ms of the Shaikh's presence were observed--namely, his
tent being placed at the west end of the line, and his spear at its
entrance. Here took place the formality of returning his visit to us
yesterday; and here, after coffee and pipes, our presents were produced
and given. The travellers were collected in a very long black tent,
together with Deab, his son and friends. A screen at one end divided us
from the women's apartment, _i.e._, what would be the _Hhareem_ in houses
of towns; behind this curtain the women were peeping, chattering, and
laughing; of course we might expect this to be about the
extraordinary-looking strangers. It has been conjectured that such a
separation of the tent is implied in Gen. xviii. 6 and 10, when "Sarah
heard it in the tent-door which was behind him;" but this has no
foundation in the plain narrative of Scripture, only in the Arabic
translation the words seem to imply that understanding.

The presentation of offerings was a grave and solemn affair. Each donor
produced his tribute with an apology for the insignificance of the gift,
which was then exhibited in silence by an attendant to the populace of
the tribe crowding outside.

The ceremony was concluded by shouts of welcome, and a huge meal of
pilaff (rice and mutton upon a great tray of tinned copper) and leban,
(curdled milk,) with more smoking. Here we took leave of the chief, who
sent on a detachment of his tribe to escort us for the rest of our
expedition.

Remounted, and proceeded N.E. by N.; hitherto we had come due north from
Heshbon. Passed a hill called _Jehaarah_, and in a short time reached
the source of the river of Ammon, rising out of the ground, with a large
pavement of masonry near it. A numerous flock of sheep and goats were
being watered at the spring, it being near the time of As'r--_i.e._,
mid-afternoon.

Here the antiquities of _Amman_ commenced; and remains of considerable
buildings continually solicited our attention, as we passed on for
quarter of an hour more to our tents, which we found already pitched and
waiting for us among a crowd of ancient temples and baths and
porticoes,--in a forum between a line of eight large Corinthian columns
and the small river; in front too of a Roman theatre in good condition.
Some of the party, who were familiar with the ruins of Rome and Athens,
exclaimed aloud, "What would the modern Romans give to have so much to
show as this, within a similar space!"

This was