was now almost harvest-time, and there was little to reap, for little
had been planted. Many of the colonists had fallen sick, and not a few
had laid their bones under the strange soil to mingle with the dust of
ages. Some had been assisted to return to their Western home by a
benevolent member of the party whose pilgrimage is immortalized by Mark
Twain in the _Innocents Abroad_. Some who had privately and wisely
retained a small sum for a "rainy day" had gone off, abandoning their
interest in the common weal. But many had, in the inception, with
unquestioning faith, placed their all in the common stock, and were
unable to extract any part thereof from the custody of Adams, who not
only did not account for the funds, but by this time had taken to drink,
and was generally to be seen (when to be seen at all) in a state either
of maudlin piety or of morose defiance of all questions and demands. Of
course, under these circumstances the business-affairs of the colony
went to rack and ruin. The small number of his disciples who remained
were suffering from want of comforts and from malaria, home-sickness and
disappointment. One or two of the women had taken to themselves Syrian
husbands, and one or two of the men, with Yankee readiness and
adaptation where a penny was to be turned, had taken to "guiding"
travellers to Jerusalem or trading in horseflesh; but nearly all of
those who were left were longing for "home," and would be glad to get
there on any terms.

It was determined very soon after our arrival, in spite of Adams's
covert opposition, that those who wished to leave should be taken on
board our ship and transported to Alexandria, whence they could be sent
by the consul to Liverpool as "distressed American citizens," and thence
to America. Poor people! they had little to bring on board but the
clothes in which they stood--well worn and mended, but generally clean
and decent. Some few had modest bundles, and the younger women had even
retained a little personal finery. Indeed, the women and girls all
showed in their deportment much of the self-respect and quaint good
manners due to their New England birth and training. These were all
provided with private quarters for the short passage in the cabin and
wardroom. The men were quartered upon the different messes among the
crew, and they seemed to have suffered more degradation in their fallen
fortunes than the women. Among the males was to be seen an occasional
_tarbous