In the meantime, Sheik Ibrahim, the curate, and Naufal, not finding me return, began to be alarmed. Sheik Ibrahim above all, knowing that I never went to a distance without acquainting him, after two hours’ delay went to the sheik, who, participating in his anxiety, sent out all the village in search of me. At last Naufal, perceiving me, cried out: “There he is!” Selim thought he was mistaken. I drew nearer: they could with difficulty recognise me. M. Lascaris embraced me and wept: I was unable to speak. They took me to the curate’s, bathed my wounds and put me to bed. At length I found strength to relate my adventure. Selim sent horsemen in pursuit of the assassin, giving to the negro the rope that was to strangle him; but they returned without being able to overtake him, and we soon learned that he had entered the service of the Pacha of Damascus. He never returned to Corietain.
At the end of a few days my wounds began to heal, and I soon recovered my strength. Sheik Selim, who had conceived a great friendship for me, brought me a telescope that was out of order, telling me I should be a clever fellow if I could mend it. As there was only a glass to replace, I restored it and brought it to him. He was so pleased with my skill, that he gave me the surname of “the industrious.”
In a short time we learnt that the Bedouins were approaching Palmyra: some were seen even in the environs of Corietain. Presently there came one, named Selame el Hassan. We were at Selim’s when he entered: coffee was brought, and while we were taking it, many of the inhabitants came to the sheik, and said: “Eight years ago, at such a place, Hassan killed our relative; and we are come to demand justice.” Hassan denied the fact, and asked if they had witnesses. “No,” they replied; “but you were seen passing alone on the road, and a little after we found our relative lying dead. We know that there existed a cause of hatred between you: it is therefore clear that you are his assassin.” Hassan still denied the charge: and the sheik, who from fear was obliged to exercise caution with the Bedouins, and besides had no positive proof in the case, took a piece of wood and said, “By Him who created this stem, swear that you have not killed their relation.” Hassan took the wood, looked at it some minutes, and bent down his head; then raising it towards his accusers, “I will not have,” said he, “two crimes on my heart,—the one of being the murderer of this man, the other of swearing falsely before God. It is I who have killed your kinsman: what do you demand for the price of his blood?”[A] The sheik, from policy, would not act according to the full rigour of the law; and the persons present being interested in the negotiation, it was decided that Hassan should pay three hundred piastres to the relations of the dead. When it came to the payment of the money, he said he had it not about him, but that he would bring it in a few days; and as some difficulty was made of letting him go without security, “I have no pledge,” said he, “to give; but He will answer for me whose name I would not profane by a false oath.” He departed; and four days afterwards returned with fifteen sheep, each worth above twenty piastres.—This trait of good faith and generosity at once charmed and surprised us. We wished to make acquaintance with Hassan: Sheik Ibrahim invited him, gave him a few presents, and we became intimate friends. He told us that he belonged to the tribe El-Ammour, whose chief was Sultan el Brrak. This tribe, composed of five hundred tents, is considered as constituting part of the country, because it never quits the banks of the Euphrates when the great tribes retire. They sell sheep, camels, and butter, at Damascus, Homs, Hama, &c. The inhabitants of these different cities have often a concern in their flocks.
We one day said to Hassan that we were desirous of going to Palmyra to sell our remaining merchandise, but that we had been alarmed by the dangers of the road. Having offered to conduct us, he made a note before the sheik, by which he made himself responsible for all the disasters that might happen. Being satisfied that Hassan was a man of honour, we accepted his proposal.
Spring was come, and the desert, lately so arid, was all at once covered with a carpeting of verdure and flowers. This enchanting spectacle induced us to hasten our departure. The night before, we deposited at the curate Moussi’s a part of our goods, in order not to awaken either curiosity or cupidity. Naufal wished to return to Homs, and M. Lascaris dismissed him with a liberal recompense; and the next day, having hired some moukres, with their camels, we took leave of the people of Corietain, and having provided water and provisions for two days, we departed betimes, carrying a letter of recommendation from Sheik Selim to the Sheik of Palmyra, whose name was Ragial el Orouk.
After a ten hours’ march, always towards the east, we stopped at a square tower, extremely lofty and of massive construction, called Casser el Ourdaan, on the territory El Dawh. This tower, built in the time of the Greek empire, served for an advanced post against the Persians, who came to carry off the inhabitants of the country. This bulwark of the desert has preserved its name till these times. After having admired its architecture, which belongs to a good period, we returned to pass the night at our little khan, where we suffered much from the cold. In the morning, as we were preparing to depart, M. Lascaris, not yet accustomed to the movements of camels, mounted his without care; which rising suddenly, threw him down. We ran to him: his leg appeared to be dislocated; but, as he would not be detained, after having done what we could, we replaced him on his seat, and continued our route. We proceeded for two hours, when we observed at a distance a cloud of dust approaching us, and soon were able to distinguish six armed horsemen. Hardly had Hassan perceived them, when he threw off his cloak, took his lance and ran to meet them, crying out to us not to go forward. Having come up to them, he told them that we were merchants going to Palmyra, and that he had engaged before Sheik Selim and all his village to conduct us thither in safety. But these Bedouins, of the tribe El Hassnnée, without listening to him, came up to us: Hassan threw himself forward to stop the road; they attempted to drive him back, and a battle began. Our defender was known for his valour, but his opponents were equally brave. He sustained the attack for half an hour, and at length, wounded by a lance which pierced his thigh, he retired towards us, and soon fell from his horse. The Bedouins were beginning to plunder us, when Hassan, extended on the ground, the blood flowing from his wound, apostrophised them in these terms:—
“What are you about, my friends?—will you then violate the laws of Arabs, the usages of the Bedouins? They whom you are plundering are my brethren—they have my word; I am responsible for all that may befall them, and you are robbing them!—is this according to honour?”
“Why,” said they, “did you undertake to convey Christians to Palmyra? Know you not that Mehanna el Fadel (the sheik of their tribe) is chief of the country? Why did you not ask his permission?”
“I know,” replied Hassan; “but these merchants were in haste; Mehanna is far from this. I have pledged my word—they believed me; they know our laws and our usages, which never change. Is it worthy of you to violate them, by despoiling these strangers, and leaving me wounded in this manner?”
At these words the Bedouins, ceasing their violence, answered, “All that you say is true and just; and as it is so, we will take from thy protégés only what they choose to give us.”