On the third day, while our Sinaite Arabs were becoming anxious to return to their tents, Sheikh Hussein again made his appearance, accompanied by his son Mahommed, a fine young Bedawee, preparing, with no small precocity, to follow in the steps of his father. I inquired of him his age; "Allah knows," said he, "I do not." I suppose the vagrant habits of Bedaween life beget a total indifference to such matters. Mahommed and his father would have made a fine study for a painter, as they squatted together with all the wildness of the Desert visible in them. The behaviour of Hussein was quite as free from embarrassment on renewing the negociation, as if we had not, on the former occasion, so decidedly checked his rapacity. He assured us that every thing was now really adjusted between him and the rest of the assembled Sheikhs, and that the journey might be taken with perfect safety-that he was quite able to command our safe conduct. We looked suspicious, as he had before misinformed us; and besides we well knew that he only wanted our money, and just as much of it as he could squeeze out of us. Our desire to pass through Edom had certainly undergone some diminution since we had arrived at Akabah; and we knew that another route to Hebron was open to us, by retaining our Sinaite Arabs; so we replied, that if he would escort us for such a remuneration as he had been content with from other Englishmen, under similar circumstances, we were willing to put ourselves under his care. I reduced our proposals to writing-stipulating for safe conduct, for four thousand five hundred piastres, and five hundred more as backsheech on reaching Hebron, together with sundry other matters as to the time we should be allowed to stay, without molestation, among the remains of Petra, &c. This document was read over and explained to him in Arabic, and he appeared to make no strong objection to its contents; and said he would rather conduct us at a loss to himself, than that we should return with our Beni Saïds. We bade him consider the matter fully, and see us again at sunset. He returned some time after the hour appointed, saying he must have eight thousand piastres, and five hundred more as

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backsheech; and hinted something about a new dress-a not unusual present from travellers to their Sheikhs. We simply replied, we had not so much money with us, nor could we have, till we should reach Jerusalem. We now distinctly informed him that the negociation was at an end, and that we should next day enter upon another route with our Beni Saïds. Hussein evinced neither anger nor disappointment, further than that he rose up with all imaginable stateliness, and departed without a salaam.

The die being now cast, we relinquished all hope of visiting Petra-gave directions for our caravan to be put in marching order for the following morning, and made an agreement with Jumar, who was then to act as the representative of poor Suleiman, for fourteen camels, at two hundred piastres for each. This was to include every thing, except such backsheech as we might be disposed to give on reaching Dhaheriyeh, on the borders of Canaan, beyond which, he and his tribe had not power to escort us. So faithfully had our Bedaween served us during our former routes, that I felt no small satisfaction while looking forward to a third, under the escort of men who had attached themselves to us, and shared our dangers and difficulties.

It was on the "great and terrible wilderness" of Paran, that we were preparing to enter, with a probability of spending ten or eleven days in threading our way through its wilds and fastnesses. We had already been for twenty-two days in the wilderness of Shur or Etham,' and were pretty well familiarized with all that appertains to Desert-life and habits.

1 Exodus xv. 22. Numbers xxxiii 8. The wilderness of Shur seems to comprehend all the western part of Arabia Petræa. If there was any difference between the wilderness of Shur and that of Etham, it seems to have been only this, that they differed one from the other, as a part from its whole. As Shur seems to have been the general name of all that part of Arabia Petrea that lay next to Egypt, so by the wilderness of Shur, was probably denoted all the Desert tract thereof; whereas only part of this Desert tract, namely, so much as lay nearest to Etham, was peculiarly called the wilderness of Etham.

We reinforced our store of provisions, rice, flour, coffee, &c. from the fortress of Akabah; paid our return visit of ceremony to the governor, and awaited the return of the morning light to commence our march.

