Bedouin Tribes of the Euphrates Vol 2 - The Search For Mecca

cH. XVII.] Mohammed Consoles its. 3
on at least as far as Sokline, where we should be
certain to get information, and probably someoiie
who could take us to Jediian. He himself could
not do this without assistance, as he knew no more
than we did where the Anazeh might be, and
had never gone down far into the Hamad. It was
not a place to go to alone, as there was no water, at
least none that could be found by merely looking
about for it. It was very hot, and we had only
two waterskins with us, so we were fain to be
content and wait for better times. This settled,
Mohammed became very confidential, and told us
with much humour, how he had received special
injunctions from the
sight.
Pasha not to let us out of his
Huseyn's last words to Mohammed, holding
him familiarly by the ear, after the manner of the
great Napoleon, had been, " Mind, whatever happens,
they are not to go near the Bedouins. Take
them straight to Tudmur, and see them on without
any more nonsense to Damascus—and mind, no
Bedouins, no Bedouins !"
Mohammed lauo;hed loud
and long at the recollection of this scene, and of the
Pasha holding him by the ear. " They are all
pigs," he added, " these Turks."
About two miles from Bir, we came upon the remains
of a subterranean aqueduct, leading from the
well, and a large tank, probably of Roman construction,
by which the plain was anciently irrigated, for
in winter there is no want of water underground in
the wady, and here it had been stored.
Mohammed