Page:Domestic Life in Palestine.pdf/410

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PREPARATIONS TO LEAVE.
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proaching death which had caused her to decide to give her young slave freedom.

Furrah told me that when this girl had been ill with fever in the Spring of the year, her owner came from ’Akka, and sat up two nights by her bedside, and did not leave her till she had recovered.

The girl still remained in Mr.Giammal's service. The only change in her position was that her wages were to be paid to her, instead of to her late owner. I questioned the girl a day or two afterward, as to how she felt. She said, "I am free and I am very glad-hearted, but I do not know what it is that makes me so glad. I am the same one that I was before, and I work and live as I lived before, but every body says it is better to be free."

Late on Friday night, the 19th of June, my brother arrived and told me that we must return to Hâifa as early as possible on the following morning, and start for Beirût by the next steamer, for he had been appointed to take charge of the Vice Consulate there for a few months, as Mr. Moore was about to visit England.

A busy fortnight followed, the last few days of which were spent in taking leave of my friends at Hâifa, many of whom I never saw again.

At half-past four on the morning of the 4th of July, a large number of people, Jews, Christians, and Moslems, walked down to the rocky landing-place with us, and watched us as we went swiftly over the waters in a little Arab boat, on our way to the Austrian steamer. We were accompanied by the French Consul and Mohammed Bek, who went on board, and remained with us till the last moment.

While my brother's duties detained him in Beirût, I had the opportunity of visiting the Lebanon, and becoming acquainted with the history of the inhabitants of the mountains—the Druses and the Maronites. My brother helped me to understand the complicated and threatening aspect of affairs, for he could even then foresee how, sooner or