deeply dyed with henna—bright orange color. It is said to be a preventive of disease. A large glass bead of sapphire blue hung from the neck of the animal. I asked the groom what it was for. He said, "It will avert the effect of a glance from an evil eye. This mare is so beautiful that she is in danger of being looked at with admiration and envy by those who have power to destroy her and her rider even by a look." He said he durst not suffer me to ride such an animal without this precaution. Many of my friends, Moslems and Christians, walked by my side as far as the gate, and "Go in peace, and return to us in safety," rang in my ears as I rode along the sands, attended only by our trust worthy groom Mohammed, and under the protection of the sapphire bead. I asked him if my want of confidence in the charm would destroy its efficacy. He answered solemnly, "Its power can not be destroyed, praised be Allah!" It was noon. The sun shone, but not too fiercely. The wind blew, but not too roughly; and the waves rippled round the feet of the mare, and of Mohammed's sturdy little donkey. We crossed the Kishon cautiously and safely on the bar far out at sea. The river was rather deep and dangerous that day.
We turned away from the shore and traversed the drifted sand-hills, where tall trees and shrubs were half buried; but grass was springing up plentifully where the land was firmer, and the rain rested here and there in quiet pools, bordered by the iris, blue and yellow, rank grass and blossoming reeds. Advancing a little further into the plain, we came to a perfect paradise of flowers. The ground for a mile or more in every direction was completely carpeted with anemones—scarlet, crimson, white, blue, purple, pink, and lilac—with patches of clover and mallows here and there, and buttercups and cyclamen. I had never seen such wealth of wild flowers, or such vivid coloring, and there seemed to be no one to enjoy it. We were quite out of sight of human beings and human habitations. The only building to be seen was the dome over the fountain of
