# On the Desert - Recent Events in Egypt/Chapter 18

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CHAPTER XVIII.
PERILS AMONG ROBBERS.
Ever since we left Nukhl, we had had occasional hints from our dragoman that by-and-by we should get into a region in which it might not be quite as smooth sailing as on the desert, where we had seen no man in five days. But as he was a timid and fearful soul, we attached little weight to his dismal forebodings. Had he not told us a story to make our hair stand on end, about flying serpents that we should find at Nukhl: how once, when he camped on the plain, he had heard them whizzing past him? Possibly there may have been some foundation for the story in the existence of reptiles of such powerful spring as to throw themselves several lengths, but we saw no more of them than of the fiery serpents that infested the camp of Moses. However, much as we were disposed to laugh at his fears, we had observed, as we met several parties going Southward with camels heavily laden with supplies for the Convent at Mount Sinai, that they always went in large bodies, as if for mutual protection, and were told that whenever there was a small party, it took the old caravan route by the sea, to avoid the tribes through which we were now to pass.
The bare suggestion of robbers was of a kind to keep our faculties awake and our eyes open, to recognize any strangers who might present themselves to offer the compliments of the season. Having received these intimations, it was natural to connect with them certain casual ​meetings, which might in other circumstances lead to a closer acquaintance. The day that we entered the South Country, several such appeared, who had nothing in particular to say, but who seemed to scan our party with an eye to business. One savage-looking fellow followed the dragoman and myself some distance, as we had dismounted from our camels, and were walking in the rear of the train. He was well armed, and as I looked back over my shoulder, I had the pleasing consciousness that he was a robber, who, if I had been alone, might have entered at once on the practice of his profession. Perhaps he was merely a scout for some larger party — "prospecting," as miners would say — taking in the situation so as to report to his master; or ready, if a good chance offered, to do a little stroke of business "on his own hook." After following us an hour, he rode off, whether to report to some robber-chief that the Howadjis were coming, we could not tell, though we had our suspicions the next day.
That night the dragoman informed us that we were now fairly in the enemy's country, and must set a watch for the night. It was the first time since leaving Suez that we had found such precautions necessary, though the officer in command at Nukhl had sent a file of soldiers to mount guard before our tents. We knew that there were Bedaween in the neighborhood: for some of our party saw at a distance the smoke of a camp-fire, and scarcely had we pitched our tents before we heard on a hill not far away the barking of a dog! How that sound startled us in the silence of the wilderness! This, we thought, did not come from an encampment, but from a village, as we had seen in the afternoon children driving little donkeys loaded with water-skins, which they had filled at some spring. We saw also a small patch of cultivated ground. These signs of habitation raised a mingled feeling: for we knew not whether ​the strangers were friends or foes. We endeavored to conceal our presence as well as we could, camping in a little hollow between two ridges of the undulating country. As soon as dinner was served, the fires were put out, so as not to attract the notice of spies or of strolling parties, and then the men turned their attention to making all fast for the night. The dragoman sought to quiet our apprehension by saying that the Bedaween would not be likely to attack so large a party, and in any event would not be so eager to rob us as to rob our Arabs: for that they would covet the camels more than our worldly goods. But that was a very poor way of reassuring us: for we could much better afford to lose our money or our watches than our beasts of burden, which furnished our only means of getting through the country. To lose them would be a terrible blow, as it would leave us on the border of the desert, without any power of locomotion. So the camels were to be guarded as our very life. The men understood the matter perfectly, and did not mean to leave anything exposed. Accordingly, although the camels were turned loose to crop the scanty herbage for an hour, while the men were getting their supper, instead of being left out as usual for the night, they were all brought into camp, and stretching themselves on the ground, had their legs firmly bound so that they could not move, unless an Arab were to steal up in the darkness like an Indian, and cut the ropes, and "stampede" them before an alarm could be given, and the men rallied for defence. To guard against such a surprise, the men divided themselves into two parties, which should relieve each other through the night. This done, the dragoman assumed a protecting and patronizing tone: "Never you fear; we are used to this sort of thing, and will keep watch. You go to bed and sleep quietly." We did go to bed, and slept off and ​on, though we woke a dozen times, and listened with ears attent, but heard nothing save the footsteps of our own men, who were creeping about like stealthy Indians all night long, keeping a sharp lookout for the approach of any hostile party, and thus watching for our safety as well as their own.
