[p.408] the last friendly service of Sheikh Youssef towards me, but I
afterwards learnt, that he received for his interest in making the
bargain, fifteen piastres from the Arab, who, instead of eighty, would
have been content with forty piastres. After the Sheikh had departed on
his return, my new guide told me that his camels were at another
encampment, one days distance to the south, and that he had but one
with him, which was necessary for the transport of his tent. This avowal
was sufficient to make me understand the character of the man, but I
still relied on the Sheikhs recommendation. In order to settle with the
guide I sold my mare for four goats and for thirty-five piastres worth
of corn, a part of which I delivered to him, and I had the remainder
ground into flour, for our provision during the journey; he took the
goats in payment of his services, and it was agreed that I should give
him twenty piastres more on reaching Cairo. I had still about eighty
piastres in gold, but kept them carefully concealed in case of some
great emergency; for I knew that if I were to shew a single sequin, the
Arabs would suppose that I possessed several hundreds, and would either
have robbed me of them, or prevented me from proceeding on my journey by
the most exorbitant demands.
August 13th.I remained two days at Beszeyra, and then set out with the
family of my guide, consisting of his wife, two children, and a servant
girl. We were on foot, and drove before us the loaded camel and a few
sheep and goats. Our road ascended; at three quarters of an hour, we
came to a spring in the mountain. The rock is here calcareous, with
basalt. At two hours and a half was Ain Djedolat (Arabic), a spring of
excellent water; here the mountain is overgrown with short Balout trees.
At the end of two hours and three quarters, direction S. we reached the
top of the mountain, which is covered with large blocks of basalt. Here
a fine view opened upon us; to our right we had the deep valley of Wady
Dhana, with the village of the