40 MEMOIR OF BURCKHARDT. 



encampments and horses of the Bedouins, he was to 

 conduct him in safety to Damascus. 



Although it is extremely rare for an Arab to 

 break his word of honour with a stranger to whom 

 he has promised his protection, this chief did not 

 fulfil his agreement, having left his protegee on the 

 third day in charge of some of his men near Hamah, 

 where they were attacked and stript by a party of 

 the Monali tribe, who had then a quarrel with the 

 Aenezys. As a reason for this breach of contract, 

 the sheikh alleged that he could not possibly caiTy 

 him into his own country, as he was afraid of 

 its being invaded by the approaching army of the 

 "Wahabis, a sect of religious reformers who had then 

 nearly conquered the whole of Arabia, and were 

 waging war against all Turks and IMussulmans 

 who refused to adopt their creed. He offered, how- 

 ever, to provide him another guide who would con- 

 duct him to Tadmor and thence to the Haouran. 



Having refitted himself at Hamah, our traveller 

 set out under his new protector and succeeded in 

 reaching Palmyra, where he spent nearly two days 

 in contemplating those interesting ruins, and ob- 

 serving the manners of the Bedouins, who received 

 him in their encampments with their characteristic 

 hospitality and kindness. Here he was again de- 

 serted by his guide, and obliged to join a salt cara- 

 van, with which he proceeded to Damascus. 



His project of visiting the Haouran was now 

 found to be impracticable, in consequence of the 



