[p.417] Ghoeyr, lies the village of Shkerye (Arabic). From Shobak the
direction of Wady Mousa is S.S.W. Maan bears S.S.E. The mountain over
Dhana, N.N.E. To the east of the castle is an encampment of Bedouin
peasants, of the tribe of Hababene (Arabic), who cultivate the ground.
As I had no cash in silver, and did not wish to shew my sequins, I was
obliged to give in exchange for the provisions which I procured at
Shobak my only spare shirt, together with my red cap, and half my
turban. The provisions consisted of flour, butter, and dried Leben, or
sour milk mixed with flour and hardened in the sun, which makes a most
refreshing drink when dissolved in water. There are several Hebron
merchants at Shobak.
August 20th.I remained in the tent of my new guide, who delayed his
departure, in order to obtain from his friends some commissions for
Cairo, upon which he might gain a few piastres. In the afternoon of this
day we had a shower of rain, with so violent a gust of wind, that all
the tents of the encampment were thrown down at the same moment, for the
poles are fastened in the ground very carelessly during the summer
months.
August 21st.The whole encampment broke up in the morning, some Bedouins
having brought intelligence that a strong party of Beni Szakher had been
seen in the district of Djebal. The greater part of the males of the
Howeytat together with their principal Sheikh Ibn Rashyd (Arabic), were
gone to Egypt, in order to transport the Pashas army across the desert
to Akaba and Yambo; we had therefore no means of defence against these
formidable enemies, and were obliged to take refuge in the neighbourhood
of Shobak, where they would not dare to attack the encampment. When the
Bedouins encamp in small numbers, they choose a spot surrounded by high
ground, to prevent their tents from being