370 
A CRUSADE IN THE EAST. 
a long gun, as already stated, and each had a dangerous way 
of carrying it across his back, or over his shoulders, or under 
his arms ; so that there were stocks and muzzles ranging all 
round. It was utterly impossible for one of these guns to go 
off without killing somebody. As we rode on down the val¬ 
ley the fifth man joined us; and when I saw that his gun 
was longer, if any thing, than the rest, and was carried so as 
to take a still wider range, I at once committed myself to 
Providence, under the conviction that if there was any shoot¬ 
ing to be done it would not be the Bedouins that would suffer, 
but we who rode behind the guard; and especially 1 dreaded 
this result when I came to think that there might be powder 
in the pans and slugs in the barrels, and that the powder 
might take fire if the locks should once get to going. In faith, 
so impressed was I with this idea that I fully made up my 
mind to call these fellows aside the very first chance, and 
prevail upon them by a heavy backshish to discharge their 
guns at some rock or tree, and keep them unloaded until we 
were attacked by the Bedouins ; and it was my settled de¬ 
termination, in the event of such an attack, to join the Be¬ 
douin party at once, and remain on that side till the conclu¬ 
sion of the fight. 
THE ARAB GUARD. 
