518 
WADY DJEREIMELE. 
stant maxim with me never to write before Arabs on the road; at 
least I have departed from it in a very few instances only, in Syria, 
and on the Nile, in my first journey into Nubia ; but never in the 
interior of Nubia, or in the Hedjaz. Had I visited the convent of 
Mount Sinai in the character of a Frank, with the Pasha’s Fir 
mahn, and had returned, as travellers usually do, from thence to 
Cairo, I should not have hesitated to take notes openly, because 
the Towara Arabs dread the Pasha, and dare not insult or molest 
any one under his protection. But wishing to penetrate into a 
part of the country occupied by other tribes, it became of impor 
tance to conceal my pursuits, lest I should be thought a ne 
cromancer, or in search of treasures. In such cases many little 
stratagems must be resorted to by the traveller, not to lose en 
tirely the advantage of making memoranda on the spot. I had 
accustomed myself to write when mounted on my camel, and 
proceeding at an easy walk; throwing the wide Arab mantle 
over my head, as if to protect myself from the sun, as the Arabs do, 
I could write under it unobserved, even if another person rode 
close by me ; my journal books being about four inches long and 
three broad, were easily carried in a waistcoat pocket, and when 
taken out could be concealed in the palm of the hand ; sometimes 
I descended from my camel, and walking a little in front of my 
companions, wrote down a few words without stopping. When 
halting I lay down as if to sleep, threw my mantle over me, and 
could thus write unseen under it. At other times I feigned to go 
aside to answer a call of nature, and then couched down, in the 
Arab manner, hidden under my cloak. This evening I had re 
course to the last method ; but having many observations to note, 1 
remained so long absent from my companions that Ayd’s curiosity 
was roused. He came to look after me, and perceiving me im 
moveable on the spot, approached on tip-toe, and came close behind