Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 11, 2025
Presently, when, having ascended that marvellous staircase of the New Year, walking in procession with the priests upon its walls toward the rays of Ra, I came out upon the temple roof, and looked upon the desert upon sheeny sands, almost like slopes of satin shining in the sun, upon paler sands in the distance, holding an Arab campo santo, in which rose the little creamy cupolas of a sheikh's tomb, surrounded by a creamy wall, those little cupolas gave to me a feeling of the real, the irresistible Africa such as I had not known since I had been in Egypt; and I thought I heard in the distance the ceaseless hum of praying and praising voices.
He alone of the whole party had contracted the disease. The letter which he carried was burned by the sheikh of the village, a wise and cautious man, who had been called in to give his advice as to the treatment of the infectious traveller. A sheikh's duties are many and varied; he is indeed the father of his village.
On his feet were red morocco boots, tastefully figured; while, instead of a turban, he wore round his head which was entirely shaved a band of blue silk, a sign of his rank. Each Arab as he arrived made his camel kneel before the tent, and then, holding his musket in one hand, he touched the sheikh's head with the other in token of respect.
During the illness of his companions Major Denham made an excursion to the shores of Lake Chad, accompanied by Maraymy, an intelligent black, to whose charge he had been committed by the sheikh, where numerous elephants and some beautiful antelopes were seen. The sheikh's people, as they came near the elephants, began screeching violently.
It requires more material objects than sketches and photos to meet the appreciation of these semi- civilized children of the desert. They bring me their guns and spears to look at and pronounce upon, and then my stalwart entertainer grows inquisitive about my revolver. First extracting the cartridges to prevent accident, I hand it to him, and he takes it for the Sheikh's inspection.
"Yes; well I expect that he has traced him, for it seems he is living with this Sheikh Burrachee, as he calls himself, who is as mad as a hatter, and he would not do that without a very strong reason." "Then the man who may be the Irish sheikh's son, or may be merely a magical illusion, and vanish or turn into a cat some fine morning, is your friend, I suppose?" said Barton.
Half an hour later, by the Sheikh's orders, everyone was sent to a distance from the tent, into which the Hakim was watched with looks full of awe, as he disappeared therein, followed by Frank and the Sheikh, the brother sitting by waiting, and both looking reverently at the man whose knowledge was something tremendous in their eyes. "Are you going to stay, Sheikh?" said the Hakim.
To my great satisfaction, he told me that Major Norman was really a slave in the Sheikh's house, and that his daughter was in the harem. What had become of the rest of the crew he could not tell. While I had been speaking, I had been scraping away to drown my voice, in case anybody came near. I now urged Jack to go and find the major, to let him know that help was at hand.
The meal prepared by the Sheikh's people astounded the little party there were crisp cutlets, freshly made cakes, bowls of a porridge made with fresh milk and some kind of finely ground grain, and fruit in abundance, while all pronounced the freshly roasted coffee to be delicious.
The sheikh's attendants were magnificently dressed, but his own costume was neat and simple, consisting only of two white figured muslin tobes, with a bournous, and a Cashmere shawl for a turban: over all hung the English sword which had been sent him.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking