Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1843-09-28
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Number ).
y FaE REy, rHeMAs .EwlLL-


BY THE REy, THOMAS sEwaLL
wEDxEsDAY, Feb,y 9Th.
we are on our second days. journey from ST.
pal towards Akaba. There our contract with
Ionsleb terminates, and We shall take les
tanned, as our guide and guard 10 Petra and He
bron. A passage we met with in Or. Robinson's
travels last evening. considerably diminished
The attractions Of that part Ct our tour; be speaks
Fof Hussein as the lreacherpus chief Of lawless
band-but We shall see. Our points Of compass
since we started, have been as follows Prom
Cairo 10 The Gulf Of Suez little South Of East (;
thence 10 the town of Snez. North; thence to
Sinai, with some deviatiops from the general d.
Ieclion, South East; thence 10 Akaoa, North
East from lhehce to Palestine the course will
be due North. Friday, Feb. l0.l We reached
the Gulf Of IAksba last evening through as Wild
monDtainlpasS as eyer..saw, excepting none
in Swi zeriand; il il was in Europe it would be
the theme of every guide book" and travellers
journal Our tents were pitched near the shore,
and we found the music Of The waves IN delight
fol contrast with the oppressive stlllness 81 the
inland Desert. Our course now lies up the shore
Of the Gulf to the "foTl of Akaba, distant about
pee day and half This forms the Eastern
limit Of Mehemei Ais dominons, o. rather his
troops hold the forl, for the BedouinS acdnow-
ledge the rule Of no foreign Governor. Ahho'
our last evenings resting place was on the shore
pf the sea- lis associations were moi quite 50 ma
steal. A fight occurred on that spot few mouths
since between Two parties u Arabs, touching The
right Of transporting travellers, and SheIs was
killed ia front Of his lent Lord Castlereigh and
party were the subjects Of the controversy, ant1
believe thai ours is the FIRST party that hasepaSed
since that Tine Such circumstances we md
quite sufficient to deroythe ennui of the Journey
The shore here is covered with The greatest
variety OF cuTious sea-shellS, from the largest
conck to the very smallest specimens, Of every
form and hue. MultiIndes Of crabs, too, ran into
the water we approach them. They are
smaller than ours. and rise edgewise when they
run, leaving track like that OF small bird -
February Il2lh.) We were happy about Two
O'Clock Yesterday 10 come in sight Of Fort Akaba-
II looked like home "a illle, for il was so much
gained or our journey 70 Jerusalem. We were
10 exchange forlA Time the insecurity Of ting de-
sefi for the safety-df strong sortitication5 and
the society Of The wild Bedouins FOR that OF men
some 7 bal under European military discipline
and lhelremotest approximation 70 CIVILIZATION
is a greatlnxury here. After riding few hours
more we passed the site Of the scfiPiu.e "Elaih',
OF ALA" one Of the ports Of Solomon, and
1eached the grove Of palms in which the Tort Is
situated "A troop Of Arab women and chilcten
issued from The huls IN the vicinity 10 receive
rs. We dismuunted. and two Of the party en-
tered 10 deliver our letters TO the Governor
remained behind and had an opportunity to
look AROUND me for moment and reflect At
my feet was the sea Aat had borne the richly
ifreighied ships Of solomon there. was the grave
Of his busy pat below, vas the Island Of Gfhla,
oae Of the IAst points sf corbest between The
Crusaders and AlshomtdapsS before me, was
The Waddy Araby. which lis uhbroken 10 the
Holy Land and sli aroend stretched the scotch
ed mountains Of aSeif, sIthe inheritance OF Eau.
| Il was al interesting spot. bal the messenger
soon interrupted my meeiIaiions, and followed
him into The presence Of Ihe Governor
| The walls which form the fCrI are about 500
feet square, massive, Milh towers a. the angles
within, built against them and forming part o.
them, are he apartments Of the soldiers and
their families. large uncovered court OF
tsouare, is still lefl, however which answers for
military exercises, &c. A room was offered 70
US, but on inspecting il, the Apprehension o.
vertnin, scorpions. and the perpetual intrusion
i o. the Governors domestics, who PREPARED ms
coffee there, induced usfto- accept another ones
and pitch our tent in the open court. Here We
are settlcd then, with nofhing4lo interrupt %
but small flock Of goats, that find oar tent
cords convenient 10 NY their horns upon and
The twinkling eyes Of The soldiers children pscf
ing in al every chink and granny 70 get sign q
the suange visitors. The first business g D.
i transacted was The payment Of Toualeb Il D
vas called ~. ,herefOIe with the other Gig sasli
Maierh. -ho had won the respect Of all oul
parry. aud Is really most interesting man--lhl
mohey was counted cul in presence Of the 60
vernon and pronounced ''iaib,r good. Ths
scene was quite oriental. All the party wtr'
seated on The ground the thick, bunsIJng han4i
i 81 Toualeb dropped the lHtle gold pieces one b.
one on the skirt Of hiST0be as he counted audi
/ bly in Arabic Maierh bent his turbaE low dOWr
10 see that there was no error. and The GoyeFno
smoked, cuIled his long mustaehe with .lhnms
and finger, followed every motion with his keel
eve, ENTHUSIASTICALLY interrupted hem Win
Temdfk.
4 We though. the transaction fairly closed
i hui What was our surprise 20 learn THIS morning
Thai the paymenl was deficient by small sam
according 10 he count of The Bedouins amohl
themselves, and that We were expected 10 MAKE
IN the deficiency. wetwere suqe Ina. The discfe
4 peacy had occurred through the srthce OF blum
tder OF the Arabs, bat As i was small We ger.
finc.ined to meet their wishes after thinking
oyer. however, we concluded that il was duty
We owed succeeding travellers 10 adhere 10 ths
decision of the last evening, and confirm al I'm
preston which already ooiains among the Be
douins, ina; ''Ihe English Gas they call Us all
are men OF one word, r that when "talbels IN
terehanged at the close Of settlements . IS dom
lfofeyef. with some hrmnest Of manner il wa
accordingly so seilled. Tue payment Of .occk
sheishn We had deferred 10 the latest moment 0
their stAy. for we were sure thei they would b
I;ssa,isf;ed whatever ameunt was given, and ",
Wished 10 be rid Of their complains as soon a
:. nosSibie Accordingly al the appointed hou
80 mofhing. our tent door was daIkened y
81 81 III another Of their swar.hy faces, an
~; M esrer locks hey waited for the gift III
s.'s r sss IS deliver i all into ID
lhands Of the ~ i2I ais's.V. -
this both TSnale I'm sirennoSsl, ~
liected, because eac1 Cd 20 receive ae,s y "
hs, res,css;hihly then fell upon rs aud gla'
--...s - r,rre thst the walls OF the fort wen
$500 4. fo5 ~ ierce looks d The dissatisfied
5000. % ihe sums were announced indea
lied thar their views Woule nave 'oaI1 49,
olher expression in The desert. bEt = 1893
people, for afler leaving us 20 aiseonssqssps :
prepare for departure, Eine two Saef.s Isa1Ins1
To1aIsb em6kaeed rs and fouenea ms osos'
cheeks 10 6urA; and Ole MaleIh sook rs " y
Il h1nd. And "a a3pairiarchal way looked towan
IhSsvsnana sRi uhat seemed 70 Be I'VE shal
never meet agai1Shefcs may me 1atistlsn e.