386 
CLARKE^S TRAVELS?, 
conversation began between him and the Arab who had-under¬ 
taken to escort us through his territory. Then they all formed 
a circle, seated upon the ground, in the open air; the Sheik 
being in the centre, with an iron mace or sceptre in his hand, 
about three feet in length, with a sphere at the upper extremity, 
so longitudinally grooved as to exhibit edges on every side. 
This regal badge, evidently a tveapon of offence, thus borne 
as a symbol of power in lime of peace, only proves, that among 
the wildest Arabs, as among the most enlightened nations, the 
ensigns of dignity have been originally instruments of terror. 
The consultation lasted for some time : during this we observed 
our Arab as a very principal speaker, addressing the conclave 
with great warmth, and apparently remonstrating against pro¬ 
positions that w ere made. When it ended, we found that if we 
had better understood what w as going on, we should have been 
more interested in the result of their debate than we imagined; 
for the discussion tended to nothing less than a determination, 
whether or not we should be considered as prisoners of war. 
As soon as they all rose, the Sheik came toward us, and told us, 
that we might pass the night where we then were; that we 
were indebted for our liberty to the presence of the Arab we 
had brought with us, and to the recommendation of the 
Pacha of Acre ; that the countenance ©f the governor of Jeru¬ 
salem availed nothing in our favour ; that in the morning he 
should mount upwards of one thousand Arabs against the Pa¬ 
cha of Gaza; but that he would send a party to escort us as 
far as llama. It may well be imagined, that, after this intel¬ 
ligence of our situation, we passed the night in considerable 
uneasiness. We had the tent pitched, but called into it all 
those upon whom we could rely, and stationed others round it; 
keeping guard until day light appeared, when we recommen¬ 
ced our journey. The Arabs appointed to guaranty our 
safety, took their station, as the young chief had done on the 
preceding evening, in the front of our party, bearing their long 
lances upright. In this manner they preceded us until we 
strived within sight of Hama, when, suddenly filing to the 
right and left, without bidding us farewell, they galloped of!' 
as fast as their horses could carry them. 
Rama is about thirty miles from Jerusalem, according to 
Q,uaresmius. # Phoeas makes the distance greater.f The last 
/ 
& u Via& Rama usque ad Jerusalem esttriginta circiter milliarium.” Elucid. T.S , 
tom. II. p. 12. 
f 3 A7ro -rfis ay las 7 t6\Ms 'hpacrafchiX k\ fxlkia Icrrlv r, ’ApjLiaOj/i ffoXiir, ivo Set- 
<x»nKo fityas hbvos irpotprirns yzyhbvj an xa» nfr’ fasTvov dojsl btpwv pttXloov i?rm 