As soon as the sun was up, we dismissed our fears, and smiled at the imaginary dangers of the night; and Dr. Post and I were about to start out as usual in advance, he to botanize, and I to get a breath of morning air, leaving the baggage-camels to load up and follow, when poor Yohanna came rushing after us, and shouting in the wildest manner, "Gentlemen, do not stir until we are all ready to move together! You must not venture beyond the limits of the camp. We have come so far in safety; do not let us have a disaster at the very end of our journey!" We yielded to his entreaties, rather to quiet him than because we saw any special need of such extreme precaution. In a few minutes the pack camels were ready, and we all moved off in Indian file together.
The wisdom of his caution was soon apparent. As we came up out of the hollow where our tents had been pitched for the night, we rose over a swell of ground which again subsided into a gentle depression, only to rise again at the distance of perhaps a quarter of a mile, like the rise and fall of a rolling prairie. We had passed over the ascent, and nearly crossed the valley between, the Doctor and I leading the way, when suddenly as a flash of lightning, there sprang over the height on the other side, a party which claimed our immediate attention. It was composed of five men, two of whom were mounted on horses (!) — the first we had seen since we left Cairo — and three on foot. Instantly they threw themselves into position — recalling to Dr. Post what he had often seen in the ​war, when a skirmish line was thrown forward so that each one could support the others, prepared alike for attack or defence. Two of the men on foot carried guns, one of whom instantly fell (of course, by pure accident) behind a bush, on which he could rest his musket. Their leader was a fierce-looking son of the desert, with all the dashing air of the daring brigand. He carried in his hand a spear, fifteen or sixteen feet long, pointed at both ends. They had evidently been on the watch for us, and came upon us with a spring and a bound, like a tiger on his prey. There could be no mistake this time; at last we were face to face with the robbers!
We drew up and halted. I was on the side nearest the chief of the party, who darted at me a quick, eager glance, as he rose on his horse with uplifted spear. I turned to look for our camels, which were scattered along behind us. They came on very slowly, lumbering over the hill; but still they came, and every moment brought them nearer. Ibrahim's old soldier with his rusty sword hurried up, as if he smelt the battle from afar, and the men with their match-locks were close behind him. The weapons I had so much despised before, had found their vocation now. The robber's glance followed mine, and he took in the situation in an instant. Meanwhile my cameleer had left me and advanced for a parley, and the two exchanged a few whispered words. It is said the tribes have a sort of freemasonry among them, by which a traveller who has paid tribute to one (as we had done when we paid the heavy blackmail at Nukhl) is allowed to pass through another, unless the two be at war. However this may be, any hospitable intent on the robber's part was strengthened by a sight of the force he would have to encounter; and so, making a virtue of necessity, this gallant knight of the road lowered his spear, and called aloud "Howadjis!" ​(I can hear his voice now) signifying with a majestic wave of his hand that we were at liberty to proceed. We did not wait for a second invitation. The robber then turned with his attendant horseman and dashed away, followed by his men-at-arms. I touched my hat to him with all the grace I could command, as well pleased to give him this parting salute as if I had received his most affectionate embrace. Indeed I never said good-bye to a friend with more pleasure in my life.
