The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-11
AMONG THE ARABS.
How a Ncwspaper Man Farea IN r

| -~~s ~e
| AMONG THE ARABS.
How a Newspaper Man Fared In rupis.
the Tunis correspondent Of the
London Times gives the following &C.
count ofa visit paid to an Arab camp,
although he was warned not to at.
temptit. He says, "with chief, al
escort of twenty men aud my servant,
we started off. Six miles northwest,
through glorious valley, one waving
mass Of wefl-grown corn, brought us
to the border of the Jcbel Eshkel
Lake. Just like the KrUumir coun-
try says the chief, pointing to q pre-
cipitons mountain which stands bold
ly out, two sides washed by the wa
ter ofthe lake, its steep sides every
where covered with thorn Jungle, lis
spire-likc summit forming distinctive
feature to be scen IN many q milo of
landscape. Two miles away stood the
Arab tents. On the road were many
men, all returning from camp, each to
his own village, having carried seven
days provisions to the soldiers Of his
tribe. This gives one man out of
every seven ns the number of nou-
combatants with their army, or Il lit
tie over fourteen per cent. When
about quarter Of Il mile from camp a
GWaiya,iry g i',9,!,!y,, guard galloped towards ns,
towards the camp. la a moment
about fifty horsomen charged down
upon us, horses at full gallop, men
bent forward over their horses nccks,
their long guns roady tor instant use.
MY clhef end escort stopped and shout
Ell, but with ;no effect. We were ell
circlcd OH all sides, and I found N.Y.
self the centre Of circle ofgun muz-
zles, each to mind pointed with great
accuracy, and behind the guns q COL
lection of faces all equally ferocious
and bloodthirsty. Running away was
impossible, 80 we sat still. a trying
moment; my chief in vain trying 10
make himself heard, his voice grown
hoarsc with shouting, and as Il last
argument swearing roundly that I
was 'Smccd,' which is Arabic for
Smith, the gentleman who has played
truly friends part to these people.
"A good looking Arab on we'll bred
gray horse pushed into the circle: a
parley ensued, joined in by shouting,
gesticulating crowd Of two or three
thousand people. Finally It became
known 1 was English. While the par
ley was still going OH q cry that the
trench were rp II them was raised and
that they were in the next field.
a MOD OF FANATICS.
"Then ensucd scene that battles
description. Men mad with religious
excitement galloped about, brandish.
ing their long guns among a crowd of
armed footmen, equally beside them-
selves. Fully eight thousand mon,
| without leader, without M idea of
military cohesion, fanatics to a man,
all rushed hitter and thither to meet
the French. stuck carefully to my
own chief and the one on the gray
horse. The excited crowd swept past
over the road we had just traversed,
under the impression that the French
were trying to cut them of from Ma.
ter, throwing many scowling look al
ME. After consultation with my
Arab servant we agreed it would be
pest t0rus once more to run tho gaunt.
Let of the Arab army. as any attempt
to BiZcrta would bring down on us all
the wandering Arabs. 1t was decideC
that it would look better to take onl,
two or three ofthc escort with us anc
gallop straight through the army
This we did, by whistliug making
what, since find out, Is grave mis-
take, being unacquainted with tn,
Arab bcliof that it collects all devil.
that happen to be unemployed" At
ter this tho correspondent telcgraph
from Mater:--"I find myself confined
to one room, as the Governor tells m,
he caunot answer for the hill men if
appear. Mr.. Smith, who Is with me
and who has greater authority eve,
than the Governor himself, is hclples
to convince them. have lust watch
cd from my barred window 200 new
hill men arrive who have Travelled from
the boundary ofEejn province. witt
| them is holy flag, half green ant
half rcd. IF tho French remain her,
another month they will H!l have fever
If any French troops appear here
fighting is certain on tho spot. Th,
people are quite out Of hand even O
their own head men. The chiefs hat
a meeting on my case and have con
cludcd that, as I came from the Eng
lish Consul, Unjust be handed back {
him. Mr.. Smith, whose Influence +
very great, is to go to Tunis as ambas
sador from them" At last tho cor
respondent got back safely to Tunis
thirteen chiefs of tribes cscortin0 hin
as necessary precaution against thei
own fanatical followers.