at rest by the road-side, and sometimes we came to a rude thrashing-floor, where, by the light of a bonfire of weeds and thorns, we saw Rembrandt-like groups of rough-looking, half-clad peasants, some of them sleeping, and others lighting their long pipes with the fragrant embers. Our muleteers were singing monotonous and plaintive songs, only interrupted now and then when the jogging mules disarranged their burdens by jolting against each other, and the drivers would cry out, "Ai-wa! Ai-wa!" an interjection of very flexible signification, which answers nearly to our "Now then!" when used deprecatingly, or to "All right," or "Go on," under more favorable circumstances.[1]
We rode on in the darkness over an undulating plain, occasionally passing a well, a tomb, a little sleeping village, or a grove of ancient olive-trees, and reached Ramleh at half-past nine.
We had been invited to pass the night at the house of one of the principal Christian Arabs of the town, and soon met his servants and lantern-bearers, who had been watching for us. They led the way up a flight of stone steps to a small square court, round which lofty stone chambers were built.
Our host then conducted us to the guest-chamber, "a large upper room, furnished" with divans and cushioned window-seats.
His wife—a handsome and stately-looking woman, in rich Oriental costume—came to salute and welcome us. She took me to a long vaulted stone chamber, where two mattresses were spread on the floor; one was for me, and the other for two negresses who were appointed to attend me. Supper was spread for our party in an arched recess of the court, by two Abyssinian men-servants, who waited on us with intelligence and alacrity.
Presently, two awkward but good-natured-looking, black, woolly-headed, tall, white-robed, shoeless girls, led me to
- ↑ "Aiwa" is probably an abbreviation of "Ai Wallah," a very significant oath.—E.T.R.