This whole scene had passed so quickly that it was all over before we could fully realize what it meant. We had had a narrow escape. If we had started from camp in disregard of the warnings of the dragoman, and had been fifteen minutes ahead of our convoy, we should have been "done for" so neatly and quickly that we should hardly have known what had happened to us till we were left by the roadside. I do not suppose we stood in much personal danger — that is, unless we made resistance. The Arabs prefer not to shed blood, because they have a mortal dread of a blood-feud, which may pursue them for years. Therefore they prefer not to take life, if they can avoid it; but if we had shown a sign of resistance, such as drawing a pistol, probably we should have been killed on the spot. If we submitted quietly, we should have suffered nothing worse than the loss of all we possessed. The robbers seem to pride themselves on doing their work thoroughly, and will "clean out" the most plethoric traveller in a way that will leave him with no temptation to extravagance in his expenses for the rest of his journey. They would have taken our money, watches, and probably most of the garments we wore, unless the stripping us would detain them too long till the arrival of our party. Of course they would have seized the camels we rode unless they feared that the slow-moving beasts would impede them in their escape.
​That this is not an exaggerated impression of the risk we ran, could be shown by the experience of any number of travellers. When I was at Damascus, dining one day at the house of the missionary, Rev. Mr. Crawford, he related his experience. It was in the Summer-time, and his family were away from the city at a retreat in the mountains, where he was to join them, and for the pleasure of the excursion had started on foot. Stopping for a few minutes at a spring by the wayside, suddenly a party of Bedaween came upon him, and seizing him roughly, demanded "Where's your money?" That taken, they relieved him of his watch, and then began to disrobe him, one taking his hat and another his coat. When it came to his waistcoat, he mildly remonstrated, saying that "it would be of no use to them, and they had better leave it to him," to which one replied by striking him on the mouth. By this time he was in a dilapidated condition, when one came up, and seeing that he still had shoes on his feet, ordered him to take them off. If any fiery but foolish American wonders how he could submit to this without resistance, I answer, The robbers were fifteen to one, and this submission was his only safety. He said "I generally carried a revolver on such excursions, but this time I had left it at home, and to this probably I owed my life. If I had had it, the impulse would have been to seize it and fire, when I should have been run through the body in an instant." As it was, his life was spared, and they left, as garments to cover him, his shirt, pantaloons, and stockings! All this scene took place near a threshing-floor, where men were working, but who did not dare to interfere. As soon as the robbers were gone, they took pity on him who had fallen among thieves, and let him sleep on their threshing-floor, and provided him in the morning with an Arab costume, which he put on, and a few hours after presented himself to his wife arrayed as she had never seen him before.
​Philosophizing a little, as I am apt to do, on my varied experiences "as I walk through the wilderness of this world," I find that this business of robbing, as practised by the Bedaween, is not from the love of violence for its own sake, nor the act of specially wicked natures, as might be similar crimes committed in civilized society, but is grounded in a deep philosophy. Every man, civilized or savage, has a theory of life, written or unwritten, and the theory of the Bedawee is that no man has a right to property which he is bound to respect. It may be best not to press his prior claim; it may be prudent to keep out of the reach of the law; but if a good opportunity presents itself, he is restrained by no conscientious scruple. Might makes right, and he
Follows the good old plan, That he should take who has the power, And he should keep who can.
The Arab makes a fine distinction between stealing and robbing. He is not a thief, and you cannot offer him a greater insult than by making such a suggestion. If you were to fling such a taunt in the face of a proud sheikh, he would very likely answer you with the point of his spear. A thief is one who creeps behind your back, or into your tent, and rifles your pockets — a practice to which the low, base-born Fellah might stoop, but which the proud Bedawee would scorn. He is a lofty, high-minded robber, who meets you on the desert face to face, and if he attacks you, gives you the opportunity to defend yourself, and if he despoils you, it is by a right which is recognized in all nations, the right of the strongest. He takes your goods, but he takes them in open and honorable battle.
Of course, we might say that our knight of the road who met us this morning, took us at a disadvantage, ​coming upon us alone and unarmed, while he and his men were armed to the teeth. But he would answer "Why were you not armed? It is the business of every man to be ready to defend himself on all occasions, and if he is not, and suffers for it, he has nobody but himself to blame."
