Waybred, and Wayborn, i. e. produced in the path, or by the wayside. In the Encyclopædia Britannica it is spelled, for what reason I cannot divine, " "Weybread." It reminds me of the country gardener, who accounted for the pansy violet, having obtained the name of "hearts ease,' from its resembling the e'e (eye) of a hart. If any of your correspondents can give a more satisfactory etymology of Wabred, Wabron, Weybread, &c. I shall resign my pretensions to the discovery; if not, I hope to see my improvement adopted, in the new edition of the Ency clopædia Britannica, and in the next impression of the Scenes of Infancy. I could point out few seeming imitations of the Pleasures of Hope in the course of the poem. But all true describers of nature must employ similar images, otherwise some of their descriptions will be less excellent, I am, Sir,

7

Your very humble servant,

P.

attacked or plundered by any party belonging to their tribe.

Whenever tribes, or parties belonging to tribes, meet with others who are not classed amongst their friends, hostilities commence; and when merchandise is under the protection of either, it depends upon the superiority of numbers, or success in the fight, with whom it may remain. It frequently happens, however, that rather than hazard a battle, a compromise takes place, and al tribute is paid for the goods; which are then permitted to pass over the territory of the tribe who pretend to the sovereignty.

To participate more securely in the profits which commercial adventures across the Desart present to the Arabs, many, perhaps the greater part of the tribes, station at Aleppo, as well as at other cities from whence caravans usually take their departure, some of their own people, expressly to act as Raffeeks. These Raffeeks carry with them the distinguishing flag of their tribe, and under favour of its safety is ensured. It

DESLRTS of ARABIA.

(From Griffith's Travels.)

OU

UR party consisted of Mr H. Miss Marianne, myself, and an Armenian servant named Joannes.

The first division of the caravan was formed of about eighty camels, and between thirty or forty guards. Other camels, amongst which many were destined for Bagdad, joining us before we took our final departure, the whole number approached two hundred.

Amongst the guards were certain men called Raffeeks, who are Arabs of various tribes upon the Desart, with whom the head Schaik of a caravan enters into an agreement that they may accompany him on the journey, and protect him from being

cipal Schaik of a caravan to hire as many Raffeeks belonging to those tribes inimical to his own (provided they are to be found,) as he judges it probable he may meet with on lis route; and he cautiously avoids the territory or wells where he presumes those unfriendly parties may be stationed from whose tribe he has no Raffeek.

It is difficult to understand any o ther law by which the people of the Desart seem to be regulated than that of superiority in point of num. bers; for as they have no fixed place of residence, it is natural to suppose there can be no territorial limits to any particular tribe, so precisely marked as to admit of a tax for possessing them; and it appears, there fore, that the mere chance of falling in with an inferior force constitutes

the

the right of exacting tribute, or, in the true spirit of plunderers, a right of seizure. Whatever may be the standard by which they establish their privileges, the result is the same; and a caravan can only be preserved by the power of arms, or the protection of a Raffeek.

Our usual mode of proceeding was to set out about two o'clock in the morning, and continue travelling until nine, ten, or eleven, when an encampment was formed for the day; but it several times occurred that we were obliged to go on until five or six o'clock in the evening; and the fatigue of those days is not easy to be described.

The tent, arms, horse, baggage, and all the travellers, were placed in the centre of the encampment, formed when we halted, surrounded by the bales of merchandise, and these again encircled by the camels; which, to prevent their straying, have one of their fore-legs tied up. Whenever there is pasture for them, and this frequently occurs, they are allowed to graze until sun-set; at which time the keepers collect them together by a particular call, not unlike that of our herdsmen, and secure them in the manner above-mentioned.

Our sufferings and inconvenience seemed gradually to increase the farther we entered the Desart; the rays of the sun became daily more powerful, and the Simooleh or S. E. wind manifested itself frequently. The face of Mr H. was extremely blistered, mine, which had been still more exposed (because I could not submit to guard it by thick cotton handkerchiefs as Mr H. had done,) was sore; but the dear child, who had not been permitted to leave the Mohaffab, still continued tolerably well, and complained less than either

of us.

Our stock of provisions was much reduced; what remained was too dry to be nutritive, particularly some salted tongues, upon which we

had placed great reliance and our general fare was confined to rice. Now and then a hare was brought in: occasionally a Desart rat: and once our Schaik gave a liberal treat to all the caravan by killing a young camel.

The thermometer varied during the day, that is, from six o'clock in the morning to six in the evening, seven or eight degrees, from 96 to 104 but the nights were frequently cooled by northerly winds, and the mercury, at three o'clock in the morning, fell sometimes to 70.

We procured at Mesched Ali a supply of mutton and a small quantity of Arabs' butter: which, though rancid, and always full of hairs, was at this time truly acceptable. Our water was replenished, and in the night we advanced towards the south

east.

