I am sorry to say, however, that before
this affecting scene was concluded, a quarrel had began between the
blind man and the chaouch's wife, about two Tunisian piastres which were
missing, she accusing him of theft and he indignantly repelling the
charge. These Easterns seem to have minds constructed on different
patterns from ours, and are apt to introduce such petty discussions at
the most solemn moments; but we must not, therefore, be hasty in
concluding that there is any sham in their sorrow, or affectation in
their pathetic bewailings.
They brought in a bowl of milk, and as the chaouch still continued to
caress his children, I left him to pass the night in his tent, and
pushed on to Wady Majeeneen, where my portion of the caravan had already
encamped. Mr. F. Warrington, with my German colleagues, were a little in
advance. The horses of the Pasha's cavalry were feeding around; for when
the first belt of sand is past, the country becomes an undulating
plain--a prairie, as they would call it in America--covered with patches
of corn herbage. Here and there are fields of barley; and a few Arab
tents, with flocks and herds near at hand, give a kind of animation to
the scene.
Next day (21st) it rained hard; but we went on a little to overtake Drs.
Barth and Overweg, whom we found in company with Mr. F. Warrington, Mr.
Vice-consul Reade, and Mr. Gaines the American consul.
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