c". XIX.] Secret Griefs. 83 



but surely on behind, feeding as they went. Every 

 time we thought they intended to encamp, but they 

 still went on, and it was not till ;il)out one o'clock 

 that Turki finally stuck his spear in the ground and 

 told us the tents were to be pitched there. The 

 place chosen is a likely spot enough, a deep wady, 

 Wady-el-Helbe, some forty feet below the level of 

 the plain, and one vast bed of grass and flowers. 

 "VYe have been turning round Jebel Gliorab all day, 

 *ind it is still in sight five or six miles off to the 

 north-north-east. It is very hot, and we are sitting 

 in the sun ^^'aiting for the camels to come up with 

 the tents; but my mare is kind enough to let me 

 make use of her shadow, to a certain extent, while 

 I WTite. She is too gentle to move away. 



Evening. — Jedaan's pre-occupied manner is ex- 

 plained. He was married two days ago and for the 

 fifteenth time ! He has confided his woes to ]\Ir. 

 +S., the most prominent of them being the foolish- 

 ness of his son, who really is it seems half-witted. 

 Turki is now twenty-four years old, and is of no use 

 either in peace or Avar, being an idle, stupid lout, 

 who cannot even ride. This is Jedaan's secret 

 misery and the cause of all his marriages, for it is 

 in the hope of a more worthy heir that he has 

 married over and over again, and now at the age of 

 fifty-five has just taken to himself a fifteenth wife. 

 He came to the Consul this evening with an apology 

 — ''Amdii, Amdn," he said, (" Peace, peace, forgive 



me,") and told his troubles. He is also worried and 



G 2 



