At some of the oases we passed we saw bronzed, graceful women and girls weaving carpets and ornamenting veils and blankets. Two women worked at an upright loom. One of these spinners unwound the skeins of wool while the other wove, using her fingers as a shuttle. Peeping into one of their tents I saw the entire family sitting around a wooden dish, into which all dipped, while kids and dogs tried to poke their heads between the children, eager to have a share in the repast.
The date palms were the principal trees at these oases. Nature, when this land became a desert, yet provided the date palm to sustain the life of the desert people. Each tree yields a hundred pounds or more of dates yearly for a century. The green dates taste like unripe persimmons but the ripe dates are sugary and delicious. The Arabs call the date the bread of the desert and besides using it as a main food, feed it also to their camels and dogs.
It was on March 6th, 1805, that we broke camp and began our fifty days' march across the desert—a journey that required all of the American grit we could muster to carry on. Hunger and rebellion and the wavering of Hamet himself had to be endured, and Arab chiefs had continually to be coaxed and bribed.
There were ten Americans in the party: General Eaton, Lieutenant O'Bannon; Mr. Peck, a non-commissioned officer, six marines, and myself. The rest of the force was composed of a party of twenty-five cannoniers and their three officers; thirty-eight Greek soldiers and their two officers; Hamet Bashaw's company of ninety men; and a party of Arab cavalry under the command of the Sheiks il Taiib and Mahamet, including footmen and camel drivers. Our entire force numbered about four hundred and our caravan consisted of one hundred and seven camels and a few asses.
THE SHEIKS REBEL
After a day's march the first trouble occurred. The owners of the camels and horses we had hired demanded pay in advance, but General Eaton foresaw that if the money were advanced they would be in a position to desert if they became dissatisfied, and he refused to comply with their demands. They then became mutinous. To make matters worse the Sheik il Taiib insinuated to them that if they performed their services without getting paid, we would be apt to cheat them out of their wages.
General Eaton appealed to Hamet but found him undecided and despondent, and at last he made a bold move by ordering the Christians to take up their arms and to march back to Alexandria, threatening to abandon both the expedition and Hamet unless the march proceeded forward at once. The expedition was resumed.
After we had marched about seventy-five miles through low sand valleys and rocky, desert plains, a courier met us, sent to us by some of Hamet's friends at Derne. He informed us that the province was arming to assist our cause.
We chanced to be near the ruins of a castle of Greek design. Because of the good news the Arabs entertained us with feats of horsemanship, firing their rifles as they rode. This sport, however, came close to bringing on a serious disaster. Our Arabs, who were on foot and who were yet at a distance, bringing up the baggage, heard the firing and thought that we had been attacked by wild Arabs of the desert. Thereupon they attempted to disarm and put to death the Christians who were in their party. One old Arab, however, advised them to postpone the slaughter until they learned the cause of the firing. This counsel they heeded, and the lives of the Christians were saved.
One night, not long after, a musket, a bayonet, cartridges, and all of our stores of cheese were stolen from one of our tents by the Arabs.