New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-01
vi.

plsin on which the southern sun was beating down
with terrific force were IL not .,'' re nn aloe
there was little sprg of coarse grass, or an aoe
or two reared their spiky leaves, one couiu na'e
called il desert. Far away III the distance was q
range of sunbnrnt rocky hills ~ was ai,cuLS ~
say how far of they were for the hot sun rehaeted
it impossible to judge distance, wne In e igaU
air gave an appearance OF unreallty 10 every thg'
here and there forming mirage.
'rT b se we're mo signs of life visible at first An
Arab might have seen the gazelles which were ~
ing among some lose stones, put European "o","
The heat rose bewlderingy rom the Plalns,
and the sun strcamcd down. Even solitary
palmtee with dried-up well at us ,oo rs 0nefse a
white sand had fixed itself into ltS leaves giving
them an appearance Of grayness; :. a.,
1t is quite mistake TO search 1or coior IN ore
of the sun turns everything black and whlie' Inc
sand, the sky, are white. The trees, people ana
beasts, if there are any, look black. u,, IL tho
bare rocky range of hills. AT first it was nm IN,
possible to say what they were soon one couI'
recognize camels with figures on their backs. -, a
little later and could see the ngures were those
One raised himself on his camel-saddle and
made for @ the palmtree, the other following
The two canels came on with dropping heads
and necks and weary gait. The riders were SO
muted in loose clothes that nttle was Vlsloie vi
Over their backs were slung long barreled guns
of native manufacture, while scimitar hung al
The leader pulled up his camel about hundred
S' ~Bah h?" he e'e cried "by Allah no waterr
the em ptyet tank with its bottom Of
I'VE must push on, Insh'allahl we shall find
who spoke this time, and from his accent it was
plain he was not native OF this part OF the
country.
first "we will rest here bit There is Just shade
enough for us to sit in; and when iYs .. the
weather cOols we will proceed When will sunset
: Not for three hours more yet; but we will
rest awhile here. / still have some water IN my
bottle"
Both men spoke TO their camels, who at once lay
down, grunting the while.
They dsmonnted and. hobbling the camels, I'M
fastened the skin water-bottes from their saddles,
and shook the sand from their ci0tnes.
Come into the shade, Al fladj"
They crept under what little shadow the PALM
tree gave. ., A.. ,o,aoro
like linen that half covered his face. He was very
dark, almost brown, with face MARKED WIN
smallpox and one eye blind. scraggy beard ana
mustache half covered the lower portion OF MS
He wiped the sweat off his forehead with his
hands, and drank little more from his bose.
Slowly the other man followed MS eAahPie, fi
| covering his face.
He WIS contrast TO his companion 1t was
easy enough TO see that he was city Arab, while
| his cOmDanlOn hailed from CTe plains.
| He would have been fair had not the sun tanned
his face to shade of light bronze. small beard
| of brown hair covered his chin beard trimmed as
the Arabs of the towns DO Hls eyes were o,u o0S
their country. His nose was fine and straight, his
eyebrows and lashes dark; The dark man looked
| at his companion long and searchingly:
| Great are the SONS of the Prophet" he said ut
last, for many nations follow his teaching
| nations of all colors and languages"
"God is great said the other, YEARLY.
Aye and thpra is no God but God. and Ma
bomet is the prophet of Cod
| blessed be his name"
| Where is your country, AL Hadjp'
| "Oh, come from affair." from Cairo-far, Tar
away S,e rG al h men fair in your land w asked the
mo; not ALL many are. My mother was a
| Turk" he added.
"Ah, from Stambou?n
Yes, from Stamb0ul.
For on hour or so they did not speak. Once
they moved, for the afternoon sun had changed
The fairer of the two, the Hadj, lay and watched
the camels chewing with half-closed eyes.
| II was he spoke first.
"when shall we ind Abdurrahmans camp"
| he asked.
Tomorrow morning. if ws travel all night. 1t
| Neither spoke again until the sun, a burning orb
| of crimson, was setting when the Arab of the
plains touched the other and said
| 1--WE must be on
YEARLY the Hadj turned around and rose to his
slave you much water left in your bottle p
asked the dark Arab
| mo, not much"
| allah latif. we have far to go before we reach
| another we'll"
is there sure to be water there ~
| YES and to spare. 1t is never dry"
| The sun had set, and the afterglow lit up the
plain with its lurd strange light, when they
| mounted their camels once more and set out.
"Abdurmhman is great man about here ?'
Yes. lately he has been a great man, since the
| infdels-God's curse upon them !-have crept down
| south"
t. God burn their fathers," added the IIad
| "Yes now he is a great man. The Shah, wish
inc TO keep him friendly to Persia. has called him
Khan; and men say the Russians give him money
IL don't know We Arabs will do most things
Except dshonor our religion
There is no God but God and Mahomet is
Hour after hour they journeyed on. There was
water in the next well, and the tired and thirsty
eamels drank, Then on they went again. The
night wac cool. and dew was falling.
Sunrise came in time. and the heat began again
The cicadas chrruped in the rocks and sand The
gazelles speed over the plain kicking up the dust
| behind them The eagle scared, searching his prey
| After the sun had been up some three hours they
crossed q range of low hills. From the summit
welcome view met their eyes. There WIS Alb
the shade of n clnmp Of palm trees Though the
middle of the valley flowed a stream of clear
water, ripping "ver its pebby course. On the
| hillside were women tending goats, while below
wandered camels. The encampmcnt consisted Of
perhaps hundred tents in all-the low pitched
CHINA of the Arabs-,rich in color,
| In the centre Of TIE camp stood large tent OF
| European canvas. Round the tent wall Of
burnt clay abont six feet in height: with wooden
door by which to enter the enclosure. On the
| summit Of the centre pole Of the tent was gilt
ball and short flagstaff with red flag flying.
The two men on their cames instinctvely drew
rein TO gaze on the beautiful! scene. Scarcely q