i88i] A JOURNEY IN THE HEjAZ 497 



front pillar of the saddle reposing on a little cushion, and 

 the calf of the other leg supported on the instep of the 

 first. But it takes a novice some time to find his seat, 

 and meantime every jolt, especially if the animal is walk 

 ing, brings the sharp capital of the other pillar against 

 one s back. I was a little uneasy, too, as to the proper 

 management of the Oriental dress which I had been 

 advised to wear, as likely to make communication less 

 constrained in places up the country, where Europeans 

 are never seen. A long white caftan reaching to the heels, 

 and covered by an equally long mishlakh or cloak of fine 

 camel s hair, do not at first sight seem to form a good 

 dress to ride in. But I found by experience that the 

 Eastern dress is far the most comfortable for such a 

 journey, both upon the camel and in camping out at night. 

 The only disadvantage was that it gave my native com 

 panions the opportunity to tell a great many lies about 

 me. They were really a little nervous about travelling 

 with a Frank in out-of-the-way places, and while I 

 adopted the Eastern dress mainly to avoid intrusive 

 curiosity, they occasionally made a serious effort to pass 

 me off as a Mohammedan. I know that Abdullah Effendi, 

 as they chose to call me, figured in one village as a doctor 

 whom the Shereef had sent to inquire into the plague 

 which has been raging among the horses in the towns of 

 the Hejaz ; but as I did not appear to approve of this 

 fiction, I was afterwards kept in the dark as to my sup 

 posed personality. When I say that my attendants were 

 nervous about travelling with a Frank, I do not of course 

 mean that they anticipated any danger to me while under 

 the protection of the Shereef. They took good care never 

 to let me out of their sight, and with the Emir s men 

 at hand, I was perfectly safe, even in a place like Zeima, 

 where Mr. Doughty was exposed to insult and some 

 hazard as a Christian, after crossing the remotest deserts 

 without hindrance or danger. The Moslem who accom 

 panies a Christian is rather nervous about his own reputa- 



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