A FEMALE NATIVE.

279

One day an accident enabled me to see one of them in her national costume.

It was on the edge of Aïn Mouça, under the cool shade of superb rose-laurels in full flower. I was busily engaged in cleaning my palette and brushes, when the sound of branches being pushed aside, just behind me, made me turn my head quickly. Through the surrounding branches I saw a water-pot; and, in the East, who sees a water-pot, must soon see a woman. Acting on this well-known rule, I looked more closely, and I saw a small, plump hand, with nails carefully painted, according to the detestable Arab custom. This hand, so small, so pretty, attracted me, and I was advancing discreetly, so as to get a sight of its owner, when I suddenly started back, in horror and dismay, having found myself face to face with the hideous apparition my imagination could

most

conceive.

Over the face of this indefinable creature was placed a mask, made of the skin of some kind of beast. Two holes were cut for eyes, and an artificial mouth, almost immediately under them, was painted on the livid surface with a hideous grimace. To crown the ugliness of the mask, a wig of horsehair was braided into a horn upon the forehead, and into two huge puffs

over the ears. A more hideous combination could not have been put together, and it seemed to me like a nightmare; nevertheless, the monster before my eyes was certainly a woman, perhaps young and pretty, judging by her hands. But if she had been Madame Nossar Scheik in person, I must have turned and run away, as I did without an instant's delay, as if from the devil himself. Dog's ears, unicorn's horn, skin masks-such are the singular accessories of Bedouin coquetry, which no doubt aims at terrifying travellers, as scarecrows frighten sparrows from cherries.

Real Brigands-A Critical Moment-Projects of Vengeance-Wadi Arabah and an Ocean of Flowers-Bedouin Thieves-A Secondhand Hebron-' Partant pour la Syrie'-Good-bye for a while.

WE were to start on the following day—a prospect which filled us with delight. We perfectly understood the eagerness which our English friends had displayed to get away from this den of thieves; and we were making preparations to follow their example. Though our tents were very damp, we had them packed at early morning upon the camels, and the dragoman organised the baggage in detachments, which we followed in parties; so as to watch over, and, if necessary, to defend it. According to the agreement we had made, Scheik Nossar was to accompany us to the limits of the first defile beyond the city, not that he might do us honour, but in order to protect us against the Bedouins, who had made their plans to

follow us, and who would seize upon the first opportunity of robbing us, after having led us into a snare of some kind.

At the last moment the scheik refused his escort, protesting that his horse was done up; but, upon the imperious order of our chief, he resigned himself to accompany us, though with manifest ill-will; and the other scheiks, fully armed, who came with him as his Staff, seemed to entertain by no means amiable intentions with regard to us. How did it happen that we were so unpopular with these people, to whom we had given over our canteens, and whom we had paid liberally, according to their own tariff, for the privilege of travelling in their country? The explanation is very simple. The bakshish which they would have considered sufficient if given by ordinary travellers, was not sufficient as coming from us; for these worthy robbers had estimated us according to the superb dromedaries belonging to the Viceroy, on which we had ridden to Abakah, and which we had so regretfully exchanged for the wretched camels of Mohammed Gadd. As are the beasts, so are the riders,'—such is the argument of these pillagers, who value you, and fix your ransom accordingly; therefore

DANGER.

283

they required a supplementary bakshish, in honour of

our dignified coursers.

Scheiks, shepherds, Bedouins of every kind, obstinately insisted on getting more money. They escorted each of our unhappy camels, in crowds, and seemed inclined to oppose their progress. On a gesture of one of the scheiks they might have shut the road against us, and not the most heroic resistance could have availed. Our lives must have been all lost, for they could have killed our dragoman, to begin with, and our entire ignorance of the way through these impracticable gorges and precipices would have rendered a struggle quite hopeless.

The storm was gathering behind us, and about to break.

Nossar, the Scheik of Petra, dismounted from his horse, and, lance in hand, advancing to our chief, gave him to understand that he demanded more money. Gérôme simply drew out his purse, and, smiling, showed him that it was quite empty. The scheik was petrified with astonishment. He had been prepared for everything but this. His amazement was such that he stood with his mouth wide open, and his lance upright and motionless. Our chief finished him by calmly taking off his own cloak and offering it