With such a theory, it is not strange that robbery should be regarded not only as honorable, but as above all others the profession of a gentleman, as is the profession of arms in civilized countries. The Bedaween hire the Fellaheen to cultivate their fields — that is work fit for slaves; but for the chief of a tribe, the one pursuit in life that fires his ambition is to mount the finest Arabian steed, to poise the longest and sharpest lance, and ride abroad, like a knight of chivalry, in search of adventures. When one thinks of all this, he must feel that it would be almost an honor to be robbed by such a hero!
And yet I fear our dragoman did not take this view of the case: for the incident of this morning produced a deep impression on him, and he renewed his entreaties to us to keep together. But it was hard to keep Dr. Post in line: for just then he spied some of the wild flowers of Palestine, and at once gave a dig at his camel, and started off in pursuit. The vicious old creature did not appreciate the claims of science, and roared her disapprobation. But her master forced her on, and then brought her back, and we straggled on together. Our attention was soon diverted to the beauty of the country we were entering. The hills broadened down and the valleys rose, till the undulations were like the long swells of the ocean. Gradually the landscape assumed an aspect of fertility. Rising over a gentle ascent, behold a field of barley that was fresh and green! How beautiful it looked in contrast with the desolation over which we had passed! There were also more ​signs of human habitation, in frequent clusters of the black tents of the Arabs. We were now descending from the hills to the plains. Far behind us was the range which bounded the Desert of the Wandering, while before us opened the great Plain of Philistia. My companion was full of the history, as well as of the flora, of this region. "We are now entering," he said, "one of the great historical plains of the world — one which has been trodden by all the conquerors from Alexander to Napoleon. And long before Alexander, Cambyses the Persian crossed this plain to invade Egypt; and marching the other way, came the armies of Pharaoh Necho, to invade Syria. And so back and forth has the wave of conquest flowed and reflowed between Asia and Africa — between the empires on the banks of the Tigris and the Euphrates, and that on the banks of the Nile."
So discoursed my friend while I listened with eager interest, so absorbed that I did not notice that we had got a mile ahead of the greater part of our camels, when we heard behind us a voice shouting and a man running toward us. Fearing that some accident had happened to our baggage train, we waited till he should come up. When he appeared, I perceived that he was a huge negro, with teeth that were like tusks, and who had altogether a repulsive aspect, like one of those brutish-looking creatures that may now and then be seen guarding the harems of Cairo and Constantinople. As soon as he came up, he signified by loud voice and vehement gestures that we could not proceed any further; that we were now in the territory of another tribe, and could not pass without paying tribute; and not to be too modest about it, said that we must hand over a hundred pounds! As soon as the dragoman and our two cameleers learned his errand, they seized him, and I thought would choke him. But the strength was not to ​be all on one side. At once the negro threw up the skirt of his garment as a signal to his comrades, who were close at hand — for we were but a few hundred yards from an Arab village — and they came rushing out in great numbers. The matter began to look serious. Loud words and fierce gestures might lead to blows, and as both sides were armed, there might be bloodshed. Dr. Post reined up close beside me and whispered, "Keep perfectly cool. Do not dismount. If there must be a fight, let them fight it out among themselves; but on no account get off your camel." This was good advice, but not so easy to follow: for the black fellow, set on by others, seized our camels by the halters, and dragged them to the ground; but we kept our seats, and hitting them a cut with our whips, they sprang up again. This performance was repeated a number of times. The other side appeared to be divided. Some were willing to let us pass, and motioned to us to go on, though at the same time they held up their hands in token that a slight douceur would be acceptable. But the black fellow, supported by others, was obstinate, and again and again seized our camels and dragged them to the ground. Our impulse was to strike him in the face with our whips, but as that might have brought on a general combat, we thought it more prudent to hold in our wrath till our baggage train appeared. At last it came up, and our men mingled in the fray. Our old soldier, who had lost his chance three hours before, was now like an Irishman "spoiling for a fight." Our men gathered round us, and kept the crowd at bay, while they pushed us along. Meanwhile our dragoman, who was always for peaceable measures, even at some sacrifice of dignity, was cajoled into going off to the tent of one of the head men of the tribe, to whom he gave some paltry backsheesh to be distributed among the ruffians, for which Dr. Post rebuked ​him severely. As soon as there was a break in the crowd, we pushed through, and urging on our camels, at last got clear. As he saw us making our escape, the negro cried out almost piteously, "Are you not going to give us anything?" "Not the mother of a para," said the Doctor (the para being the smallest of coins), and so we came off victorious. The whole scene lasted half an hour, and was very exciting and threatening; but we felt a satisfaction in the fact that we did not, for a single moment, lose our self-possession; that we did not once dismount from our camels, and did not give the rascals a penny! But what an idea it gave us of the barbarism that prowls on the very borders of civilization: for we were no longer in the desert, but in Palestine — in the very Pashalic of Jerusalem!
