Our Future Highway Volume 1

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1880 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XV. A set of Christians--Their squabbles--Patience and upbraidings--Make a start--Jibreen--A good spear--Busy ploughmen--Tedif--Uncivil Shaykh--Waterwheel--A mob of Circassians--Bitterly cold--Lodged in a stable--A cavalry commander--A large farm--Unrelenting hatred--Not even a donkey--Not a single cigarette--Narration of his woes--Another story--Covered with ice--A remedy for toothache--A hospitable Shaykh--A string of camels--The Sultan's intimate friend--Not an officer--A Cypriote Jew--Flattery--Music--Dancing--Games--A new greyhound--Underground canal--Fifteen gazelle--Dogs throw up--Revolver practice--The last duties--Where are the dogs?--The truant's return--Waterfowl--Surly Circassians--A warm welcome. Leaving Aleppo was not so easy as it appeared, for muleteers were afraid to go eastward without being engaged for a return journey, for fear of being impressed into the Government service, or perhaps said they were, in order to command a Chap, xv. A SET OF CHRISTIANS. 291 higher price. After a great deal of trouble we managed to engage a set of Christians natives of Mardin, but had to wait two days before they put in an appearance. When at last they did arrive they said they had no rope to lash the loads on the mules, and had spent their advance, so we had to give them money to buy some. They at last made up the packages, brought up all the mules and began loading; but the money they had been given to buy rope they had spent in drink, and they all quarrelled as to which mule should carry which load. One fellow loaded his mule, and then sat down and cried; another, whilst he was not looking, put the load intended for his own animal on top of that of the weeping man. Then there was a fight, not a dangerous one, but much scratching and hair pullin...