GUARD OF ARABS.

75

square, and four high. There was one mast, with a lateen sail, which was used for crossing the river; for the wind blowing mostly from the northward, we could seldom use it for sailing. As the voyage was principally performed by tracking, to ensure expedition we engaged a double set of boatmen, whose business it was to track, or tow the boat, as horses do in canals in England. Our agreement was, that they should proceed night and day; and, as a defence against the attacks of the wandering banditti, we engaged a guard of twenty of the Zobeir Arabs. Besides the captain of the boat, and the commander of the guard, we had a superintendent over the whole establishment, by name Aboo Nasir, a good-natured, drunken vagabond, whose gratitude for a life, thrice spared by British influence from the sentence of three successive Pashas, we deemed a sufficient guarantee for his fidelity to us, and in no instance did we find our confidence misplaced. man was a stout, tall, elderly Arab, on whose

This

face the sun and strong liquor seemed for many a year to have been contending which could give it the strongest tinge of scarlet, for Aboo Nasir was one who had long "forsworn thin potations."

The expense of our whole establishment, including fees to the different powerful sheikhs, through whose country we were to pass, amounted to sixteen hundred and ninety piastres.

When there was sufficient water in the canal, our boat was moored alongside of the British factory, where we embarked our baggage, and a fortnight's stock of provisions and necessaries, consisting of tea, coffee, sugar, spices, dates, biscuits, rice, tobacco, and a plentiful supply of spirits. We had had some difficulty in procuring servants, but at last succeeded in engaging three: an Indian Syyud, who had officiated while on board the Alligator, as cook to Futteh Ali Khan, continued with us in the same capacity; the other two were, a Persian, who had made the pilgrimage to Mecca, and a half

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starved Ethiopian. At three o'clock the gates of the British factory were opened, and first discovered to us our guard of Arabs; who, armed with swords, shields, and muskets, scrambled on board, singing and dancing to the rude music of the fife and tantam,-presenting as wild an appearance as any of those savages against whom they were engaged to protect us.

It had been our intention to have started the same evening, but we remained till the following night, to bid farewell to our kind friend Captain Alexander, who was to give an entertainment to Captain Taylor and some Armenian ladies. After seeing our boat safely moored at the mouth of the creek, we went on board the Alligator, and dined with the gun-room

officers.

March 7.-The quarter-deck of the Alligator was tastefully fitted up with flags for the reception of the guests, who came on board at five in the afternoon. Captain Alexander, thinking it would gratify the curiosity of the

78

ENTERTAINMENT IN THE ALLIGATOR.

Armenian ladies, showed them every part of the ship, which was in most admirable order; but we could not discover whether they were pleased or otherwise, for they went through the business like victims, and looked at every thing that was shown them, with the most immoveable gravity. I handed to dinner a pretty looking girl, from whom I tried in vain to extract an answer to any of my questions. Amongst the party was a handsome girl, a native of Ispahan; whence her parents had fled with her a few months back. They had come to Bussorah for British protection, to save her from being immured in a Mussulman harem. From living among Mussulmans, the Armenians have in many respects adopted their customs, and amongst others, that of the seclusion of women in their own families, though they allow them to go abroad. The party who visited the Alligator, consisted entirely of females, unaccompanied by any male relation, and we were informed that the two sexes are never seen together in public.

TAKE LEAVE OF OUR SHIPMATES. 79

CHAPTER V.

We take leave of our Shipmates-And proceed on our Voyage-Our Boatmen and Guard-Abstinence from Wine-Aboo Nasir at dinner-Koorna-The River Tigris-Il Jezeerah, the reputed site of ParadisePresent Appearance of the Country-Its former state -Our first interview with the Desert Arabs-Aboo Nasir-Arab Village-Conduct of our Guard-Goomruk-Tribute-Extortion-Tomb of the Prophet Ezra -Abundance of Game-Kill a brace of Partridges in the Garden of Eden-Curious Scene-Behaviour and Appearance of the Female Arabs of the Desert.

AT ten o'clock we left the ship, and went on board our boat, after taking an affectionate leave of our shipmates; to many of whom, I grieve to say, we bade an eternal adieu. Since my arrival in England, I have received the afflicting intelligence that our excellent host,