Page:On the Desert - Recent Events in Egypt.djvu/267

Rh (I can hear his voice now) signifying with a majestic wave of his hand that we were at liberty to proceed. We did not wait for a second invitation. The robber then turned with his attendant horseman and dashed away, followed by his men-at-arms. I touched my hat to him with all the grace I could command, as well pleased to give him this parting salute as if I had received his most affectionate embrace. Indeed I never said good-bye to a friend with more pleasure in my life.

This whole scene had passed so quickly that it was all over before we could fully realize what it meant. We had had a narrow escape. If we had started from camp in disregard of the warnings of the dragoman, and had been fifteen minutes ahead of our convoy, we should have been "done for" so neatly and quickly that we should hardly have known what had happened to us till we were left by the roadside. I do not suppose we stood in much personal danger — that is, unless we made resistance. The Arabs prefer not to shed blood, because they have a mortal dread of a blood-feud, which may pursue them for years. Therefore they prefer not to take life, if they can avoid it; but if we had shown a sign of resistance, such as drawing a pistol, probably we should have been killed on the spot. If we submitted quietly, we should have suffered nothing worse than the loss of all we possessed. The robbers seem to pride themselves on doing their work thoroughly, and will "clean out" the most plethoric traveller in a way that will leave him with no temptation to extravagance in his expenses for the rest of his journey. They would have taken our money, watches, and probably most of the garments we wore, unless the stripping us would detain them too long till the arrival of our party. Of course they would have seized the camels we rode unless they feared that the slow-moving beasts would impede them in their escape.