A Ride Across Palestine | Page 6

did
not care if he kept his clothes on for a week together. He looked slight
and weak; but he spoke so well, and that without boasting, that I
ultimately agreed to his proposal, and in a few minutes he took his
leave of me, promising to be at Z-'s door with his horse at five o'clock
on the following morning.
"I wish you'd allow me to leave my purse with you," he said again.
"I cannot think of it. There is no possible occasion for it," I said again.
"If there is anything to pay, I'll ask you for it when the journey is over.
That forty shillings you must fork out. It's a law of the Medes and
Persians."
"I'd better give it you at once," he said again, offering me money. But I
would not have it. It would be quite time enough for that when the
Arabs were leaving us.
"Because," he added, "strangers, I know, are sometimes suspicious

about money; and I would not, for worlds, have you think that I would
put you to expense." I assured him that I did not think so, and then the
subject was dropped.
He was, at any rate, up to his time, for when I came down on the
following morning I found him in the narrow street, the first on
horseback. Joseph, the Frenchman, was strapping on to a rough pony
our belongings, and was staring at Mr. Smith. My new friend,
unfortunately, could not speak a word of French, and therefore I had to
explain to the dragoman how it had come to pass that our party was to
be enlarged.
"But the Bedouins will expect full pay for both," said he, alarmed. Men
in that class, and especially Orientals, always think that every
arrangement of life, let it be made in what way it will, is made with the
intention of saving some expense, or cheating somebody out of some
money. They do not understand that men can have any other object,
and are ever on their guard lest the saving should be made at their cost,
or lest they should be the victims of the fraud.
"All right," said I.
"I shall be responsible, Monsieur," said the dragoman, piteously.
"It shall be all right," said I, again. "If that does not satisfy you, you
may remain behind."
"If Monsieur says it is all right, of course it is so;" and then he
completed his strapping. We took blankets with us, of which I had to
borrow two out of the hotel for my friend Smith, a small hamper of
provisions, a sack containing forage for the horses, and a large empty
jar, so that we might supply ourselves with water when leaving the
neighbourhood of wells for any considerable time.
"I ought to have brought these things for myself," said Smith, quite
unhappy at finding that he had thrown on me the necessity of catering
for him. But I laughed at him, saying that it was nothing; he should do
as much for me another time. I am prepared to own that I do not
willingly rush up-stairs and load myself with blankets out of strange
rooms for men whom I do not know; nor, as a rule, do I make all the
Smiths of the world free of my canteen. But, with reference to this
fellow I did feel more than ordinarily good- natured and unselfish.
There was something in the tone of his voice which was satisfactory;
and I should really have felt vexed had anything occurred at the last

moment to prevent his going with me.
Let it be a rule with every man to carry an English saddle with him
when travelling in the East. Of what material is formed the nether man
of a Turk I have never been informed, but I am sure that it is not flesh
and blood. No flesh and blood,--simply flesh and blood,-- could
withstand the wear and tear of a Turkish saddle. This being the case,
and the consequences being well known to me, I was grieved to find
that Smith was not properly provided. He was seated on one of those
hard, red, high-pointed machines, in which the shovels intended to act
as stirrups are attached in such a manner, and hang at such an angle, as
to be absolutely destructive to the leg of a Christian. There is no part of
the Christian body with which the Turkish saddle comes in contact that
does not become more or less macerated. I have sat in one for days, but
I left it a flayed man; and, therefore, I was sorry for Smith.
I explained this to him, taking hold of his leg by the calf to show how
the leather would chafe him;