surrounded by the elders, in the principal tent
of the encampment. We found that the Jehâlîn
had compelled our men to stop, probably with
the intention of pilfering; and although they
used every argument to induce us to remain for
the night, we gave orders for an immediate
start, nor were the mules again unladen until
the noise of the Jehâlîn camp had given place to
the stillness of the desert.

The bird's-eye view over the wilderness below,
was magnificent. For miles to the south of the
lake, and the sea itself, as far as the northern
extremity of the peninsula, were stretched out in
panoramic grandeur at our feet. The view was
closed on the east, beyond the waters of the
lake, by the gigantic wall of the Moab Mountains,
which appeared but a short distance off,
though in reality a ride of four or five hours was
before us ere even the western shore could be
reached. The nature of the intervening ground
causes this deception. It possesses no marked
features, no difference of colour, but consists of
a series of grey hills moulded into every
conceivable shape. There is nothing on which
to fix the eye for the purpose of forming an
estimate of distance. Over this vast expanse of
country there were signs of vegetation in two
places only: on the far side of the peninsula
before mentioned, and along the east of the vale
to the south of the lake, where it was observed
in considerable quantities. With the exception
of these fertile tracts, a sterile waste lay before
us. Nor was the view towards the south more
inviting. There, the eye wandered over barren
hills, till it rested in the far distance on desert
plains bounded by gathering mist. An angry
and threatening sky completed the desolation of
the scene.

A rapid descent over slippery rocks was now
commenced. We dismounted, and led the horses
as best we could, finding great difficulty at times
in keeping clear of them, for they slipped with
the loose stones, and we were encumbered with
boots and spurs. At last, by a process of sliding
and scrambling, the bottom of the cliff was
reached, but several times the baggage-mules
rolled over, and it was all our indefatigable
muleteers could do to set them on their legs
again. For another two hours and a half we
continued to descend, riding at times along the
bed of some dry water-course, or crossing hills
on which grew a few chance and meagre shrubs,
withered by the heat of the sun.

At about eleven o'clock on the following
morning, we halted for luncheon under the
boughs of a solitary shittim-tree. The rain,
which had long threatened, now commenced
in good earnest. Meanwhile, the two Sheikhs
rode on and soon fell in with the scout
who had been sent forward in the morning.
He reported that he had reached the well
at the foot of the mountains, where we were
hoping soon to gain a supply of water, and that
he had seen some strange Bedouin about the
place, who, he imagined, were in considerable
numbers. Abu Dahûk at once returned to us
with this intelligence, and warned us to keep
together; telling us that it would be necessary
to discover the name of the tribe, before the
descent to the well was made. Accordingly
we remounted, and soon overtook the baggage.
For the next thirty minutes the path led us
over bare limestone rocks, rendered doubly
slippery by the heavy rain. It was plain enough
that the Jehâlîn suspected danger, as they
rounded each rock with their guns ready to be
levelled. Thus we reached the top of another
precipitous descent of several hundred feet,
where the Sheikh bade us halt till the escort
preceded us into the Wady Zuweirah, through
which our path lay, and where the Bedouin had
been seen. We were now standing on the
slopes of a vast mountain amphitheatre. Below
us, about a mile to the front and just visible
beyond intervening masses of rock, lay a stony
plain dotted over with shittim and acacia trees,
and washed by the waters of the lake. The
rocks between us and the plain were separated
from the mountain wall on the left by the Wady,
which narrows towards the bottom into a defile,
leading straight out of the wilderness to the
shores of the Dead Sea.

We anxiously watched the progress of our
men along this ravine. At no time could we
distinguish more than five figures, although we
afterwards learned that they met with a band
of about seventy Bedouin, who thought it
prudent for the present to keep out of our sight.
These assured the escort that they would offer
no resistance to our safe passage, and ratified
their promise, as is usual on such occasions, by
inviting them to smoke. It seemed that they
had come from the neighbourhood of Gaza, and
were on their way to plunder Kerak, a city to
the east of the Dead Sea. Their party consisted
of el-Osman, Maaza, and Tihâyâh Arabs.

Our escort signalled to us from below that
we might venture to descend, so that we made
our way down the terrible path without any
apprehension of danger. On reaching the well at
the bottom we dismounted, and let our weary
animals quench their thirst. They had last
drank on the afternoon of the previous day.
One of the Bedouin, who was found sitting by
the well, asked for powder and shot; but, on
being refused, at once took himself off, probably
to report on our numbers. Our inability,
however, to understand the language, left us at the
time in utter ignorance of many of the facts
with which we afterwards became acquainted.

We had been seated by the cistern at the head
of the ravine for some few minutes, drinking
the water, when B—, who had walked on,
was seen returning round the rock in front,
closely followed by thirty-five or forty cut-throat-
looking Bedouin. Each carried a bludgeon, a
dagger, and a matchlock, the fuses of which
were alight. Their countenances betokened great
exultation at having thus trapped us, and their
savage appearance was still further increased by
their wild costume.

We at once sprang into our saddles; but the
path behind us was already secured to prevent
retreat. We moved forward a few yards, and