Soon after day-break scouts were ordered off in all directions; and upon the return of one of them we changed our course, and travelled due southward. The heat was for many hours oppressive beyond measure; the thermometer frequently, during the four last days, had risen to 108, and seldom fell lower than 90. In the evenings, however, a light breeze from the west and northwest refreshed our jaded spirits, and cooled our inflamed faces. We cautiously covered the dear Marianne with thick cotton handkerchiefs, and preserved her from the parching atmosphere as much as it was possible. To our great astonishment she supported both the heat and fatigue of the Mohaffa much better than either of us; and when the servant or Arabs complained, rallied them with great cheerfulness. Her little mouth was notwithstanding much blistered, and I often bathed it with camels' milk and water.

Penetrating still farther to the south, on account of some inimical tribes who were known to be in the vicinity, we found ourselves, on the

third

third morning after leaving Mesched Ali, straitened for water. That which still remained in the skins was not only brackish, but dirty; and the constant evaporation rendered it hourly less potable.

An alarm of the approach of ene mies was suddenly spread through our straggling party about noon. The guards and Raffeeks drew up in a line, and, after consultation, de termined to proceed in front; which they did, shouting and dancing. Cu rious to observe what might occur, I took from the servant a musket, and advanced with the guards. A large party of men on foot, and others on camels, with lances and flags, were coming directly in front of our caravan; and, as they proceed ed, those on foot quickened their step, to reconnoitre us more nearly. A number of shots were fired in the air on each side, and soon afterwards flags were displayed, which produced a parley. At length our Schaik advanced alone on horseback, armed with his lance and pistols, to meet the Schaik of the opposite tribe, who was on a camel; when, both dismounting, they saluted each other with much ceremony; and a general halt convinced us that no danger was to be apprehended from our new acquaintances, who proved to be a party of the powerful Schaik Tivinii, with whom a certain duty upon the goods was soon regulated in an amicable manner.

No spot upon earth more completely deserves the name of Desart than that where we remained during the whole day. Mr H. was extremely ill; and the hot wind affected us all severely. The water we had was so contaminated that we could not without reluctance taste it; and every thing conspired to render our situation dreadfully distressing.

The Arabs continued occupied great part of the night, and we set out later than usual. It appeared

that we had travelled far from the path which led to those wells where it was intended we should halt ; and, in spite of all the uneasiness we experienced, we were told that it was absolutely necessary to continue tra. velling until we should reach them, Hour after hour passed in fruitless expectation of coming to the longwished-for ground; the sun darted his fiery beams with unusual ardor : the Simooleh stifled us with uncommon heat; and the dregs of our water were ineffectual to quench our violent thirst.

At length the caravan halted; and, to our inexpressible mortification, not in the vicinity of any wells. The same distress was therefore to be supported until the next day, when we were positively assured we should arrive at fresh water.

Mr H. and his daughter had for many days past travelled together in the Mohaffah, whilst I generally went on foot until the heat was too powerful, when I mounted the horse. During the three last days the poor animal suffered so violently, and was so lame for several hours together, that I relieved him occasionally, notwithstanding the extreme heat, and anxiously, though unsuccessfully, endeavoured to discover the cause of the lameness I observed. At length, on again taking up his foot, I accidentally touched the shoe, and the pain I felt instantly explained the cause of the poor horse's sufferings. The heat of the sand had rendered the iron too hot for the animal to support it; and what was truly dis tressing, we had no instruments with which we could remove it. When the ground was in some degree cooled by the breezes which restored our exhausted spirits in the evening and through the night, the horse recover. ed, but on each succeeding day of the journey he was doomed to similar distress.

The manner of passing the time

during this balt may be easily ima. gined. Complaints were unavailing. We mixed vinegar with the little remaining water, to moisten occasional ly our mouths. The dear child slept soundly from fatigue; and the departure of the caravan, which we has tened as much as in our power, was a moment of joy.

Little conversation took place be tween my companion and myself: he was very ill, and we both dreaded the return of noon, when in general the heated air began to affect us, and travelled on in silent hope of speedy relief.

At two o'clock P. M. the Simooleh blew stronger than usual from the S. E.; and on joining the Mo. haffah, I soon observed an afflicting change had taken place in the countenance of my friend. It was now that, in aggravation of all my sufferings, I foresaw the impossibility of his long resisting the violently burning blasts which, with little intermis. sion, continued to assail us. The thermometer hanging round my neck was up to 116; and the little remaining water, which was in a leathern bottle, suspended at the corner of the Mohaffah, had become so thick, resembling the residuum of an inkstand, that, parched and thirsty as I felt, I could not relieve my distress by any attempt to swallow it.

