244 PYRAMIDS OF SACCARA. 
and that the saddle is never taken off, except 
for cleaning the animal. We give this relation 
as we heard it, without venturing to vouch for 
its truth. After paying the Sheik for the horses 
we had hired, and the peasants for their labour, 
we returned hx our boat to Sheik hitman, where 
we had rested the preceding night; and found, 
as before, a party of Almehs, with bells upon 
their fingers, exhibiting the dance we had then 
noticed, as if it had continued, without inter- 
mission, from the time of our first coming to 
the village. Several Turkish soldiers had ar- 
rived from the Vizier, to collect straw for his 
cavalry. While our servant was conversing 
with one of these men, who was seated upon 
the ground observing the dance, an Arab, un- 
derstanding the Turkish language, joined them, 
and entered into conversation. This man con- 
trived to steal from the servant his purse, con- 
Tiieft de. taioiug four sequins of Holland. Upon being 
accused of the theft, he denied it ; but all the 
Turks, indignant at the audacious manner in 
which the theft had been committed, insisted 
upon a general search. The money was found 
in the Arab's shoes, placed beneath his pillow, 
under a date-tree ; and the purse, where he bad 
thrown it, at the distance of a quarter of a mile. 
Upon the following morning we left the village 
tecled. 
