en. XXI.] Peace or War'? 143 



years old, named Maiisur (Victorious), with plump 

 rosy clieeks and a friendly disposition, not at all 

 sliy as the children here generally are. He walked 

 across the tent all alone to give me a kiss. Hamid 

 the Akid has come 1)ack with Abd er Rahman to 

 give us news of the council of war, for I fear it can 

 hardly be hoped to be one of peace, though nothing- 

 has yet been settled. It appears that Sotamm has 

 received a letter from Jevdet Pasha, the new Valy 

 of Damascus, which he has got Abd er Rahman to 

 read for him. It is a very curt epistle, forbidding 

 the Roiila to go any further north this year than 

 where they are. But it concludes with these words, 

 " if you have anything to say to me on this score, 

 I will see you at Damascus and listen patiently." 

 This, Sotamm, and everyone else, take to be on the 

 Pasha's part, ",9a maniere de tirer une carotte." 

 The new Valy, it is said, is " hungry," and must 

 have his share. So Sotamm is making ready to 

 go off to Damascus to-morrow with presents in 

 his hand, and is more than ever determined to 

 follow up his game with the Turks. I fear it is 

 useless arguing further, even on the ground of 

 personal danger to an Ibn Shaaldn in Damascus, for 

 Sotamm knows, or should know, that he runs no 

 sort of risk there. It is only sheyklis of individual 

 eminence who are in any danger. Later, Sotamm 

 himself joined us, and w^e tried our last counsels. 

 He listened very politely, and appealed almost 

 pathetically to us to excuse him, if he could not do 



