Page:Mount Seir, Sinai and Western Palestine.djvu/100

72 of the passes have continued its course northwards, probably by Hebron, to Jerusalem. The waters of the gulf are beautifully clear, and the shore is formed of shelly gravel, consisting of pebbles of porphyry, granite, greenstone, and quartz, mixed with pieces of coral, and great numbers of shells, chiefly univalves, of which Hart collected altogether about 200 species. The rise and fall of the spring tides is about 6 feet, and the waters abound in fish, amongst which are "flying fish" and sharks. The presence of the latter renders bathing rather dangerous, and the habit is not much indulged in by the inhabitants, though, not altogether perhaps from the presence of these voracious fish.

The average temperature of Akabah is high, and in summer the heat must be almost overpowering. The land at the head of the bay might be made a fruitful field if cultivated, as it is covered by rich loam, and water is so abundant below the surface that the Arabs have only to scrape holes a few inches deep in the gravel near the shore in order to give their camels drink. The palm grove here is the largest we had seen since leaving Egypt. Doubtless wheat, maize, olives, indigo, and cotton might be cultivated with success; yet nothing is grown but the palm, which requires little culture; and the lazy inhabitants prefer to lounge about, smoking their pipes, and doing next to nothing in order to turn to account the bounties of nature.

Notwithstanding our agreement with Mahommed, and the handsome sum of money he had secured, we learned on the day following (Saturday) that there had been a judicious distribution of gifts on the part of our neighbours to secure priority in the start on Monday. We therefore thought it prudent to invite the Sheikh into our tent on Saturday evening in order "to keep him straight," by the presentation of a gift "in token of our high esteem." I had brought out a small revolver, a pretty instrument of American workmanship, and at the suggestion of my colleagues had resolved to sacrifice it for the public good on this occasion. We all felt sure that the sight of such a present would at once convert the Sheikh from the position of a wavering ally to that of a staunch friend. During all this