242 
tion of this fine spectacle, when on a sudden two old 
men presented themselves and stopped the guide. Their 
abrupt appearance produced upon me an effect which I 
cannot describe. My guide, who knew them, told them 
immediately that we were Mussulmans; the old men 
replied, " No, they are Christians." My guide raising 
his voice, repeated " they are all Mussulmans;" upon 
which one of them advanced, and seizing my horse's 
bridle, said, " Thou art a Christian;" the guide and 
servants cried out, " He is a Mussulman, he is a faithful 
believer." I knew not what to do, for I was ignorant 
of their intention, and their conduct appeared to me 
very extravagant. The first old man resumed the con- 
versation, and said, "By God, thou art a Christian;*' 
I replied, " Man, I am a Mussulman; I am the Scherif 
Abassi; I have just performed my pilgrimage to Mec- 
ca." He then asked me my faith, which I repeated to 
satisfy him; after which they suffered us to continue our 
journey. But why should this old man so obstinately per- 
sist that I was a Christian, without having seen my face 
or heard my voice? It was because I wore a blue bour- 
nous, and in this country that colour is particularly worn 
by the Christian inhabitants. But why this attack in such 
a place at so unseasonable an hour? It was because the 
Christians and Jews who go to Jerusalem, pay at this 
place a tribute of fifteen piastres each, which is received 
for the Sultan of Constantinople. These old men farmed 
this tribute, and as this place, from which the village 
is at no great distance, is the only defile in the moun- 
tains by which travellers can pass, they are perpetually 
on the look-out to prevent any Christian or Jew eluding 
payment of the duty. Having once solved the enigma, 
we had matter for laughter during the rest of the nighty 
