Saturday, Aug. 13.—Therm. 70°. Weather cloudy and wind cold. Towards noon, I had a great row with Sídí Salám, and threatened to leave the house; I have frightened them a little, but made myself ill again.
Sunday, Aug. 14.—Therm. 63°. It feels quite cold; I have taken to clothe again. The people are preparing to go to the Múlíd at Muwah, which takes place on Wednesday. Read the prayers. A sand wind from the desert, which nearly blinded us: at five P.M. the glare was so vivid as to distress the eyes; one could see the doors of the houses, and the faces of all the people in the Sók. It had also the effect of the mirage in giving a gigantic appearance to all persons; we could distinguish even the tracks on the mountains, which were some miles distant: it lasted above an hour. A Jew lad, who has been in the habit of bringing me food, came with his schoolmaster, the Rabbi, to take leave; he can repeat the whole of the Pentateuch, although he is unable to read a letter: his schoolmaster told me he had been teaching him to be a tradesman, not a scholar. The lad got a dollar from me to pay his expenses on the road. The Sheïkh is not yet returned.
Monday, Aug. 15.—Therm. 72°. Wind strong. A large káfilah is starting for Suweïrah. The Sheïkh is to come back this evening. I am sick at heart. Fasted to-day, partly out of spite to these people, and partly by way of medicine.
Tuesday, Aug. 16.—Therm. 72°. This was rather an interesting morning. The Arabs who are about to return to the Sahrá, came for the Mazkát Allah. This is a kind of tithe given of the barley, only to those people whose land will not produce any, and whose occupation as guides to the káfilahs prevent them from tilling the ground. It is not however the unjust tithe on the industry and capital of the English farmer; but is a tenth of the actual increase—in the scriptural meaning. The seed-corn is deducted, together with the quantity requisite for the wages of the labourers, and the cost of tillage, and gathering the produce; of which one tenth of the actual increase is given. There was a great variety of character (deportment), and a blessing was given to, and by each person as he came for and went away with his share. In this manner they obtain corn enough for nearly all their wants. A few presents were brought for the Sheïkh, who I could see, gave grudgingly, and in return asked very anxiously, if they wanted to buy any thing. I had a great row with Sheïkh Hammód, and nearly came to blows. This fellow is the greatest hog I have ever seen. I am very anxious to hear again from Suweïrah; had Kádí ’Alí been here, I would have left the house this morning. To-day was the ceremony of swearing faith to the Sheïkh, and of protection to the káfilahs to and from Wad Nún. Portions of the Koran were read; the Ahdah[120] taken, and faith pledged, accompanied by the ceremony of stepping over a stone. I have frightened the Sheïkh, and I hope to some purpose: but matters are hard to arrange.
Wednesday, Aug. 17.—Therm. 74. These Arabs of the Sahrá are certainly the men in Belzoni’s tomb, with their curls standing out, and dresses close to their necks, and feathers in their heads; none of them ever wear turbans. Some have a string of pearls (islik); some a cord; but the generality are content with their thick woolly curls, that make the head look like a mop, or the hair upon a poodle dog. They are a slim race, but very hardy and courageous. Two large wolves were killed this morning. We are looking out for the post. The wind is high, but with the haze over the mountains, the fore-runner of a return of the heat. At eleven A.M. it blew a perfect hurricane. The Simúm[121] felt like the blast of a furnace. The thermometer rose suddenly from eighty-five degrees to ninety-five degrees. The heat was terribly oppressive; we all felt it, and the people were lying about and panting, and all work was suspended. This lasted till one P.M. and has so heated the air, that there is no moving. The Sheïkh says there will be two or three such days: that we are lucky in not having started; but that the weather will then become settled. This is the approach of their second summer. I have this day had a proper explanation. The Jew has been sent for, and ordered to purchase every thing requisite on pain of banishment, and to bring in a weekly bill of my expenses. The poor fellow at first thought I had been making a complaint; but has gone away quite satisfied. There are symptoms, I am sorry to see, of further detention. At half-past two P.M. the hurricane returned; when the whole air was loaded with dust that made the sun look red. The thermometer, was, in the sun, one hundred and twenty-one degrees, and at three P.M. one hundred and twenty-six degrees; in the shade, one hundred degrees and one hundred and one degrees respectively; with a very trying wind, E.S.E. This has been a thirty-drink day. The heat at night was excessive. I am to go to the Jew’s to-morrow with the Sheïkh. A great change has taken place: I have frightened these people in right earnest, and I am determined to keep the vantage ground.
