise, the load of grass was up-ended,
the donkey put broadside on to it, and the burden was quickly hoisted
on to its back again.
[Illustration: 2. ALL HANDS TO THE RESCUE.]
So we had been able to do a little good turn to the man, though the
donkey did not probably appreciate it quite so much at first, but he
did in the end, for as soon as his load was securely on his back the
man started to whack him on along his road.
But again my wife put in a remonstrance, and the Arab, grasping her
meaning, refrained from using his stick, and coming back to us he gave
us each a hearty handshake, as if to show his gratitude for our help
and his determination to treat his four-footed friend with greater
kindness in the future.
[Illustration: 3. ALL PLEASED EXCEPT THE DONKEY.]
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