getting in single file along a narrow ledge of
rock where it was almost impossible to turn,
some of the robbers began to cut the baggage
from the mules to the rear. The Jehâlîn
went manfully to work at once to rescue
our property, and thus the fighting became
serious and general. The mules in front were
stopped; and, in the course of a few moments,
a blow from the butt-end of a gun laid the head
muleteer prostrate on the ground, while
another of our men was stabbed for refusing
to give up his money. Our servant, Mohammed,
was stripped to the skin, and two of the mules
rolled over in the confusion. There was
no doubt now as to what we might expect:
still our dragoman and Sheikh Hamsa besought
us to keep aloof, and above all, to abstain from
firing; our only chance, they said, was to leave
everything in the hands of the old Jehâlîn chief,
who seated himself on a rock above us, and with
characteristic coolness lighted his tchibouque.
He waved his hand to the robbers to take what
they pleased, vowing that he would come down
upon their country with his whole tribe and
avenge his honour by exacting a hundredfold.
Considering the inferiority of our numbers, he
evidently dismissed all hope of extricating us
except by virtue of his influence. Meanwhile,
the plunder to the front had enticed nearly all
the Bedouin in that direction, and we were left
free to ride back a few yards to some elevated
ground beneath the fort, whence we obtained a
less disturbed view of the scene.

We had agreed that if the influence of Abu
Dahûk failed, to let our baggage be taken, as
what we had with us was of little value, and
only to use our revolvers in case of personal
violence. The fighting continued for fully
an hour; our brave escort did their very best,
offering a hopeless resistance to the plunder.
More than once we thought a dagger-thrust
must have told: but although swords were
clashed and stones hurled, not a single mortal
wound was received or inflicted, otherwise the
spirit of blood revenge would have sacrificed us
all. Unfortunately, we scarcely knew our
friends from our foes. All the Arabs wore
nearly the same costume, and we had not
thought to notice the men of our escort
particularly. As we stood on the raised ground
before mentioned, slightly removed from the
strife, three Arabs rushed up to us. One of them
seized my double-barrelled gun, which was loaded,
and tried to drag it from the dragoman's hands,
at the same time holding a dagger to his heart.
The other two stood ready to assist their
comrade. I happened to be next to them, and
foolishly drew my revolver, determined to shoot
the ruffian in case he stabbed our man. The
gun, however, was wisely yielded, although the
scoundrel took it down into the fight below, and
levelled it at us, but it was snatched from him by
young Dahûk. Meanwhile the two Sheikhs had
done their work—the one by expostulating,
the other by cool demeanour. Twelve or fourteen
of the Bedouin were seen to congregate in
the path above us, preparatory, as we thought,
to an attack upon ourselves. At last, they came
down and surprised us by explaining that some
of the band were prepared to desist from the
robbery, and to give up the names of those who
refused to acquiesce in this measure. They had
been informed, they said, that we were five
powerful pashas from England, and that our
tribe would avenge us, not only by depriving
them of their flocks and possessions, but by
exterminating them as a people; therefore they
were willing to assist our men in recovering the
booty which had, been taken. This was the
reward of our temperate policy.

The effect of this extraordinary good fortune
will be easily understood. Everything was now
to our hearts' content. By far the greater part
of the Bedouin soon joined our side, and such
as continued obstinate were compelled to restore
the booty. The caves and the rocks around all
yielded up their hidden treasure. It was
intense amusement to watch the scene. Sheikh
Hamsa exercised marvellous skill in taming
many refractory Arabs. He warned, entreated,
soothed, and finally embraced his subject.
Throwing the left arm around him in such a
way as effectually to secure both his hands, he
buried the right among the folds of his shirt,
and brought out from thence article after
article, as the conjuror does from a hat.

The leaders of the Bedouin seemed determined
to enforce full restoration, in order to satisfy
Dahûk, and even fired on such of their men as
refused to submit. When, therefore, we left the
place, after some two hours' delay, we had not
lost more than a few pounds' worth of property;
and except that all our bedding was wet
through (for the rain had never ceased), and that
our water-skins had been overturned, neither
ourselves nor our men had experienced any
serious harm. The result of the encounter may
prove of service to other travellers by confirming
what is generally said, that the only chance
of safety in case of an attack from Bedouin
robbers, very superior in numbers, is to refrain
from bloodshed till the last moment. Robbery,
not murder, is the object; and unless a
personal attack be made, it is madness to use
firearms.

The afternoon was considerably advanced
before we were again under march. In a few
minutes we reached the mouth of the Wady
Zuweirah, which opens on the north of the
plain already mentioned. Here we separated
from our baggage, leaving the men and mules
to turn northward along the shore till they
reached a fitting spot to encamp for the night.
We ourselves prepared to ride in the opposite
direction, for there lay the Jebel Usdum, a
section of which was now plainly visible. We
rode along smartly across the plain—a mass
of shingle covered with bushes—which is left
by the mountains retreating in the form of
a semicircle for some distance from the lake.
After riding for about a mile and a half, we
passed a deep cavernous pit, and then rapidly
approached Jebel Usdum, which joins the
southern boundary of the plain. Thence to