Pilgrims, especially those from Turkey, carry, I have said, a “Hamail,” to denote their holy errand.  This is a pocket Koran, in a handsome gold-embroidered crimson velvet or red morocco case, slung by red silk cords over the left shoulder.  It must hang down by the right side, and should never depend below the waist-belt.  For this I substituted a most useful article.  To all appearance a “Hamail,” it had inside three compartments; one for my watch and compass, the second for ready money, and the third contained penknife, pencils, and slips of paper, which I could hold concealed in the hollow of my hand.  These were for writing and drawing:  opportunities of making a “fair copy” into the diary-book,[FN#30] are never wanting to the acute traveller.  He

[p.240] must, however, beware of sketching before the Badawin, who would certainly proceed to extreme measures, suspecting him to be a spy or a sorcerer.[FN#31] Nothing so effectually puzzles these people as the Frankish habit of putting everything on paper; their imaginations are set at work, and then the worst may be expected from them.  The only safe way of writing in presence of a Badawi would be when drawing out a horoscope or preparing a charm; he also objects not, if you can warm his heart upon the subject, to seeing you take notes in a book of genealogies.  You might begin with, “And you, men of Harb, on what origin do you pride yourselves?” And while the listeners became fluent upon the, to them, all-interesting

[p.241] theme, you could put down whatever you please upon the margin.  The townspeople are more liberal, and years ago the Holy Shrines have been drawn, surveyed and even lithographed, by Eastern artists:  still, if you wish to avoid all suspicion, you must rarely be seen with pen or with pencil in hand.

At 6 P.M., descending the stairs of our Wakalah, we found the camels standing loaded in the street, and shifting their ground in token of impatience.[FN#32] My Shugduf, perched upon the back of a tall strong animal, nodded and swayed about with his every motion, impressing me with the idea that the first step would throw it over the shoulders or the crupper.  The camel-man told me I must climb up the animal’s neck, and so creep into the vehicle.  But my foot disabling me from such exertion, I insisted upon their bringing the beast to squat, which they did grumblingly.[FN#33] We took leave of Omar Effendi’s brothers and their dependents, who insisted upon paying us the compliment of accompanying us to the gate.  Then we mounted and started, which was a signal for all our party to disperse once more.  Some heard the report of a vessel having arrived from Suez, with Mohammed Shiklibha and other friends on board; these hurried down to the harbour for a parting word.  Others, declaring they had forgotten some necessaries for the way, ran off to spend one last hour in gossip at the coffee-house.  Then the sun set, and prayers must be said.  The brief twilight had almost faded away before all had mounted.  With loud cries of “Wassit, ya hu!-