10 EGYPT AND PALESTINE. 



somewliat broken, and tlie re-establisliment of Turkish 

 garrisons at Es-Salt and Bozrah kept tlie surrounding dis- 

 tricts in more than the nominal subjection they had 

 previously shown to the central authority. 



Elias recommended us to have, if possible, nothing to 

 do with the Arabs, but to ask from the Pasha a sufficient 

 escort of Turkish cavalry to insure our safety. Just at 

 the risrht moment he chanced to meet in the bazaars an 

 old acquaintance, a sergeant of Bashi-Bazouks, Khasim by 

 name. The pair discussed our plans, and Khasim en- 

 treated to be allowed to take us in charge. One morning 

 our future guardian was brought, by appointment, to be 

 introduced to us, and first impressions were most favour- 

 able. To describe his personal appearance would require 

 the language of an Eastern story-teller ; I can only cata- 

 logue his beauties like a slave-merchant. Khasim stood at 

 least six feet two inches in height ; he had fine features, 

 and was of a fair but sunburnt complexion, with curly 

 brown hair, and long tawny moustaches, which curled be- 

 hind his ears. We fell in love with him at first sight, 

 and were perfectly ready to promise that we would ask 

 the Pasha to grant him leave to accompany us. 



An opportunity of making the request offered before 

 we expected it. We were sitting in the salle-a-manger, 

 discussing our plans, when we suddenly observed a com- 

 motion in the street below. In another minute the master 

 of the house dashed upstairs, in breathless haste, and an- 

 nounced ' His Excellency the Pasha,' who had come, 

 attended by fifteen soldiers and six attendants, to return 

 our visit. Unprepared for such an honour, we received 

 him as well as we could, but it was not easy to get the 

 coffee and sweets proper for the occasion on the spur of 

 the moment. Nothing could exceed the Pasha's polite- 

 ness j he accorded us any guard we might choose, and 



