The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-06-30
A Caravan Of Pilgrims TO Mecsa--Scene q,
Ihe Desert

hPiA eAiat 49, As'DiNASN'
A Caravan Of Pilgrims 60 Mecsa--Scene I'm
she Desert.
We now proceeded TO meet the body OF
the caravan, which was coming on at a
steady pace, the attendant Bedouins gener-
ally lowering on its tanks, but sometimes
much in advance. First came body Of
stragglers, who seemed as if they had been
suddenly waited from the suburbs Of Cairo,
without note or preparation; large proper
ton OF them were tattered Isgamufins Of
the lowest aspect, the very offscouring OF
the capital, and, to all appearance, utterly
unfinished for the joarney-some Flooding
on foot, others mounted on donkeys; women
even bearing their children on their shout
6ers, the asses winch carried them having
persisted; painfully grotesque asSemblage,
for it was past all question. that Of these
miserable wretches too many must fall VIC
tins 10 fatigue and pnvation during their
heightened course. In their total want OF
preparation, their ignorance OF the way and
blind reliance on the providence of Allah,
they strongly reminded me Of the descrip-
ton of those ianstic hordes who went forth
on the first crusade, and who persisted by
thousands long ere they reached the borders
OF Palestine. They inquired for Akaba, as
those were accustomed 10 ask for Jerusalem,
suPPosing ii alwsys Just at hand; and were
astoUnded when we told them they had
nearly three days journey to accomplish
Strongly contrasted with this deplorable
rabble came squirting forward detached
groups Of completely appointed Csireen
gentlemen, well mounted, well dressed, all
their garments being fresh and glossy, armed
to the teeth, and followed at dislarce BY
well-lsden camels, bearing comfortable
tents and abundant stores. Some Of them,
proud of their own gallant appearance and
the spirit Of their horses, pranced and cur.
yetted, and performed different less Of
horsemsnship within sight of the hodags
which bore their ladyloves, throwing the
dust without much ceremony into the eyes
of the poorer wsyfsrers. OF these we'll
armed men there was in all considerable
number, and they alone might have made
head against a numerous body Of ASSISTANTS,
81 least while as yet fatigue and want of
water had not reduced the strength and con-
dition OF the horse and the spirit OF the rider,
as Yves the case with the gallant crusaders
in the oldsn time. Relying on the heetness
Of their horses for enabling them TO over
take the main body, several parties were
halung on sandy knolls at some distance,
each planting lance in the sand as a raj
lying post, smoking and slipping coffee, and
making q noontide repast. The expense
formerly incurred by some Of the richer
- class OF pilgrims seems almost incredible:
Burckhardt tells Us that "in 1916, several
grandees Of Cairo joined The Hal, one of
whom had one hundred and ten camels for
the transport Of his baggage and retinue,
and eight tents; his travelling expenses in
going and coming must have amounted to
ten thousand pounds" But such zeal and
wealth are getting rarer and rarer every
year Of fast-wanihg Islam.
The main body Of the caravan advanced
steadily in a compact mass, FIVE camels in
depth. In the front was the cannon, used
for announcing the time for hslEing and
starting again, on a sort Of sIedge, drawn
by three camels, hsrnessed in a peculiar
manner, and each with soldier on his
back. Neyt, in the centre, succeeded a
long line OF camels, bearing palanquins, or
hodags, occupied by women, a sort Of tent
either built up on the back Of single ami
NAL, or slung, like a sedan-chsir, between
two Of them. and varying 10 the splendor of
its materials, and gaudiness OF its decora-
tons, with the rank Of its fair occupant
some being quite radiant with crimson or
green silk, embroidered in gold, surmount.
ed with glittering crescents, and having
small windows, lauiced without and lined
within with lookingglass. Most OF these,
on account Of the heat, were thrown open,
and admitted occasional peeps at the lam
guild sleepy eyes within. To some of the
tenants Of these hodags Borckhardt gives
indeed, but an equivocal character:-"I
saw with them" he says, "a party Of pub.
lie women and dancing girls whose tents
and equpage were among the most splen-
did IN the caravan" The csmels bearing
these aristocratic and, as it might be, other
ladies, were also Enthusiastically decorated.
and were led By welidrsssed grooms. In
one OF the most sumptuoos carriages to be
found ia Tho group reclined the Emrel.H
who bears rule over the csravan. The same
form Of conveyance, but in ruder style, was
adopted BY many of the poorer class Of
Arab merchants, except that, as in Cairo.
the women. dressed in blue wrappers, were,
with their children, exposed to view, while
The husband himself was the conductor ofI
his migratory household. Camels in double
line, web laden with stores. merchandise,
and wsterskins. paced steadily along on
either s'ds Of the middle file, accompanied
BY their sttendant drivers.
"A burst OF tom-toms. rude sort of Arab
S'um' and denser crowd, now indicsded
me approach Of the central and most i'm