cH. XVII.] Mohammed Consoles its. 3 1 



on at least as far as Sokline, where we should be 

 certain to get information, and probably someoiie 

 who could take us to Jediian. He himself could 

 not do this without assistance, as he knew no more 

 than we did where the Anazeh might be, and 

 had never gone down far into the Hamad. It was 

 not a place to go to alone, as there was no water, at 

 least none that could be found by merely looking 

 about for it. It was very hot, and we had only 

 two waterskins with us, so we were fain to be 

 content and wait for better times. This settled, 

 Mohammed became very confidential, and told us 

 with much humour, how he had received special 

 injunctions from the Pasha not to let us out of his 

 sight. Huseyn's last words to Mohammed, holding 

 him familiarly by the ear, after the manner of the 

 great Napoleon, had been, " Mind, whatever hap- 

 pens, they are not to go near the Bedouins. Take 

 them straight to Tudmur, and see them on without 

 any more nonsense to Damascus — and mind, no 

 Bedouins, no Bedouins !" Mohammed lauo;hed loud 

 and long at the recollection of this scene, and of the 

 Pasha holding him by the ear. " They are all 

 pigs," he added, " these Turks." 



About two miles from Bir, we came upon the re- 

 mains of a subterranean aqueduct, leading from the 

 well, and a large tank, probably of Roman construc- 

 tion, by which the plain was anciently irrigated, for 

 in winter there is no want of water underground in 

 the wady, and here it had been stored. Mohammed 



