and when he was out of sight, she began tearing her scanty clothing. We turned back and tried to console her, but our words were useless; however, some sweet chocolate cakes were more effectual. We left her stealthily eating them, and went on our way, thinking how sad her life must be.
Before noon we entered Ramleh, leaving our servants far behind. We rode under the tall palm-trees, now laden with glossy red and golden fruit, hanging in clusters on orange-colored stalks. Strings of camels and laden donkeys crowded the dirty, dusty streets, and with difficulty we made our way to the house of an Arab friend. My brother was received with kisses and embraces by the sons of the house, and I was led by an Abyssinian slave—a eunuch—to his widowed mistress, a superior-looking woman, dressed in black silk garments, embroidered with gold thread. She said, "Welcome, my daughter;" and, after giving me some lemonade, took me to a pleasant chamber opening on to a terrace covered with pots of blossoming pinks and roses. She called the slave, and he immediately spread a mattress for me on the floor. Then she took off my hat and habit, and told me to "Rest in peace;" and, sitting by my side on a soft-cushioned carpet, she gently fanned me to keep away the flies and musketoes. When I awoke, after an hour or two of refreshing sleep, I found that my hostess had gone, and the slave was kneeling by my side, fanning me with a little flag made of a green split palm-frond, nicely plaited. His dark, polished face and large eyes, contrasting with his white turban, white cotton dress, and crimson silk girdle, rather startled me before I quite remembered where I was. I heard afterward that he was a favorite and confidential slave, who had belonged for many years to this family.
He poured rose-water over my hands, and led me to a court, where a genuine Arab meal was prepared for us. It consisted of boiled wheat, dressed in butter and mixed with minced meat; some fine broiled fish, in a bed of
