Page:Mount Seir, Sinai and Western Palestine.djvu/86

Rh impracticable road, and one which under the guidance of God—who “led his people like a flock”—they were not likely to follow.

Sunday, 25th November.—We had morning prayers in the tent, and in the afternoon, while engaged in writing, word was brought “that the engineers were approaching.” We had heard, when in our camp near Mount Sinai, that a party of engineers had arrived from England at Suez,and were waiting for camels to carry them to Akabah; and we understood that they had come out to take observations along the line of the Wâdy el Arabah in connection with “the Jordan Valley scheme.”

Presently the baggage camels passed our tents at a rapid pace, and about an hour afterwards two gentlemen, with dragoman and servant,passed also. I had ordered coffee to be prepared with the expectation that the engineers would favour us with a call en passant; but with that reserve which is peculiar to Englishmen—and not one of their most agreeable characteristics—they refrained from any communication with our party.

Feeling satisfied that their object was to reach Akabah before ourselves and forestall us in securing camels, though we had a right to priority, I requested Major Kitchener to draw up a letter to the governor of Akabah with directions that he would secure the services of Sheikh Mohammed Ibn Jhad, and obtain the requisite camels. This letter I despatched the same evening by the hand of our conductor, Berhard Heilpern, who started down the valley accompanied by an Arab, passed the tents of the engineering party at night, and reached Akabah on the second day; and so well did he accomplish his task that, on our arrival, we received a message from Sheikh Mohammed saying that he was on his way from his mountain home to visit us, with the result which will be stated further on. Having thus taken measures to prevent our expedition being blocked, or at least being seriously delayed at its most critical stage, we prepared to resume our journey next morning.

Our course continued for several miles down the Wâdy el Ain, sometimes in view of a conspicuous mountain called Jebel el Aradeh, which rose between us and the sea, towards the north-east. This mountain was ascended by Kitchener for survey purposes, and Hart for botanical. It forms a landmark in that part of the country, and like most of the