148 Bcdo7iin Tribes of the Eziphrates. [ch. xxr. 



Evening. — We did not get away till nearly ten, 

 and have only travelled five hours, half of them, at 

 least, through what was the Edala camj) last night, 

 so that the whole space occujDied by the tribe cannot 

 have been less than twelve miles across. It was not 

 till we got clear of this, that the camels found any 

 grass to eat, and we then let them feed as they 

 went, for they have had little the last twenty-four 

 hours. As we followed along the foot of the Euak 

 hills, a white cloud gradually appeared over the 

 horizon in front of us and, as it took shape, became 

 transformed into a mountain. It was the snow- 

 covered head of ]\Iount Hermon, our first sight of 

 the promised land. Then we knew that Damascus 

 must be straight l)efore us, and not far off. 



We have stopped under shelter of a ruined khan, 

 the first sign of approaching civilization ; and there, 

 in a bed of thick rich grass, we are spending a happy 

 afternoon, having seen our last of the Bedouins. 

 This Avill be our last night in the desert, and we 

 must make the most of it. There are some curious 

 volcanic mounds close by, differing from any we 

 have hitherto seen, — outlying specimens, perhaps, of 

 the tells of the Leja. On one of them Wilfrid haS' 

 shot a hare, and we are to have a feast to-nio-ht to 

 celebrate Mohammed's promotion to the rank of 

 brotherhood, with which it has been determined to 

 reward him for his tried fidelity and loyal service. 

 We have long debated whether he was worthy of 

 the honour ; for the brotherhood is not a thing to be 



