Page:Mount Seir, Sinai and Western Palestine.djvu/150

116 supplies of wheat, maize, and durra are raised, together with indigo and cotton. The women were generally busy with household duties, or engaged in tending the flocks of sheep and goats; while the children might often be noticed playing various games on the ground adjoining the village. On the whole it was pleasant to see for the first time on coming from the desert evidences of industrious habits amongst an Arab tribe. As a consequence, however, of their comparative wealth they are subjected to heavy exactions on the part of the sheikhs and people both of Kerak and of Petra, and while we were camped at Es Safieh we were told that a demand had come from the former for a sum of £120 in payment of annual tribute; a demand which there was no possibility of resisting without the risk of ruin. This poor people are in effect the wheat between the upper millstone of Kerak and the nether of Petra.

The day after our arrival at Es Safieh we received a polite message from Ibn Mudjelli, the Sheikh of Kerak, to the effect "that he was the friend of travellers" (as any one might know from his treatment of Canon Tristram and his party!) and that he would send horses and mules to enable us to pay him a visit in his highland fortress; moreover, that for our sakes he would not attack Sheikh Ali, with whom (as before stated) he was at deadly feud. We replied that we were much obliged for his courtesy, but had made arrangements for proceeding forthwith to Jerusalem. Perhaps this was a little more than we had a right under the circumstances to say. It is true we had despatched messengers to the Holy City for horses and mules, but we knew not whether they had been able to deliver their message, and consequently whether the horses were on their way to our relief. We hoped the morrow's light might see them arrive—a hope destined to disappointment. Instead of our escort from Jerusalem we had an unwelcome visit from the bandits of Petra, who came up to our camp next day brandishing their spears and demanding money. This demand we felt bound to resist even at some risk; and being unsuccessful with us they proceeded towards the village to quarter themselves for the night on the Ghawarneh, whom they ordered forthwith to kill a sheep for supper; and, as no news had