PASSAGE OF TARANTA. 
485 
we had still retained with us to serve as guides, knowing that when 
we should have crossed the mountain, they could no longer with 
safety continue their insolence and rapacity, resolved to throw 
every obstruction in the way of our further progress; accordingly 
they began by deserting us : we fortunately however met with a 
young Sheik descending the mountain, who, for a small recompense, 
agreed to be our guide, upon which we continued our journey. In 
about a quarter of an hour afterwards we were overtaken by the 
Nayib's guide, who had already given us so much trouble : he now 
insisted on our halting, giving us to understand that there was 
neither water, provisions, nor resting-place to be found above, and 
therefore that we must take up our station where we were, and 
proceed over the mountain the next day. Having said this, he im- 
mediately seized Captain Rudland 's mule very roughly, and on my 
passing him he came forwards to lay hold of mine ; this however I 
prevented by drawing my hanger, and threatening him to cut him 
down if he offered the least molestation. On this he desisted, and 
seated himself on a stone by the road side in a violent rage. But 
we had not yet entirely got rid of him, for by the time that we had 
advanced half a mile farther, he again overtook us, having by some 
means or other got Captain Rudland's sword from the Sheik, who 
had been entrusted by that gentleman to carry it up the hill. He 
now began to abuse Mr. Carter, who had resisted the attempts 
i:nade to stop the mule on which he rode, and was on the point 
of drawing the sword, when Mr. Carter took a pistol from his 
girdle and presented it at him ; at the same moment Captain Rud- 
land jumped from his mule and wrested the sword from him. 
Having thus failed in all his attempts to detain us another day, and 
