424 THE HOLY LAND. 
CHAP. Prince, favoured us with their company, at a 
well where we halted : but fortunately, from 
the paucity of their number, they offered us no 
molestation. We were therefore permitted to 
admire, without apprehension, the very inter- 
esting group they exhibited; their wild and 
swarthy looks ; the beauty of their horses ; and 
their savag^e dress. Some of them dismounted, 
and, having lighted their pipes, sat smoking 
tobacco with us at the well. They make no 
secret of their mode of life, but seemed rather 
vain of it. Had but a few of their friends upon 
the hills descended to their aid, they would have 
stripped us of every thing, even of our clothes. 
Their chief advanced to kiss the hand of the 
captain of our guard, expressing his reverence 
for Djezzar Pasha, and making him as much 
compliment and ceremony as if they had been 
his slaves. This officer told us, that their 
servile beha.viour when their force is inferior is 
as much their characteristic as their ferocity 
when in power. We bargained with this chief 
to accompany us to Bethoor, in order to recover 
our camels and baggage; to which, after a 
short parley, he consented ; and, having dis- 
missed his attendants, accompanied us from 
the well, riding in the van of our cavalcade, 
armed with a long lance, such as the Cossacks 
