Page:Mount Seir, Sinai and Western Palestine.djvu/121

 another conference they came up to Major Kitchener, asking us to return, and offering easier terms. We again declined, as we had no security that if we assented they would not again fall back on the old practice of deception. After we had proceeded about six miles from our camping ground in the morning, in the direction of the Wâdy el Arabah, the Petra Sheikhs became thoroughly alarmed. They saw we were really slipping from their hands, and probably asked themselves what account would they give of all this to Sheikh Arari on his return from Damascus? At length we came to a spot bounded by an amphitheatre of rocks and favourable for camping. It being Sunday we had not intended to make a lengthened day's march, as we only wanted to place ourselves and the Petra men at a good distance apart, and to camp on a spot well within the limits of Sheikh All's territory. The horsemen now came up, and said that if we would camp here for the night they would assent to the terms we proposed, and take us to Petra and Mount Hor on the following day. This, after some discussion, we agreed to, the terms being written out and signed before the tents were pitched; with the addition that, all demands for bakhsheesh were to be struck out, and that the money was not to be paid over until we had returned safely to the camp. This was unpalatable to the Sheikhs; but as we were in a position to dictate terms to them, and we determined to take every precaution to secure safety and success, they were agreed to.

I will here place, side by side, for the guidance of future travellers, the terms as originally demanded by the Sheikhs of Petra, and those ultimately assented to, and carried out. It will be their own fault if they allow themselves to be imposed upon, as has too often been the case on former occasions. We believe the Gates of Petra are now open on reasonable terms to those who have nerve and will to resist extortion; and the Sheikhs, sooner than lose their visitors and the money they may bring, will came to terms on the basis now established.