BSY_FB_28-001

This book is the property of Fred K. A. Norris 15 W. 74th St. New York

January 1, 1905

Umm il-Ḳuṭṭên 10:45 Temp. 52 °F Baro. S. 26.55

#1 Breeze S. Clouds 1/5 sky - Beautiful Day.

Left camp about 11:00 A.M. with a groom, my servant, and a
Beduin guide going S 38°30' W. over the desert & gradually
descending to the base of Tell il-Ḳo'ês, then climbing to summit
some 200 ft. with horse. View of desert to S. & W. & N. & mountains to
E. was superb. Could see to S. some 30 miles the country gradually
sloping for 10 miles to SE & S. & then thin bands of water stretching
with occasional breaks for 15 miles to the S & sparkling like silver
in the sunlight. Through may telescope could be seen many Beduin
tents with little curls of pale blue smoke isuing there from, made by the
burning of the camel dung fuel, and flocks of sheep & goats & herds of
camels grazing in picturesque groups with their Arab shepherds
all stretching out as far as could be distinguished & melting into a soft
Dark blue haze through which could be distinguished only rough countours of
a country rolling on & on like the sea until lost in the far distant
horizon in Northern Arabia. No town no ruin. A Beduin shepherd
left his flock which was grazing at the bottom of the hill and came up to see
the strange sight of a European with his magic instrument, all covered with
gold which was being pointed like a gun in all directions, and stood staring in
wonder. My carpet was spread in the lea of a little pile of stones which
marked the place of some ancient building & then later used as a burying place
by the Arabs, and there I lay basking in the sun, alone & in silence slowly
munching my lunch & drinking in the placid beauty at the wonderful scene
of peace. Stretched before me was a land & a people the same to-day
as in earliest Biblical times - still unconquered, for here even Rome