Page:Mount Seir, Sinai and Western Palestine.djvu/102

 69° Fahr.), the sky was cloudy, and towards Sunday evening signs of an approaching storm began to manifest themselves. Accordingly we made our preparations. Trenches were dug round our tents, the pegs were firmly hammered down, and we got all baggage under cover. Soon after retiring for the night we heard the booming of heaven's artillery amongst the mountains, and flash succeeded flash with much brilliancy. The rain came at first in heavy drops, and then poured down steadily. The tents, however, proved sound; not a drop entered, and we rejoiced to think that the parched and thirsty ground would drink in the refreshing rain; that plant-life would receive a fresh impulse, and cover the plain we were about to traverse with verdure and flowers. In the morning rain still fell, heavy clouds hung on the mountains, and we had to mount our new camels, and make our arrangements for a start, under a dripping sky.

We broke up our camp in a scene of indescribable confusion. Our new Arabs were quite unused to their work; and it was excessively difficult to apportion the baggage to each camel, to have the tents taken down and packed, and to get the men to lade their own animals. The clatter of tongues was loud and incessant, above which those of the Sheikhs were the loudest. The roaring and groaning of the camels was hideous to hear; our dragoman, Ibraham, was storming, and our conductor silent with despair. As I was setting out he said to me, “I trust we shall meet again to-night!” Glad to get out of this babel, we rode off; but it was past eleven o'clock when the baggage camels were ready to start, owing, I was told, to Mohammed not having supplied the requisite number of camel nets.