1 two caravans, a great and n small one (galat), the latter of only
2 ten camels, ready to start immediately for Bagdad. But as the
3 former, for the sake of food and water, was obliged to take
4 a roundabout way, lasting full site weeks, whilst the latter, by
5 following the direct road through the desert, would occupy only
6 two weeks in the journey, we sent our luggage by the greater
7 caravan, and went, with our two camels, with the galat, wide i
8 consisted now of twelve camels. We were obliged to take with
9 U s provisions for about ten or twelve days—some clothes, and a
10 few medicines. Each camel was provided with two goat-skins,
11 to carry water, as we arrived only every third >r fourth day
12 at watering-places. Each camel had also its driver, who sat
13 behind, and his furs, by the way, were lull of vermin.
14 Kirkor, an Armenian merchant, from Bagdad, who led this
15 galat, advised us to leave behind every kind of. weapon, as he
16 suspected that the journey would he a dangerous one. Under¬
17 taken thus at random. He added, that it we met, by accident,
18 the Arabs in the desert, and they found us to be tinned, they
19 might become suspicious; whilst if we passed them as poor
20 hajjees (pilgrims), saluting them with “Si Inn alekitn," we might
21 be' saluted with their “We alekitn selam," and he allowed to
22 continue our route unmolested. We made forced marches by
23 day and night; at noon we looked about for low ground, to light
24 our fire on without being observed, and where we could take our
25 mid-day meal, which consisted of rice with butter, biscuits and
26 dried fruits. In the evening we were not allowed to light a fire,
27 nor to whistle or sing. At a distance of about twelve or fifteen
28 miles, on our left, we saw the famous ruins of Palmyra. Up to
29 the ninth day we saw neither men, nor birds, nor wild beasts;
30 when on a sudden, in the darkness of night, we happened to
31 light on a place situated between some low hills, where'we
32 perceived some Arabs and their tents. Fortunately, and to our
33 vivat joy, they wer all women, whose husbands, as they said,
34 wore absent, hunting, that being their means of subsistence.
35 They manifested, no hostile intentions, and offered us a liberal
36 portion of black dried meat, which had not an unpleasant taste,