appointed watchers and guards, were perpetually falling on the ear. May 11th. The sun was just tinging the horizon with his first rays of promise, when we were summoned from our couches, to prepare for the commencement of the journey. The first loading is always a tedious matter. Baggage has to be adapted and re-adapted, again and again, before satisfaction pervades the caravan. At length, every one of the escort-having charge of certain articles-is enabled, after each halting, to select from the mass every thing for which he is responsible, and for which a fitting place has been found on the back of his camel. The preparation, however, was in due time made; and amidst Sheikh Suleiman's loud and repeated cry of " Yellah-yellah" (make haste and be going), we mounted our camels, which were kneeling on the sand ready to receive us. On the saddle, both in front and behind, there is a stout upright wooden pin, or peg, on which are slung such matters as the traveller may happen to want at any moment during the march. In front, I had a firm walking staff, an Arab umbrella, and a porous earthen bottle containing fresh water from the Nile. Behind, were slung pistols and a sabre (for the shew of arms is positively necessary, even for men of peace), and a small case containing books and writing materials. It was just seven o'clock when we began to move, and bade farewell to our first desert-home on the sand. The usual route to the gulph of Suez, following the track of the children of Israel, so clearly indicated in Scripture, occupies four days, if traversed at the ordinary camel-pace, of nearly three miles an hour. The silence and solitary aspect of the Desert-though still so near to the borders of Cairo, had an impressive effect upon the mind, as we passed onwards by way of Materieh, on the northern side of a graceful and picturesque chain of hills, called Gebel Ataka, with the warm tinting of the morning sun resting on their otherwise gray and sombre sides and peaks. The path was well tracked by the footsteps of ages Exodus xiv. -for it is by this way that the grand Hadj makes its exit from Cairo. Perhaps the romance of the scene may be somewhat broken by the occasional traces of carriage wheels, which are now no strangers to the Desert of Suez, as connected with the bo.d undertaking of the overland passage to India. Such are the convenient arrangements made, that travellers coming direct from India, however delicate or enfeebled in health, may find themselves transported from the shores of the Red Sea to Cairo, with almost all the ordinary comforts of an European route. Of course, in such an expedition as ours, we preferred, on all accounts, the ancient mode of travelling. This route, like all those of the Hadj caravans, has scattered about it, at every few miles, the sad and impressive memorials of suffering and death. The bones of camels, bleached by the sun and the breezes of the Desert, and the occasional hillocks, with piled up stones marking the last earthly reposing place of many a hapless pilgrim, fill the mind sometimes with anxious forecastings of thought as to what may still await the traveller in scenes like these. At this part of the Desert, occasional patches of herbage, though poor and stunted, are to be seen, towards which the camels stretch down their long necks in passing, and crop a hasty mouthful. A little before noon, while the sun in his strength was bearing down upon us, we saw in the distance somewhat which had the appearance of a charming lake, with its beautiful blue waters, as if reflecting the deep azure of the sky. It was studded here and there with tufts and clumps of trees, in the midst and on its banks. Sometimes its waters seemed to sparkle in the sun; and though I knew it to be the Mirage,* and not really water springing up and * The Arabs call the Mirage, Serab; which agrees with the Hebrew ; and in both languages, it means a glowing, sandy plain; which, in hot countries, at a distance, has the appearance of water. There are in Scripture several allusions to it; such as Isaiah xxxv. 7, which Bishop Lowth translates-"the glowing sand shall become a pool;" and also Jeremiah xv. 18, "Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? Wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?" (Margin, "be not sure.") In the Koran, chap. xxiv. we find a similar allusion-"But as to unbelievers, their works are like a flowing in the Desert, yet it seemed to provoke, most keenly, the sense of thirst; and almost impelled me to press forward and seek a refreshing draught at its margin. The appearance continued for, perhaps, nearly half an hour. Our attention was at length diverted by some other object. We looked again, and it was gone; and the far-stretching surface of the sand spoke only of aridity and dearth. I witnessed other instances of Mirage, while in Syria; and one in particular, far more picturesque than that which I have already mentioned. It presented the idea of a richly wooded island in the midst of the lake, and stately buildings on its banks; and even the waves, as if agitated by a breeze, seemed to be perpetually swelling and flowing, not towards the brink, as with real water, but in the opposite direction. So far as I could learn, the Arabs have no theory as to the cause of this phenomenon perhaps they have never had sufficient motive for inquiring. Sir John Chardin and others, speak of it as the effect of the repercussion of the sun's