240 
JOURNEY FROM 
against his will, we judged it better to dispense wdtli all such logi- 
cal minutiae on a subject where the parties were not likely to agree, 
and, dropping the argument, we took up the sheep, and tendered 
the money we had offered for it. Our opponent, however, was still 
as obstinate as before in refusing to take our piastres, though he 
saw a fat sheep take its departure from his flock, and occupy a 
position upon our Chaous’s shoulders, while nothing remained to 
him in lieu of it. We had no doubt, on our leaving him, that he 
would change his mind before long, and told him, in consequence, 
where we meant to pitch our tents, that he might come for his 
money at his own leisure and convenience. But the sheep was killed 
and eat, at least a good part of it, and stiU no shepherd appeared ; 
and we went to sleep in full assurance that he wmuld come the next 
morning before the camels were loaded. During the night our 
Arab watch-dog kept up a continual barking, very much to the 
annoyance of old Shekh Mahommed, who was ahvays rejoiced to 
have any opportunity of finding fault with poor iVIorzouk, w^hom he 
frequently honoured with the titles of useless cur, noisy rascal, and 
other equally flattering appellations. Our whole party, however, 
t 
were too much tired with the day’s exertions to pay any particular 
attention to this warning ; and indeed it must be said that our 
shaggy young guardian was too much in the habit of employing 
his nights in barking merely for his private amusement, to render 
any further notice of him absolutely necessary, than that of lifting 
up occasionally the canvass of the tent to throw a stick or a stone 
at him, accompanied in general with some little verbal admonition. 
No one, however, w^as kept awake on this occasion, so far as we have 
