for regular chronology to meddle with--it is only known that
he preached righteousness to an impious race of men previous to their
sudden destruction. The circumstance of his tomb being on the summit of
a high hill is perfectly consonant with the sentiments of great heroes
and chiefs, as frequently expressed in poems of the old Arabs. The
restoration of health which he is supposed to bestow, must be that
effected by means of the fine mountain air at his place. At 'Amman, old
'Abdu'l 'Azeez had said that Jerash was built by the Beni 'Ad, a
primitive race mentioned in the Koran.

A ridiculous figure appeared of a Turkish subaltern officer, who has come
into this wild desert to ask the people for tribute to the Porte. A
Turkish kawwas in attendance on him, I observed to shrug up his shoulders
when he heard nothing but Arabic being spoken among us. They arrived
here in the company of Shaikh Yusuf, whose son is nominally a Turkish
military officer, commanding three hundred imaginary Bashi-Bozuk, or
irregular cavalry. By means of such titles they tickle the vanity of the
Arab leaders, and _claim_ an annual tribute of 218 purses, (about 1000
pounds,) and are thus enabled to swell out the published army list, and
account of revenue printed in Constantinople. {58}

So that next to nothing is in reality derived from these few sparse
villages; and from the tent Arabs less than nothing, for the Turks have
to bribe these to abstain from plundering the regular soldiers belonging
to Damascus.

The 'Anezi Shaikh Faisel was encamped at only fourteen hours' distance
from us.

Common Arab visitors arrived--from no one knew where: some on horseback,
to see what could be picked up among us; even women and children. They
must have travelled during the night. A handsomely-dressed and
well-armed youth on horseback, from Soof, accosted me during one of my
walks.

I bought two sheep for a feast to the Arabs that came about my tent; but
they asked to have the money value instead of the feast. Alas for the
degradation! What would their forefathers have said to them had they
been possibly present?

Afternoon: a fine breeze sprang up, as is usual in elevated districts. I
strolled again with an attendant--first outside the ancient wall on the
east side of the rivulet, where it is not much dilapidated; it is all
built of rabbeted stones, though not of very large size; then crossed
over to the western wall, and traced out the whole p