or three of its forked branches. The man was tall, but his staff was high above him. He walked with an unsteady gait, and we soon recognized him as an African maniac, of whom some of the Europeans of Hâifa had complained to the Governor, because he walked in the streets quite naked; in consequence of this he had been turned out of town. We passed him, and then he followed close behind us, muttering and making strange noises. It was not very pleasant
to have such an attendant. We turned sharply round and faced him, and then walked toward the town. He turned also, and preceded us. We were still among the tombs; and, in the rapidly-increasing darkness, it appeared the dreariest place imaginable—rocky and desolate, with tombs of all periods, some in the last stages of decay, falling and crumbling into strange shapes and heaps, others partially concealed by small, dark, evergreen oaks, and here and there was a newly-whitened sepulcher, which seemed to shine with a light of its own. The black man did not accompany us beyond this domain of death. When I looked back, and saw him standing there among the tombs, swaying himself and his scepter to and fro, I could not help thinking of the description, in the Gospel narrative, of that man who met Christ on the shores of the sea of Galilee, and "which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs."[1] I did not suppose that the poor African maniac was possessed of devils, but I thought that he might very likely be seized with the spirit of revenge; so I was glad to be out of his reach, and safe within the gates of the town.
- ↑ Luke viii, 27.
