stolen goods. The sitting, considered in the light of a criminal investigation, was characteristic of the East. The proceedings began, as a matter of course, by the prosecutor's smoking a pipe and drinking coffee with the judge, jury, and sheriffthat is, with the governor, for in this one personage were vested almost all the functions connected with the administration of injustice. I got on very well with my host (this was not my first interview), and he gave me the pipe from his lips in testimony of his friendship. I recollect, however, that my prime adviser, thinking me, I suppose, a great deal too shy and retiring in my manner, entreated me to put up my boots and to soil the governor's divan, in order to inspire respect and strike terror. I thought it would be as well for me to retain the right of respecting myself, and that it was not quite necessary for a well-received guest to strike any terror at all.

Our deliberations were assisted by the numerous attendants who lined the three sides of the room not occupied by the divan. Any one of these who took it into his head to offer a suggestion would stand forward and humble himself before the governor, and then state his views; every man thus giving counsel was listened to with some attention.

After a greal deal of fruitless planning, the governor directed that the prisoners should be

brought in. I was shocked when they entered, for I was not prepared to see them come carried into the room upon the shoulders of others. It had not occurred to me that their battered feet would be too sore to bear the contact of the floor. They persisted in asserting their innocence. The governor wanted to recur to the torture, but that I prevented, and the men were lifted back to their dungeon.

One of the attendants now suggested a scheme

a scheme which seemed to me most childishly absurd, but nevertheless it was tried. A man went down to the dungeon with instructions to make the prisoners believe that he had gained permission to see them upon some invented pretext; and when the spy had thus won a little of their confidence, he was to attempt a sham treaty with them for the purchase of the stolen goods. This shallow expedient failed.

The governor himself had not nominally the power of life and death over the people in his district, but he could if he chose send them to Cairo, and have them hanged there. I proposed that the prisoners should be threatened with this fate. The answer of the governor made me feel rather ashamed of my effeminate suggestion. He said that if I wished it he would willingly threaten them with death; but he also declared that if he threatened, he surely would make his words good.

Thinking at last that nothing was to be gained by keeping the prisoners any longer in confinement, I requested that they might be set free. To this the governor assented, though only, as he said, out of favour to me, for he had a strong impression that the men were guilty. I went down to see the prisoners let out with my own eyes. They were very grateful, and fell down to the earth kissing my boots. I gave them a present to console them for their wounds, and they seemed to be highly delighted.

Although the matter ended in a manner so satisfactory to the principal sufferers, there were symptoms of some angry excitement in the place: it was said that public opinion was much shocked at the fact that Mahometans had been beaten on account of a loss sustained by a Christian. My journey was to recommence the next day; and it was hinted that if I persevered in my intention of going forward into the Desert the people would have an easy and profitable opportunity of wreaking their vengeance on me. If ever they formed any scheme of the kind, they at all events refrained from any attempt to carry it into effect.

One of the evenings during my stay at Suez was enlivened by a triple wedding. There was a long and slow procession. Some carried torches,

and others were thumping drums and firing pis

U

tols. The bridegrooms came last, all walking abreast. My only reason for mentioning the ceremony is, that I scarcely ever in all my life saw any phenomena so ridiculous as the meekness and gravity of those three young men whilst being "led to the altar."

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CHAPTER XXIII.

SUEZ TO GAZA.

THE route over the Desert from Suez to Gaza is not frequented by merchants, and is seldom passed by a traveller. This part of the country is less uniformly barren than the tracts of shifting sand that lie on the El Arish route. The shrubs yielding food for the camel are more frequent, and in many spots the sand is mingled with so much of productive soil as to admit the growth of corn. The Bedouins are driven out of this district during the summer by the want of water; but before the time for their forced departure arrives, they succeed in raising little crops of barley from these comparatively fertile patches of ground. They bury the fruit of their labours, and take care so to mark the spot chosen, that when they return they can easily find their hidden treasures. The warm dry sand stands them for a safe granary. The country, at the time I passed it (in the month of April), was pretty thickly sprinkled with Bedouins ex