following day we were joined by a guard of four mounted soldiers, who had to travel day and night to reach our camp.
It was clear we were regarded by the authorities with suspicion as in some way connected with "the Jordan Valley scheme"; and it was probable that our protestations to the contrary, conveyed to the Turkish government through Sir E. Baring before we left Cairo, only tended to confirm their impressions ; and, all things considered, it must be confessed that appearances were against us!
The diversion of our course towards Gaza, with the prospect of captivity for fifteen days was, it must be confessed, a great disappointment to us. "We were thus deprived of the opportunity of visiting the western shore of the Salt Sea beyond Jebel Usdum and about Ain Jidi (Engedi) as we had intended. Moreover, our letters, which must have been lying for us at Jerusalem for several weeks, had not been sent by the muleteers, and some days had now to elapse ere we could receive them. Still, we were again about to go forward after a detention in The Ghôr of eleven days, and we could not but esteem "the passage of our weary steps as foil wherein to set the precious jewel of our home return." We had much of interest still to see, and the march to Gaza would enable us to make a geological traverse of Southern Palestine.
It now appears that we did not get out of The Ghor at all too soon. I learn, through Major Kitchener (letter dated Abbassiyeh, March 21), that Sheikh Arari of Petra is at war with Ibn Mujelli of Kerak, and the battleground is doubtless the neighbourhood of Es Safieh. Had this war broken out when we were there our position would not have been pleasant. As neutrals we should have been regarded by both parties with suspicion; and possibly have been treated as they treat the Ghawarneh.
The evening was spent in preparation for the morrow's march. The important question of the proper amount of bakhsheesh for Sheikh Ali and his retainers had to be decided, as well as the sum to be presented to Sheikh Seyd as "ground rent" during our encampment. The former question was the more difficult of the two; because it was certain Ali placed a high value on his services over and above that previously arranged, a value much in excess of our estimate. Finally, we agreed to give him 30 mejedies (about £5), and the money having been tightly bound up in a little parcel was entrusted to me to be slipped into his hands when bidding him farewell next morning.
