BURIAL-PLACES. 153 



after a long day's journey, confident in his watchful 

 care, for he always ordered his servants to build his 

 shade of mats, and salt bags, but a few yards from 

 the entrance of my own hut. 



I was first introduced to Ohmed Medina, during 

 the march on the morning of the tenth of April, 

 when we again resumed our journey. We travelled 

 not more than three miles from our last halting- 

 place, amongst little denuded hills of a reddish 

 porphyritic stone before we came to an open plain 

 of no very great dimensions. Passing out of the 

 gorge of a small stream running through banks 

 which were covered with tamarisks, and mimosa 

 shrubs ; we came suddenly upon a large shallow 

 lake of fresh water, which prevented us from con- 

 tinuing the march for that day. We accordingly 

 returned to the little wood-enbosomed plain called 

 Gurguddee, and which appeared to be a favourite 

 burial-place for the tribes in the neighbourhood. 

 Among a vast number of others, two large kairns, 

 or heaps of stones, were pointed out to me, as 

 being the tombs of two great chiefs, one of which, 

 however, appeared to command no respect ; or, in 

 fact, only excited a contrary feeling, several stones 

 being cast upon it in contempt. A legend con- 

 nected with it, reminded me forcibly of the tale of 

 Myrrha and her father. The other was the tomb 

 of a Sheik, celebrated for his piety, and was strewed 

 over by palm branches, and the decayed foliage of 

 other trees. Many of the Kafilah men, amongst 



