‘A Pilgrimage to Nejd, the cradle of the Arab race. A visit to the court of the Arab Emir, and "Our Persian Campaign."' [‎152] (183/326)

Our Persian Campaign.
slunk away. This woke Hajji Mohammed, and
nobody slept again, but I could see Ghafii prowling
like an hyaena round us the best part of the night.*
Hajji Mohammed has behaved very well, though
he owns himself much frightened. So am I, only I
conceal my alarm better than he does. Indeed I am
sure that putting on a bold face is our only chance
of safety, for nothing but cowardice now prevents
Ghafii and his set from attacking us. We are well
armed, and he knows he could not do it with im
punity. As long as we are on horseback, I believe
we run no great risk, but the night is a disagreeable
time. If we had only open desert in front of us we
could set them all at defiance.
March 31.—The morning broke tempestuously,
and we were afraid the river might have risen in
the night, a complication which would have pro
bably decided our fate : but though the clouds lay
black and heavy on the hills there was no flood.
After trying several places, all of which proved too
deep, our akid, the man on the white mare, found a
ford, if such it can be called, for the water was over
his mare’s back, and all the party followed him.
The robbers, for so I now call them, passed easily
enough, for their camels were unloaded, but ours
barely managed it. The current was very strong,
and though Hatheran and the strongest of them
came on boldly, two of them stopped in the middle
* This part of the journal was written at irregular moments when
order was not possible. It has been pieced together since*