about these schools, especially the one established by Sir M. Montefiore, intending to visit it again. To my surprise and regret, I was told that it no longer existed; and I could not obtain any satisfactory account of it, or understand why it was broken up. I suppose that Oriental indifference to female education is the chief cause.
On the 13th of May, Mrs. Finn, in behalf of the "Jerusalem Agricultural Association," purchased a portion of the beautiful valley of Urtas. I witnessed the making and concluding of the bargain. Ten of the fiercest and wildest looking Arabs I had seen were assembled in the office of the Consulate, with their chief, a tall, powerful man, called Sheikh Saph, whose family, local tradition says, has for ages been distinguished for the hight and strength of its men.[1]
Mrs. Finn came forward, and stood in the midst of the group of men, and said, "O Sheikh, do you agree to sell?" and Sheikh Saph answered, "I agree to sell, O my lady; do you agree to buy?" and Mrs. Finn replied, "I buy, O Sheikh." Then the purchase-deed, which had been already prepared, was read over, signed, and sealed; and one hundred and fifty sovereigns were counted slowly into the hands of the Sheikh. He received the gold with great gravity and seeming indifference; but his men looked on eagerly, with hawk-like eyes. After this, about a hundred coins, of small value, were thrown on the office-floor, according to custom, and were eagerly scrambled for by all present. Thus the exact sum paid for the ground could not be ascertained. This method of selling any thing, for a known and an unknown sum, is called "a sale by the uncounted group." When this precaution is neglected in dealing with Arab tribes, a purchaser may be obliged to yield up property to its original owner at any moment, for the amount of the purchase-money.
Sheikh Saph and his two chief followers were invited
- ↑ This is rather curious in connection with 2 Sam. xxi, 18: "Then Sibbechai the Hushathite slew Saph, which was of the sons of the giant."
