THE JOUENEY TO INDIA. H 



tents of the Bedouins, was an old Arab with a camel waiting to join 

 us. We had engaged them the day before, but were nevertheless 

 surprised at finding them both there and ready to start. The plan 

 was for me to ride the camel out to the Forest, where we would 

 load it with specimens of petrified wood to be brought back ; so I 

 dismounted from my donkey and prepared to embark upon the 

 ship of the desert 



The Bedouin made him kneel, which he did under protest, with 

 much guttural swearing, not loud but deep ; but when I prepared 

 to mount, he bawled aloud in remonstrance against a " Christian 

 infidel dog " getting upon his back, which was sacred to the follow- 

 ers of the Prophet. But his objections were overruled by the court ; 

 the stirrup-straps were adjusted over the front horn of the saw- 

 buck I was to ride upon, and I mounted. 



" Now look out," said Mr. Farman. 



Immediately the camel began to heave up behind and sink 

 earthward in front, just Hke an Arab when he prostrates himself and 

 touches the ground with his forehead while saj'ing his prayers. It 

 seemed as though my camel was going to stand on his head, and 

 but for the timely warning I should have pitched gracefully over 

 his bows into the sand. But I clung to the rack, and presently the 

 ship began to right itself. The next thing I knew, the affair was 

 high in the air, with its leg-joints partially straightened out ; the 

 Bedouin took hold of the halter and we were off 



How strange and romantic the scene. How soft and pure and 

 balmy the fresh morning air. How pleasing the landscape ; and 

 yet how baiTcn. Not a single green thing in sight, yet somehow 

 it seems more like a freshly ploughed field than a desert. Here and 

 there are the same umbrella-like Bedouin tents that we have seen 

 pictured in the geography on the page opposite the map of Africa, 

 ever since we began to remember, and close to each tent is the very 

 same camel. The wandering Arabs pitch their tents just outside 

 the gates of the city, and feel quite at home, for the desert comes 

 quite up to the walls. 



Over to the left there stand a number of low, dome-like struct- 

 ures, and we do not need to be told that they are the tombs 



of the caliphs who have mercy ! A trotting camel is enough 



to stampede the reflections of a mirror. The donkeys walk 

 faster than our camel, so we have fallen behind, and must trot 

 to catch up. "WTiile we walked, camel-riding went well enough, 

 for the old fellow went very easily and softly forward, and it is not 