Knowing that Sheikh Hussein and his Aloeens were in full force at Akabah, and that they could not but be chagrined at our resolving to turn our backs upon them and their country, I confess I was not without apprehension that some ruse might be put in practice to intimidate us, or some insurmountable hinderance thrown in the way of our progress by another route. I even thought it possible that the rest of the Sheikhs, with whom Hussein had been so long wrangling, might on such an occasion coalesce with him, and keep us in their power, so as to attempt at forcing the terms of Hussein upon us. During the afternoon, a rumour ran like lightning through the encampment, that the Aloeens were stealing our camels (which were feeding among the low bushes), so as to cut off our means of departure. The whole of Akabah was in commotion. Arabs were seen wildly mounting and dashing away at full speed, some without their turbans, and with the long locks of hair left at the top of their shaven heads, streaming in the wind-grasping their matchlock guns in their extended right hands, as if preparing for a grand mêlée, and shouting as it were in a loud war-cry. All this certainly looked very ominous; and it was no very pleasant thing to know, that personally we were without the slightest means of defence, against a party so strong and savage as the Aloeens, in the event of their resolving to be troublesome. In the midst of this strange scene, I was filled with apprehension at hearing shot after shot fired in the direction towards which the general confluence of Arabs had been. But at length all was silent again; scarcely a voice was to be heard. The Arabs were quietly returning. The rumour was, after all, unfounded; and the gun-shots had been fired at a mark by a few Turkish soldiers belonging to the fortress, and some of the Arabs who had nothing better to do.

passing by the spot at which we thought it had appeared, pitched our tents, and passed the night in safety—giving thanks for the mercies we had experienced.

At six o'clock on the following morning we were again in motion, still coasting along the Red Sea, till we came to a vast promontory, which seemed to forbid any further advance. in a direct line; while on our left, turning off in a northwesterly direction, was a defile leading to the savage and extremely difficult pass of El Hanckh, which occupied all the time till our noontide rest. It is one of those wild scenes of which words can give no idea. It looks as if the footsteps of man had never invaded its fastnesses; and in some places is so rugged and steep, that we were glad to dismount, and both climb and descend with wary heedfulness. Here and there we met with broken acacias, over which a thousand uptearing tempests seemed to have passed; while masses of rocks, which had toppled from their heights, blocked up the dreary pass. It was wearisome work for the poor patient camels to make their way. Having mastered the more difficult parts, we entered upon an extensive sandy and stony plain, scattered over with acacia clumps, with a burning sun over headwhen, by and by, to our great delight, we again hailed the bright waters of the Red Sea, and pitched for the midday rest on a charming smooth sandy beach, just opposite the little island of Graia, called by the Arabs, Kalat el Dier. It was charming, after the fatigue of the morning march, to bathe in those sparkling waves, beneath which multitudes of coral groves were distinctly visible. We were now fairly out of reach of the Mezzeni, and in the territory. of friendly Arabs, with their Sheikh among our escort. We enjoyed, therefore, our noontide rest, with every assurance of safety.

1 This little Island, on which there are yet the remains of bold fortifications, served from an early period, as a defence of the port of Elath, against tribes whom it was always difficult to subdue. In the time of the crusades, it became a theatre of christian valour; but was totally abandoned as far back as the fourteenth century,

Soon after commencing the afternoon march, our eyes were fixed upon what appeared like a narrow strip of land studded with palm trees, on the eastern side of the Red Sea; but yet so distant as to be very indistinct, though the sun was brightly bearing down upon it. This was Akabahthe point of our destination. After what we had experienced it was indeed delightful, even at such a distance, to gaze towards the termination of our second Desert route. We toiled onwards, but still it appeared very distant; yet we quite calculated on reaching it at some time during the evening or night. At length, after having passed Wadey Merakh, and Wadey Taba, scattered over with palm trees, and others bearing a curious shelled fruit, called the Dom (of which the Arabs eat freely, though it is unpalatable enough), we came to the head of the gulph; and, immediately before us, lay the palm-groves of Akabah. Darkness overtook us before we reached them; and it was one of the most picturesque things I ever witnessed, to see great numbers of bivouac fires quickly lighted in various parts of the groves, around which were gathered large parties of the Desert inhabitants, with their wild features and costume brilliantly illuminated. Akabah is quite a place of resort for, all tribes and travellers passing on either of the routes-east, west, north, or south. The groves afford them a temporary home. Akabah was literally swarming with Arabs-especially the Aloeens and other neighbouring tribes of Edom.

In the midst of the palm-groves is the little fortress of Akabah, in which is placed a Turkish governor-with a small body of irregular and ragged soldiery. Here government stores are kept for the supply of the Hadj caravans to Mecca; and something like a shew of authority is exercised over the neighbouring tribes, who are, after all, more easily led than driven. Some travellers have, in prospect of greater safety, obtained admission to the fortress as their home during their brief stay. We preferred having our tents pitched under the walls, on the western side, so as to occupy a nice shady spot on the very brink of the gulph of Akabah, commanding the loveliest mountain scenery imaginable.