rays from the sand of the Desert. It generally has the flickering appearance of a landscape seen through the columns of heat and vapor proceeding from a brick-kiln or furnace. It was soon after we had been gratified by this appearance, that we halted, and pitched the tents for our noontide rest and meal. Throughout the Desert journey, we usually were in motion between five and six in the morning; halted from half-past ten or eleven, till about three; and then proceeded till an hour or two after sunset, or as long after as the prospect of finding water, when such occurred, might render it needful. Many days, however, sometimes elapse without finding any; but the Bedaween are well acquainted with those spots to which hope may be directed; and they cleverly arrange distances, so as to reach the fountain at the proper halting time. Our first day's route was comfortably made: and on the second, with the range of Gebel Ataka still on our right, we proceeded along the waste of the Desert, with vapor in a plain, which the thirsty traveller thinketh to be water, until, when he cometh thereto, he findeth it to be nothing." 124 DESERT OF SUEZ-DYING CAMEL. nothing to break the monotony of the scene. Yet, it was something to know that there—on that very spot, the pillar of the cloud by day, and the pillar of fire by night, had led the people of Israel in the way of their wondrous deliverance. Two or three hours before our halting time for the night, we observed at a distance, in advance of us, a solitary camel. One of our Arabs quickened his pace and rode towards it; and when we arrived, we found that it was unattended by any owner, and in the last stage of disease and death. The poor animal seemed to be excited for a moment by the arrival of our caravan; and, looking wishfully towards us, made an effort to move, as if to join us. It had evidently been left there to die; as the Arabs, I believe, never think of despatch ing a worn-out and diseased camel for the purpose of shorten ing its sufferings. It was an affecting picture. We moved on—and again the poor beast made an effort to follow, but in vain. By this time its bones are whitening in the sun. At the close of the third day, we pitched under a ridge of hills, near the little fortress of Ajeroud, a few miles northward of Suez. This is one of the regular fortresses, at which are kept stores for the supply of the Hadj caravan. It is insignificant in itself, to afford protection against any but the Bedaween; and so long as they are in the service of the Pasha of Egypt, as conductors of the caravan, a fortress of pasteboard would be enough. Sheikh Suleiman had taken a great liking to the Arab costume which I wore, as was evident from his frequently taking some part of it in his hands-smoothing it with the palm, and saying "tayeeb, tayeeb ;" and, often placing himself erect beside me and pointing to his own person, gave the clearest intimations of his opinion that it would suit and become him exactly. The Arabs are exceedingly fond of multiplying wearing apparel; and the richer it may be, the better it suits their taste, although, while in the Desert, they are content with any few rags they may have in their saddle bags. Some of them are said to have large stores of clothing laid up in cayes and holes in the rocks, Sheikh Suleiman did not fail ENCAMPMENT IN THE DESERT. 125 afterwards to express, through our interpreter, his hope that I would make him happy in the possession of my dress, at the end of the journey. He seemed as eager as a child for a fresh bit of finery. It was a lovely starlight night, when we dismounted near the little fortress of Ajeroud. The heavenly bodies appeared pendent in the firmament, which presented to view a far greater number of stars than I had ever seen in Europe. The clearness of the atmosphere, of course, partly accounts for this. And how picturesque was our bivouac, when the fires were lighted, and our wild band, flanked by their camels, gathered round for their evening meal, with their chibouks, and their dreamy and monotonous song. Soon, all was silent; and the downy wing of repose was upon every eyelid. I cannot say how deeply affecting it was, when surrounded by these swarthy strangers of another creed, to spend an hour over the pages of imperishable truth, and to unite in prayer and praise, while kneeling on the sands of the wildernessbearing on our hearts, our families, our friends, and our flocks. Seldom did the evening close, without our enjoying together this precious Christian privilege. What would I not have given to have been able to unfold the mystery of redemption to our free-hearted and faithful companions; and by the power of divine grace on their hearts, to have had them bending with us, through the same Mediator, before the same throne. The confusion of tongues! oh, what a melancholy consequence of man's pride, sin, and rebellion! How sad the thought that the Bible should be a closed book to all but ourselves; and that in the minds of these wild wanderers, no ray of divine illumination was shining to give knowledge of the "truth as it is in Jesus." The Bedaween had already won my good opinion; and it was not long ere my heart yearned over them. So unpresuming, so kindly and so hearty were they in their bearing towards us; so ready to do any service unsolicited, and so happy when they saw that their kindliness gave satisfaction. I feel now as if I could traverse the whole Desert with alac |