At length I perceived evident marks of our approaching the long. looked for wells, where some relief was to be expected. The hasty march of the leading camels and stragglers, all verging towards one point, convinced me we were not far from the place of our destination. Willing to communicate the glad tidings to my friend, I rode to him, and expressed my hope that he would be soon refreshed by a supply of water. He replied, "Thank God! but I am almost dead." I endeavoured to cheer his spirits, and then

urging my horse, advanced to the spot where I observed the camels were collecting together. In about half an hour I found myself amongst a circle of animals greedily contending for a draught of muddy water, confined in a small superficial well about five feet in diameter. Pressing to the edge, I laid myself upon my belly, and by means of my hand, supplied myself with a fluid, which, however filthy in itself, and contaminated by the disgusting mouths of as many camels and men as could reach it, was a source of indescribable gratification. It is wholly out of the power of language to convey any idea of the blissful enjoyment of obtaining water after an almost total want of it during eight and forty hours, in the scorching regions of an Arabian desart in the month of July!

But this moment of gratification was soon succeeded by one of peculiar horror and anxiety. Scarcely had I quenched my thirst before the Mohaffah arrived. I flew with a bowl full of water to my friend; who drank but little of it, and in great haste. Alas! it was his last draught! His lovely child, too, eagerly moistened her mouth of roses, blistered by the noxious blast!

to

With difficulty Joannes and myself supported my feeble friend to where the tent had been thrown. down from the camel's back. He stammered out a question respecting the time of the day; which I answered it was near four: and requesting the Arabs to hold over him part of the tent (to pitch it required too much time,) I unpacked as speedily as possible ourliquor chest, and hastened to offer him some Visnee (a kind of cherrybrandy) but Nature was too much exhausted! I sat down, and receiv-'ing him in my arms, repeated my endeavours to engage him to swallow a

small

small portion of the liqueur. Alt human efforts were vain! Gust after gust of pestilential air dried up the springs of life, and he breathed his last upon my bosom !

Let the reader of sensibility reflect upon the concomitant circumstances which attended this afflicting scene, and then refer to the sensations which will be created in his own breast, to form some idea of those which must have lacerated mine! Let him paint to himself a traveller, of an age alive to every feeling, in the midst of the Desart of Arabia, with the corpse of his respected friend, burnt to the appearance of a cinder, black, yet warm, on one side of him; and on the other, the daughter of that friend, the most angelic child that nature ever formed, unconscious of her loss, and with the prattle of innocence inquiring" where her dear papa was gone to?" It was a scene as little to be supported as described; and the honest tears I shed bore ample testimony to the wounded sensibility of my heart. : But a short time, however, could be allowed to assuage my grief or to indulge it. Who were to perform those last sad offices of friendship, so requisite, and yet so difficult? Who would undertake to prepare with decency for the grave the disfigured remains of my kind companion? Who would assist in these disgusting yet pious occupations? The servant and myself were all that professed the Christian religion, and we alone could execute its duties.

With as much propriety as the circumstances admitted, we therefore performed the melancholy task; and having induced the Arabs to dig a grave near the remains of a village not far from the wells, I directed the body to be carried there, following it with the dear Marianne, who knelt by me whilst I offered to God the pure effusions of a heart overwhelmMay 1806,

ed by distress, but submissively bowing to the decrees of his divine will!

The

Never can such a night as that I passed be blotted from my remem brance. The morning dawned but to renew my sorrows, and expose me to a repetition of dangers. same fatigue attended me; the same pestiferous air awaited but mid-day to annoy me; but resistance and es.. cape were impracticable.

Summoning, therefore, within me every sentiment of religion and phi. losophy, I rose to face my difficul ties. Placing my little ward, now become my peculiar care, on one side of the Mohaffah, and suppressing my feelings at observing the vacancy on the other, I mounted my horse, and proceeded with the avant-guard of the caravan.

We travelled in the usual manner until near sunset, and experienced the same oppressive heat during great part of the day. As soon as

we came to our ground, I endeavoured to repose myself under the tent, and waited with but little appetite for the dish of rice which the servant was preparing for our supper. A cry of fire soon aroused me; and upon enquiry, I discovered that Joannes, having incautiously made the fire near the Mohaffah, the wind had blown some of the light fuel into it, and one half of this retreat from the ardent rays of the snn was totally consumed. This additional misfortune was at such a moment particularly distressing; but I consoled myself on reflecting that one-half still remained to shelter the dear child, and made up my mind to the exposure I could now by no means avoid.

From the last wells we had proceeded in a direct line towards the river Euphrates, thro' a more uneven and more fatiguing country than any we had passed. The sand was loose, and blown into irregular hillocks, thatjimpeded our progress considerably, and

we