feet in length—these I soon found were my master’s friends, and a part of them of his own family. They welcomed the return of their friends by rubbing their limbs with dry sand, and then throwing handfulls of it in the air, after which they saluted the captives by spitting on us, pelting us with stones, and throwing sand in our faces, accompanied with the word “fonta” (bad)—the females were not less backward to insult me than the men, and I think that I should have met with very serious injury, had I not been protected by my master⚫, at whose command they desisted, and appeared disposed to treat me with less severity. One of them having snatched my bible from under my arm was compelled by my master to return it. We were now conducted to their village, if I may be permitted so to term it, which was composed of only a few tents of a similar construction to those which the Arabs carry with them in their excursions. The village was situated in a valley which had no more the appearance of fertility than the barren desert which we had passed, except a few shrubs and thorn bushes on which the camels were feeding. When we arrived, the Arabs who remained at the tents were engaged in their evening devotions; some were kneeling down, and bowing their faces to the ground, and other standing and rubbing the naked parts of their bodies with dry sand, in the mean time constantly repeating the words “Allah Hookibar.”⚫