202 I GO A- FISHING. 



found the convent closed, and he slept that night in my 

 tent. He was a good man, and he believed the story. I 

 wish I knew more about Isa, the son of Mary.' 



" Our conversation was interrupted by the sudden ap- 

 pearance, on a hill commanding our route, of a party of 

 Bedouins, whom Achmed recognized on the instant as 

 some of those scoundrels that inhabit the southern parts 

 of Moab, but who fled as we advanced. One of their 

 number, however, stood for a long time defiantly on the 

 brow of the hill, and the sheik, lifting his mare to her full 

 speed, crossed the valley, and commenced the ascent of 

 the rocky hill on which his foe stood. The latter coolly 

 swung his gun from his shoulder, and covered his ap- 

 proaching enemy. In vain we shouted to Achmed. In 

 vain we sent a volley of balls from our revolvers, which 

 carried not half way to the hill. A puff of smoke against 

 the blue sky, a rattling echo down the ravine, and Achmed 

 reeled in his saddle. 



" It was all over in an instant. The enemy vanished as 

 if in the smoke of his gun, and our leader lay on the rocky 

 hill-side, his faithful mare standing over him. We were at 

 his side in a few moments. He was badly wounded, but 

 already endeavoring to stanch the fast-flowing blood. 

 Lifting him carefully from his bad position among the 

 rocks, we carried him down to the sandy plain, and laid 

 him on his own soil, the earth to which, I had no doubt 

 from the first, he must now return. 



" There was no good material with which to form it, but 

 Achmed insisted that a rude camel's litter should be 

 made, and with the aid of some of the baggage a sort of 

 half hammock half Taktarawan was constructed, in which 

 for four hours of the day he swung in great pain, and yet, 

 with the firmness of a Roman, deterur'ned that he would 



