elsewhere, they are paid at a certain rate, usually in barley. They too have the exclusive privilege of conducting visitors to the summits of the neighbouring mountains; for which they are paid in the same manner. But this right does not extend to conducting strangers on their journey to and from the convent. Every other day, those who apply, receive bread; each man five small loaves about as large as the fist, and of the coarsest kind; each woman less; and children one or two loaves. Of course none can regularly apply, except such as live quite near. The young and middle-aged men looked well and hardy; but there were old men and sick persons and children, who came around the convent, the very pictures of famine and despair. These miserable objects, nearly naked, or only half-covered with tatters, were said to live very much upon grass and herbs; and even this food now failing from the drought, they were reduced to mere skeletons.

Other portions or clans of these vassals are distributed among the gardens which the convent has now, or formerly had in possession in different parts of the peninsula. Thus the Tebna are settled in the dategardens of Feirân; the Bezia in the convent's gardens at Tûr; and the Sattla in other parts.

On inquiring of the Superior as to the number of these vassals, he said he could not tell; but would give us the estimate he had formed about seven years before, when he had an opportunity to see them all together. At that time Sheikh Sâlih of the Kurrâshy, the head Sheikh of the Tawarah, who has always shown himself unfriendly to the convent, laid claim to the Jebelîyeh as his serfs, and undertook to enforce obedience to his demands. They were all greatly af frighted, and fled to a rendezvous in the mountains of et-Tîh, a distance of five days' journey. The Superior VOL. I.

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went thither in person with another monk, to invite them back; but they refused to come without security against further molestation. He then went and laid 'the matter before the governor of Suez, producing the Firmâns of the convent (of which they have many) containing express mention of the Jebelîyeh as their serfs. Sheikh Sâlih was now summoned, but could bring forward no authority whatever in support of his claim. The result was, that he was thrown into prison and fined; and the Jebelîyeh returned to their former mode of life. At that time, the Superior said, he judged the whole number collected to be between fifteen hundred and two thousand souls. But this estimate is probably by far too large.

Within a few years, the Superior had baptized two of these serfs, who had embraced Christianity; and no objection had been made by any one.

The Arabs of the Tawarah pretend to claim the whole territory of the peninsula as far North as to the Haj-road leading from Suez to 'Akabah; but they are in actual possession only of the part lying South of the chain of the Tîh. The tract North of this chain, including the northern desert, is inhabited by the Terâbîn, the Tiyâhah, and the Haiwût, allied tribes, who together are stronger than the Tawarah. The Terâbîn have been already mentioned as occupying the mountains er-Râhah and encamping around Tâset Sudr; and connecting towards the North with the tribe of the same name near Gaza. A small branch of them also occupy the eastern coast of the peninsula, along the Gulf of 'Akabah, between the ridges of et-Tîh. The Haiwât encamp upon the eastern part of the high plateau N. of et-Tih, towards 'Akabah. The Tiyâhah roam over the district intervening between the Haiwât and western Terâbîn, and extend their wanderings northward towards Gaza. The pas

tures of the Wadys along the northern side of et-Tîh are said to be good, and extend quite across the peninsula. Between the Tawarah and the Terâbîn, Tuweileb said, there is an oath of friendship, to endure as long as there is water in the sea, and no hair grows in the palm of the hand.”

In former times and down to the last century, the convent had also its protectors among all these northern tribes, and likewise among the 'Alawîn, Haweitât and other tribes towards Gaza and Hebron. In those days many, if not most, of the pilgrims came by way of Gaza; and none but the protectors had the right of conveying them. But as most visitors now come only from Egypt, this right has become restricted to the Tawarah; the connection with other protectors has been dropped; and visitors arriving from any other quarter may bring with them, as guides, Arabs of any tribe. But they may depart only with guides from the Tawarah.

The Tawarah are regarded as among the poorest of all the Bedawîn tribes; nor can it well be otherwise. Their mountains are too desolate and sterile ever to furnish more than the scanty means of a precarious existence. Their flocks and camels are comparatively few, and the latter feeble; asses are not common; horses and neat cattle are entirely unknown, and could not subsist in their territory. Their scanty income is derived from their flocks, from the hire of their camels to transport goods and coals between Cairo and Suez, and from the sale of the little charcoal which they burn, and the gum arabic which they gather and bring to market, together with their dates and other fruits. But this is scarcely sufficient to buy clothing and provisions for their families; since all their grain must be purchased in Egypt, not a particle being raised in the peninsula. And when, as now,

the rains fail, and dearth comes upon the land, and their camels die off, then indeed despair and famine stare them in the face.

The entire population of the peninsula, as far North as to the Haj-route, is estimated by Burckhardt at not over four thousand souls. The calculation made out by Rüppell amounts to about seven thousand, which he regards as at least a fourth part too large. I am not able to add any new data for an estimate; but should regard that of Burckhardt as more probably correct.'

I have remarked above, that only two of the divisions of the Sawâlihah, viz. the Dhuheiry and 'Awârimeh, together with the tribe 'Aleikât, stand in the relation of Ghafirs or protectors to the convent; while the other division of the former tribe, the Kurrâshy, as also the tribe Muzeiny, do not enjoy this privilege. Yet the tradition is, that long ago the Kurrâshy shared in this right by sufferance, although not fully entitled to it; or, as our Arabs said, "not written in the book of the convent." But they lost the privilege in the following manner, according to the Arab story. One night seven of their leaders entered the convent secretly by a back way; and in the morning presented themselves armed to the monks, demanding to be "written in the book." The monks, affrighted, said: "Very well; but it must be done in the presence of witnesses from among the other protectors." Witnesses were sent for; and on their arrival, being ordered to put aside their arms, were drawn up into the convent. By a private understanding with the monks, however, they had arms concealed in the bags they brought with them. The monks were secretly armed; and upon a given signal, all fell upon the Kurrâshy and killed six outright. The remaining one was thrown from the

1) Burckhardt, p. 560. Rüppell's Reisen in Nubien, p. 198.

convent walls, and killed. Since that time the Kurrâshy have had no claim to any connection with the convent.

Still, it is obvious, that privileges like those which the protectors enjoy, must ever be an object of longing and jealousy to tribes of half [savage Bedawîn, who can see no reason why they should be excluded from them. Hence the Kurrâshy and Muzeiny are often in league against the convent and its protectors; and at all times cherish towards them an unfriendly spirit. An instance of this kind occurred no longer ago than the preceding year, in reference to Lord Lindsay and his party on their departure from the convent. His Lordship has alluded to the circumstance in his Letters; and I therefore feel at liberty to relate the story as we heard it from the Arabs on the spot. The Kurrâshy and Muzeiny, wishing to break down the monopoly of the protectors, applied to carry the party from the convent to 'Akabah. As soon as this became known, the three tribes of the protectors assembled in Wady Seheb (near Wady eshSheikh) under their Sheikhs Mûsa and Muteir; while the two former tribes also collected in Wady elAkhdar under their Sheikhs Sâlih and Khudeir. The decision of the travellers was waited for with anxiety. If they concluded to take those who were not protectors, it was to be the signal for the protectors to fall upon the others in deadly conflict. But they decided for the protectors; and then the other party declared, that they would appeal to the Pasha. Here, however, the convent in Cairo interfered, and the appeal was never made. Subsequently to this a French traveller took one of the Muzeiny as guide to 'Akabah, against the counsel and influence of the convent; the Arab having gained over the dragoman of the traveller by a present. But by the advice of the convent, the pro