called on the faithful to worship Allah, when we entered
the village. Without halting, we rode at once up to the entrance-gate
of the great man's abode. Cool confidence afforded us the best chance
of success. We were brought up at a porch, with a closed gate, in a
high wall which ran round the mansion. We knocked loudly, and after a
time the gate was opened by a slave, who salaamed low as he demanded our
business.

"To see your great, powerful, and most illustrious master, etcetera,
etcetera, etcetera," said Mr Vernon, in Arabic. "Tell him that I have
come to treat with him about a matter of great importance."

The slave on this disappeared, keeping us outside, though he shortly
returned, with two or three more slaves and a couple of armed men. Two
of the slaves taking our steeds, the first signed us to advance, and led
the way through a garden full of sweet-scented plants, the verbena, the
jessamine, and rose, and shaded by luxuriant vines, trailed on bamboo
trellice-work over head, the fruit hanging down in tempting bunches
within our reach. In front of an alcove, or summer-house, on a rich
carpet, sat a stout old man, in flowing robes, and long white beard,
which hung down over his breast. We bowed low, and then stood still
before him, for he did not offer us cushions to sit on; while Mr
Vernon, paying the fullest compliments his knowledge of the language
could command, opened his business.

"I do not understand clearly what all this is about," said the old
Sheikh, in reply. "Jewels to sell and jewels to buy. Perhaps to-morrow
I may understand better. Come again in the forenoon, and show me your
wares, and we will see what is to be done."

Taking this remark as a signal that we were dismissed, we salaamed as
before, and retired down the garden. We had reached the entrance, when
a slave overtook us, and informed us that his master would allow us to
sleep in a guest-room, opening into an outer court-yard, on one side of
the main entrance. Mr Vernon told me afterwards, that not having any
definite plan, he thought it would be wise to accept the Sheikh's offer
with a good grace, as more likely not to excite suspicion. The room to
which we were shown was a small one, without windows or furniture, some
little apertures over the entrance alone admitting light and air when
the door was shut. It had the advantage, however, of enabling us to get
out without being observed. Still a great difficulty remained--