Thursday, Aug. 18.—Therm. 86°. Very hot outside the door. Went to the Millah with the Sheïkh to breakfast, at the chief Jew’s, Soleïmán. Every thing was very good, indeed, of a rather superior kind: but what a place to live in! We went on foot, the Sheïkh carrying a loaded pistol in one hand, and with the other on his kummiyah.[122] After eating for two hours, the Muselmán party went home to sleep. I remained with the sons and daughters of Israel, who had come to the Millah, which is seldom honoured by a visit from the Sheïkh, and still less frequently to eat there. The Jew’s wife is one of the most beautiful creatures I have ever seen: she is much respected, and possesses some property of her own. The Rabbi, at my request, read the first five chapters of Genesis, and then a portion of Exodus. I hoped to find some other books; but there were only Sepher Kodesh.[123] Returned home, and found a great change for the better in the establishment. The heat was excessive: the thermometer at 101° in the colonnade. The moon looked pale and sickly. At midnight the thermometer stood at 101°: every body was fainting from the oppressiveness of the heat.
Friday, Aug. 19.—Therm. 89°. The heat suffocating: went out a little to accustom myself to it. At two P.M. the thermometer was at 110° in the shade. This is the second summer here: it lasts for twenty or thirty days. All nature parched up. Kept to the house the greater part of the day.
Saturday, Aug. 20.—Therm. 90°. There has been a difference of twenty degrees between to-day and last Saturday, and of twenty-four degrees between the 10th and 20th of this month. I am regularly steaming. Am going to the Jew’s again: it is their Sabbath feast. Their olla podrida does not agree with me very well. It is put into the oven on Friday just before sunset, and remains till it is wanted, stewing from twelve to twenty hours in a river of oil. The day was, however, a change from my imprisonment. The Rabbi read a part of Genesis. Walked to the Millah, the heat excessive; returned home, and had some pleasant talk with the Sheïkh: was right glad to get away from the smell of the Jews, and from nose-blowing, &c.
Sunday, Aug. 21.—Therm. 88°. Day fine. The hot wind has ceased. Read the prayers, and passed all day in the house with the Greek Testament.
Monday, Aug. 22.—Therm. 76°. A great fall in the glass. Felt very cold in the night; morning cloudy, with appearance of rain in the west. Mohammed Serren brought one of his sahabi[124] for me to prescribe something for him; the poor fellow was very ill, and came with lots of commissions from others; but not being able to explain himself very well, he mounted his horse, and went to some tents in the neighbourhood, and brought me a louse, telling me that the chief of the tribe, a great friend of his, had them all over his body; and that as his skin bred them, he wished to know how he was to get rid of them. He then detailed his own domestic disease. He had the prettiest woman in the tribe for his wife; but she did not like him. He therefore wanted me to give him a charm to compel her to love him. Hearing a rattling of chains below, I went out to inquire the cause of it, and asked if they were intended for an elephant; but received for answer, that they were for the poor devils who had stolen the Sheïkh’s horse: they are to be chained up for God knows how long. The Arab returned for his medicines; and when I was about to give him some directions about his diet, he said it was of no use, for they had but two kinds of food, milk and ’eïsh (barley-bread). There has been a great commotion amongst the Jews. Poor Eïsh Ben Músa came crying to me, having heard that the Sheïkh had made me promise to go and eat at Suleïmán’s, who is a great rascal, and whom I dislike. The beast came, and wanted to explain away his rascality. I find I cannot go there, but fighting follows.