other's arms could imagine that in a few hours one would be trying to cheat the other, while the latter would be writhing, not in embraces, but in toils from which he could not escape? The matter was one of some difficulty. A regular contract had to be made, as we had made one before in Cairo. The only difference was that, as we had contracted with our dragoman to take us the whole journey, it was his business to contract with the sheikh. But of course we had to stand behind him and see him through. This obliged us to be present at a scene of which we were unwilling witnesses. As we were trying to get a little rest in our tent, we were summoned to the fort. Our dragoman was in trouble. We found him surrounded by a dozen or twenty Bedaween, who were putting him through a course of torture. The more he writhed under it the more they increased their exactions. At first they asked ten pounds above the regular price, then twenty, and finally thirty pounds! Poor Yohanna was in despair. Being of an excitable temperament, he was driven to frenzy by these repeated demands, and for a moment lost all self-control; his face was swollen with rage, his eyes were full of tears, and I thought he would tear the hair out of his head, and gave him one anxious look, but a glance reassured me, his hair was very short. But tears and entreaties were in vain: the Arabs knew that we could not stir a step without their camels and their guides, and were determined to profit by our necessities. Our friend the old Governor did not once interpose to rescue us from their rapacity. Instead of using his authority to protect us, he looked on grinning and smiling, and evidently enjoyed the scene. Of course it was useless to contend against such combined forces, and, ignominious as it seemed, we advised the dragoman to capitulate, to make an unconditional surrender, and to get the best terms he