So we were getting on. We had wished for an adventure, and now we were gratified. To be stopped on the road twice in one forenoon, was something new in our experience. However, there is nothing like being used to it. Half an hour after all this excitement we were seated under a bank in the dry bed of a watercourse, taking our luncheon, as if nothing had happened.
Thus refreshed, we climbed up out of this river bed and came on a broad upland, which presented an aspect of fertility that struck us with astonishment, coming from the long wastes of the desert. Our afternoon's ride lay through a land of plenty — a land flowing with milk and honey. I can hardly describe the pleasure I felt at the first sight of a cow! I wanted to stroke her and pet her. Mingled with the herds of camels was an occasional herd of asses, and what interested me much more were the beautiful herds of horses, for this South Country is a favorite region for raising the finest breeds of pure "Arabians." As a relief to the long monotony of black goats, there were ​large flocks of sheep, of the breed known by the enormous size and fatness of their tails. The country generally was cultivated. The soil was light and thin, owing to a lack of care in husbandry, but still it was waving with harvests. Whichever way we turned (except south) — north, east, and west — we saw the wide, open, rolling slopes standing thick with wheat and barley. Between the upland pastures clothed with flocks, were the valleys covered over with corn. That evening, as we stood at the door of our tent and looked towards the sunset, and over the varied landscapes which were touched with the light of departing day, we had to confess that we had rarely beheld a scene of greater natural beauty. But for the absence of trees, we might have been in one of the finest parts of England.
We camped to-night, not, as the night before, in a hollow, to lie hidden from observation, for there were too many Arabs near us to render concealment possible, (we could see their black tents and hear the barking of their dogs,) but on a gentle swell of ground, from which we had an unbroken sweep all around the horizon.
Hardly were the tents pitched before we had our sympathies greatly excited by an incident of the day. When we had resumed our march, our old soldier was missing, and did not appear the whole afternoon. At night he came into camp mad with grief and rage. It appeared that in the melee he had had his sword taken from him, and though he went back for it, he could not recover it. The poor old man was in despair. It was a matter that touched his honor. The weapon itself was of little value, and I would have gladly given him another and much better one. But that was not the same thing. This was the badge of his military profession, the sign that he had been in the wars, when he followed the great Ibrahim in his conquest of Syria. But we comforted him with the ​hope that on his return he might resume his search with better success.
After we had smoothed the ruffled plumage of the warrior of our camp, we gave ourselves up to the peace of the hour. The night was beautiful; the firmament was glorious with stars: never had they shone more brilliantly in all our wanderings on the desert. We stood as it were on the top of the round world, over which the heavens were bending for protection. It seemed as if a spot thus heaven-enclosed must be intended only for the abode of purity and peace; as if this must be a world where sin and sorrow could not come; where man could not lift his hand against his brother; and there was no such thing as robbery and crime.