A little apart from the camels stood a number of horses ready
bridled and saddled, and the Hakim himself, coming forth, mounted
on one of them with as much agility as the grave decorum of his
character permitted, and directed another, which he pointed out,
to be led towards Sir Kenneth. An English officer was in
attendance, to escort them through the camp of the Crusaders, and
to ensure their leaving it in safety; and all was ready for their
departure. The pavilion which they had left was, in the
meanwhile, struck with singular dispatch, and the tent-poles and
coverings composed the burden of the last camel--when the
physician, pronouncing solemnly the verse of the Koran, "God be
our guide, and Mohammed our protector, in the desert as in the
watered field," the whole cavalcade was instantly in motion.
In traversing the camp, they were challenged by the various
sentinels who maintained guard there, and suffered to proceed in
silence, or with a muttered curse upon their prophet, as they
passed the post of some more zealous Crusader.
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