" We were about 500 or 600 paces from this dun geon. Hussein had advanced before us, to obtain our I admission into the convent, which is to be procured with difficulty. I was some way from him, and the rest of our company was at a considerable distance. A troop of Bedouins, on horseback, suddenly issued from behind the walls. At first I did not distinguish them, amid the clouds of dust they raised ; but, as soon as they were discernible, I perceived both their number, and what they were. Instantly I turned about my horse's head, and, being mounted on an excellent courser, which carried me with too much speed for them to overtake me, soon joined my com panions, who had likewise perceived the troop from the backs of their camels. I found them on foot, drawn up in a close body ; kaped off my horse ; and exhorted them to defend themselves with vigour. We were six in all, but on three of the number little dependence was to be placed. From two of the na tives of the country we could not expect much ; and the draughtsman, young and inexperienced, scarcely knew how to fire a gun.
" The firmness of a handful of men, alone in the midst of a sandy plain, and exposed on all sides, checked a squadron of Bedouins amounting to near a hundred. Though they came towards us at full gallop, they stopped suddenly about a hundred paces off, and cried out to us not to fire. I answered with telling them not to advance. For some moments they remained in a sort of hesitation, during which we observed them consulting together ; at length they separated into four bands, three of which set off at full gallop, and stationed themselves on our flanks and in our rear. This manceuvre, which it was impossible for us to prevent, disconcerted my two soldiers ; and all that I could urge was incapable of prevailing on them to resolve to stand on their de fence. We had good fusils, and a considerable quan tity of cartridges. I knew that the Bedouins would take flight, as soon as they saw a few of their party drop ; and I was certain, that our first fire must bring down several. It is true, I did not consider that we were in the midst of a vast solitude, and that, if our enemies had fled, it would only have been to return again speedily by thousands, overpower us by their numbers, and massacre us all, in revenge for the death of their comrades. I flung down my fusil with vexation at being forced to yield to such rob bers.
" They were soon upon us, and, without taking time to alight, pillaged us in the twinkling of an eye; Money, arms, effects, garments, provisions, were all taken. They left me my long under vest and my
breeches ; my companions were stripped of every thing but their shirts. My turban had been taken ; my head, shaved and bare, was scorched by the fer vency of the sun, and ached intolerably. 1 covered it as well as I could with both my hands, but this would not alleviate the pain. The spoil was spread out upon the•sand ; a score of Arabs on foot, whom we had not perceived, as they had concealed them selves behind a heap of stones, joined the others ; and they all fell to dividing the .plunder, not without ob streperous disputes.
" Our different situations would have formed a striking subject for a picture, under the hand of an.
• able artist. In one place you might have seen, dis ' puting over th:.- booty, the band of robbers, covered with dust, some of black, others of tawny com plexions, and their countenances dried up like the sands, which their robberies render still more dismal : in the midst of them my old servant, coolly endea vouring to recover from them some small portions of our spoil, and occasionally dealing a blow with his fist to attain his object. In the fore-ground, the grenadier, motionless and disconcerted ; the two Egyptians staring stupidly on each other ; me, at a distance, biting my fingers, with a look of indigna tion and chagrin ; and, in the last place, the draughts man, crying bitterly, and answering me with sobs, when I went up to him, to ask him if he had recei ved any hurt : ' No, sir, but what shall we get to cat now ?' 44 Tired of being the spectator of a scene in which it was useless for me to take a part, I proceeded to wards the monastery, hoping to find Hussein, who had repaired thither ; when I heard myself called, and presently felt myself seized by the arm. It was the chief of the robbers, an Arab of the desert of Nubia, for his face was as black as a negro's. He led me back, without saying a word, into the midst of the troop. I imagined that lie was desirous of the gar "Ments they had left me, or that, on deliberation, he bad resolved to take away my life. How great was my surprise, when I found this chief carefully inqui ring what clothes and effects belonged to me ; and, after having acted as my valet.cle.chambre a little too roughly in undressing me, now taking upon himself the same office, but with more civility, in assisting me to put on the different parts of my dress ; re turning me my purse, and restoring my arms ! Other Bedouins performed the same office to my compa nions, equally astonished at so singular and unexpect ed an adventure.