24 SOME ACCOUNT OF THE 



ulterior motives, Professor Hull summoned a council of war, which re- 

 sulted in despatching our able conductor, Bernard Heilpern, with orders 

 to secure our entitled priority to the 'Akabah Sheikh's camels and 

 services. Bernard passed the fugitives in the night, and was entirely 

 successful. 



It was long ere we got clear of this ever widening, slowly rising WAdy 

 el 'Atttyeh, which wound through granite hills and lifted us out of Wady 

 el 'Ain. Our height above sea-level varied between 2,500 and 3,000 feet. 

 Acacias, are numerous, chiefly^, seyal. This small tree, when not too 

 flat-topped, as is commonly the case, has at a little distance a close 

 resemblance to our hawthorn, with its gnarled and twisted stem and 

 rugged bark. The granite hills, usually capped with a stratum of sand- 

 stone, are barren in the extreme. Dcemia cordata and Tephrosia purpurea 

 are the only noteworthy species. 



Hey's sand partridges were frequent, and good to eat. All seen as yet 

 were of the one species. They rarely fly until almost walked on, trusting 

 for escape to their close resemblance in colour to the shingle and rocks 

 they inhabit. Until they run, which they do with rapidity, they would 

 be most difficult to observe. Nevertheless they often betray themselves 

 by their sharp cry of alarm. The Bedawin then, swift, stealthy, and 

 barefooted, gets easily amongst them, for they seem more alarmed by a 

 noise than by the human figure. The Bedawin flint lock is, however, 

 slow and dignified in its performance, and usually affords abundant time 

 for escape from its uncertain discharge. 



Rock-pigeons and martins {Columba Schtmperi, Bp. ; Cotyle rupestris, 

 Scop.) were seen in Wady el 'Ain. 



All about the caper is frequent. The Arabs eat the ripe red fruit and 

 seeds. I tasted it, but did not continue to eat it. The skin is like 

 mustard, and the seeds like black pepper. 



In a marshy place at the head of W4dy el 'Ain, amongst palms and 

 tamarisks, Typha angustata was 12 to 14 feet high ; Erigeron Bovei 6 or 

 7 feet high, well branched and with many flowers, and Phragmites gigantea 

 was fully 15 feet high. 



The pricklier plants. Acacias, Acanthodium, Gymnocarpum, etc., are 

 commoner, generally speaking, on the granite and sandstone than on the 

 limestone. 



