THE TOMB OF THE STBANGEE. 
45 
filed past — no repose for them ; but the horses and ^^Pluck^^ refused 
to go on, neighing and coaxing us for a share of the repast ; and, 
to the indignation of the drivers, I fed them with dates. 
This day, September the march was long and fatiguing. 
It was two o^clock ere the halt was made ; and, quite knocked up 
as the heat was terrific, we, to the annoyance of the guide, pulled 
up when within two miles of the village of Gagee. 
We were approaching a spot where, ten years ago, a painful 
occurrence had taken place. An English family had there pitched 
their tents, and, consequent on the illness of the husband and 
father, they were constrained to sojourn for many days, until the 
latter unfortunately died. 
We were soon to behold the singular spectacle of a Christianas 
grave forming the central and most elevated point of a Mahom- 
medan burial-place. 
Long before Petherick left England, a marble tablet had been 
consigned to his care by the relatives of the late Mr. Melly, who, 
dying at Gagee, was buried in the neighbourhood ; and it was their 
earnest wish that the memorial stone should be placed on his tomb 
in the presence, if possible, of Petherick. To avoid delay, a mes- 
senger was sent to the village, to invite the sheikh to our tent. 
He was absent, but his uncle, a fine old man, named Ali WoM 
Nassa, returned with the guide. He informed us that his brother, 
Hassan WoM al Hassan, Sheikh of Gagee when Mr. Melly died, 
had also been dead a few months, and that his son, a mere youth, 
filled his father’s place. With alacrity he consented to lead us to 
the tomb, a mile distant. Our horses were saddled, and we rode 
slowly thither, the men carefully carrying the white marble slab. 
It bears the following inscription : 
