[p.445] than that of the Araba, is perhaps one thousand feet lower than
the eastern desert. We had now before us an immense expanse of dreary
country entirely covered with black flints, with here and there some
hilly chains rising from the plain. About six hours distant, to our
right, were the hills near Wady Szays (Arabic). The horizon being very
clear near sunset, my companions pointed out to me the mountains of
Kerek, which bore N.E. by N. Djebel Dhana bore N.E. by F., and Djebel
Hesma S.S.E. I must here observe, that during all my journeys in the
deserts I never allowed the Arabs to get a sight of my compass, as it
would certainly have been considered by them as an instrument of magic.
When on horseback I took the bearings, unseen, beneath my wide Arab
cloak; under such circumstances it is an advantage to ride a mare, as
she may easily be taught to stand quite still. When mounted on, a camel,
which can never be stopped while its companions are moving on, I was
obliged to jump off when I wished to take a bearing, and to couch down
in the oriental manner, as if answering a call of nature. The Arabs are
highly pleased with a traveller who jumps off his beast and remounts
without stopping it, as the act of kneeling down is troublesome and
fatiguing to the loaded camel, and before it can rise again, the caravan
is considerably ahead. From Djebel Beyane we continued in the plain for
upwards of an hour; and stopped for the night in a Wady which contains
Talh trees, and extends across the plain for about half an hour. We had
this day marched eleven hours.
August 28th.In the morning we passed two broad Wadys full of tamarisks
and of Talh trees, which have given to them the name of Abou Talhha
(Arabic). At the end of four hours we reached Wady el Lahyane (Arabic).
In this desert the water collects in a number of low bottoms and Wadys,
where it produces verdure in winter time: and an abundance of trees with
[p.446] green leaves are found throughout the year. In the winter some
of the Arabs of Ghaza, Khalyl, as well as those from the shores of the
Red sea, encamp here. The Wady Lahyane [The road from Akaba to Ghaza
passes here. It is a journey of eight long days. The watering places on
it are, El Themmed (Arabic), Mayeyu (Arabic), and Berein (Arabic). The
distance from Akaba to Hebron is nine days. The springs on the road are:
El Ghadyan (Arabic), El Ghammer (Arabic), and Weyba (Arabic).] is
several hours in extent; its bottom is full of gravel. We met with a few
families of Arabs Heywat (Arabic), who had chosen this place, that their
camels might feed upon the thorny branches of the gum arabic tree, of
which they are extremely fond. These poor people had no tents with them;
and their only shelter from the burning rays of the sun, and the heavy
dews of night, were the scanty branches of the Talh trees. The ground
was covered with the large thorns of these trees, which are a great
annoyance to the Bedouins and their cattle. Each Bedouin carries in his
girdle a pair of small pincers, to extract the thorns from his feet, for
they have no shoes, and use only a sort of sandal made of a piece of
camels skin, tied on with leathern thongs. In the summer they collect
the gum arabic (Arabic), which they sell at Cairo for thirty and forty
patacks the camel load, or about twelve or fifteen shillings per cwt.
English; but the gum is of a very inferior quality to that of Sennaar.
My companions eat up all the small pieces that had been left upon the
trees by the road side. I found it to be quite tasteless, but I was
assured that it was very nutritive.
We breakfasted with the Arabs Heywat, and our people were extremely
angry, and even insolent, at not having been treated with a roasted
lamb, according to the promise of the Sheikh, who had invited us to
alight. His excuse was that he had found none at hand; but one of our
young men had overheard his wife scolding