SYRIA Ion
attempt, though amusing to plan. The river was very small and shallow, but carried the light raft well; however, it was soon whirled under overhanging trees, and I was nearly combed off it. Then matters grew worse, and decidedly dangerous. The horsemen rode by the side, and were highly amused at my difficulties. At
length I became (1111vincc(l that it Wf)l,ll(l be madness (() l)C1,NC'VC1'C# (,,(I I lcft Ow 1,;Ift, d1-r!"i('d myself,
mounted my led horse, and we rode on down the valley. It is all so perfectly known and mapped now that it would be absurd to recount the little that I could tell, but I became more and more impressed with the weirdness of the great fissure in the earth's crust through which the Jordan flows. Even the Lake of Tiberias is 300 feet below the level of the sea, and the Dead Sea is about iooo feet deeper still, and its climate very sultry in consequence.
My first camping-place was among the tents of the Emir Rourbah. It was`an important encampment of Bedouins, whose dress I had been instructed to wear, and on no account to appear in the hated Turkish fez. When I arrived, there were watchers on every point of vantage. I was kindly received and shown much of their everyday life. The Emir had a quantity of chain armour, such as was in common use among the chiefs in the Soudan. I was surprised to find how effectual it was in spreading over a large surface the sensation of what otherwise would have been a painfully sharp blow. Matters progressed very pleasantly until the thoughtless omission of a Moslem ceremony soured my welcome. It may sound trifling, but it was effective all the same. I had shot a desert partridge, but not killed it, so,
