cii. XIX.] The Prince of the Desert. 77 



us was our old ac([uaintance iVli the Mehdd, whom 

 we liad plotted with at Deyr, aud whose failure to 

 meet us at the tiysting place outside had been the 

 cause of all our difficulties. He apologised very 

 handsomely for having left us in the lurch, and ex- 

 plained that the Pasha had got wind of our arrange- 

 ment, and had threatened to hang him, if he did not 

 go about his business at once. 



He told us Jedaan was in the tent and was expect- 

 ing us; and presently a middle-aged man, rather 

 shabbily-dressed and rather ill-mounted on an iron 

 grey mare, rode up to us and bade us welcome. 

 There was nothing in his manner, features, or 

 appearance to proclaim him a man of note. His 

 face was plain and undistinguished, his address 

 neither very dignified nor very engaging, his smile 

 a singularly cold one, — only his eyes were re- 

 markable by a certain glitter they had, and the pro- 

 jection of the eyebrows over them. He returned 

 our greeting gravely, and rode almost in silence with 

 us to the tent. This was Jedaan, the great captain 

 of the Anazeh, honoured by them with the title of 

 Emir el Arab. The first words he uttered, after the 

 usual compliments had been exchanged, were a ques- 

 tion as to the breeding of my mare, Sherifa, whose 

 extraordinarily beautiful head seems to attract all 

 eyes to her. This struck us as rather rude, and I 

 had expected, considering their old alliance and 

 brotherhood, a far greater demonstration of pleasure 

 b}- him towards the Consul. On the whole we are 



