ch we had not observed as we passed; and on
looking up I saw that from the precipice above us a curious collection
of bright barrels and brown faces were taking an observation of our
party, while on the opposite side of the gorge, which was perhaps a
hundred and fifty yards across, every fragment of rock seemed to have
brought forth a man in a white tunic and bare legs, with a yellow
handkerchief round his head, and a long gun in his hand, which he
pointed towards us.

We had fallen into an ambuscade, and one so cleverly laid that all
attempt at resistance was hopeless. The path was so narrow that our
horses could not turn, and a precipice within a yard of us, of a hundred
feet sheer down, rendered our position singularly uncomfortable.
Fathallah's horse came to a stand-still: my horse ran his nose against
him and stood still too; and so did all the rest of us. "Well!" said I,
"Fathallah, what is this? who are these gentlemen?" "I knew it would be
so," quoth Fathallah, "I was sure of it! and in such a cursed place
too!--I see how it is, I shall never get home alive to Aleppo!"

After waiting a while, I imagine to enjoy our confusion, one of the
Arabs in front took up his parable and said, "Oh! oh! ye Egyptians!" (we
wore the Egyptian dress)" what are you doing here, in our country? You
are Ibrahim Pasha's men; are you? Say--speak; what reason have ye for
being here? for we are Arabs, and the sons of Arabs; and this is our
country, and our land?"

"Sir," said the interpreter with profound respect--for he rode first,
and four or five guns were pointed directly at his breast--"Sir, we are
no Egyptians; thy servants are men of peace; we are peaceable Franks,
pilgrims from the holy city, and we are only going to bathe in the
waters of the Jordan, as all pilgrims do who travel to the Holy Land."
"Franks!" quoth the Arab; "I know the Franks; pretty Franks are ye!
Franks are the fathers of hats, and do not wear guns or swords, or red
caps upon their heads, as you do. We shall soon see whether ye are
Franks or not. Ye are Egyptians, and servants of Ibrahim Pasha the
Egyptian: but now ye shall find that ye are our servants!"

"Oh Sir," exclaimed I in the best Arabic I could muster, "thy servants
are men of peace, travellers, antiquaries all of us. Oh Sir, we are
Englishmen, which is a sort of Frank--very harmless and excellent
people, desiring no evil. We beg you will be good enough to let us
pass." "Franks!" retorted the Ara