The Last Secrets: The Final Mysteries of ExplorationBuchan, John
History
The Last Secrets: The Final Mysteries of Exploration
Buchan, John
Discoveries in geography; Explorers
The hygienic conditions of the exodus were of course abominable.
Tanks and springs were soon fouled by people bathing in them, and the
condition of the hill-side was filthy beyond description. Often some
infectious disease like cholera decimates the pilgrims, but our
travellers were fortunate in escaping it. They went through all the
proper ceremonies, and stoned the Three Devils at Mina with gusto.
The Three Devils are three stone pillars, and, in a mob of many
thousands of bad shots, a good many pilgrims are bound to suffer.
They bought a sheep to sacrifice, like the others, and a mess of
offal and blood was soon added to the attractions of the countryside.
They then went back to Mecca, kissed the Black Stone, had another
square inch of hair shaved from their temples, and were free to put
off the bath towels. Now was the moment for the new clothes. Abdul
Wahid appeared in a bilious yellow garment brought from Damascus;
Masaudi in an obsolete regimental mess waistcoat; while Mr. Wavell
was chastely arrayed in white cloth robes, a black jubba, and a gold
sash with a dagger.
Thus attired they set out again for Mina for the last ceremonies. In
the night a thief got into their tent, and carried off Masaudi's new
turban, £5 in gold, and various oddments, including a couple of
pistols. In the morning they went to salute the Sherif, and when
they had returned and were sitting in their tent, passed through the
most dangerous moment of the adventure. The wall of the tent was
down, as is usual in the heat of the day, and they were squatting on
the carpet, when suddenly they heard an exclamation from Masaudi.
Looking round, they saw, standing within a few feet of them and
looking straight into the tent, three of the Mombasa Swahilis whom
they had met at Medina. It scarcely seemed possible that they could
miss seeing Masaudi, and if they did they would certainly come into
the tent to greet him, when Mr. Wavell was bound to be recognized.
The morning sun, however, was shining right in their eyes, so they
saw nothing, and passed on. As soon as they had turned their backs
Mr. Wavell and Masaudi ran out of the tent on the other side and
mingled with the crowd. They returned to Mecca, to be congratulated
by their friends on the successfully accomplished pilgrimage, and Mr.
Wavell was free to go into the world as Hadji Ali bin Mohammed.
It was now their business to get out of Mecca as soon as possible,
especially as money was running low. They paid the necessary
farewell visits, hired the transport, and started, intending to do
the journey in one day. They were, however, held up by a sentry on
the road, and had to spend a cold and comfortless night in the open,
and did not enter Jiddah till sunrise. At Jiddah they separated;
Masaudi went to Mombasa, Abdul Wahid to Persia, and Mr. Wavell to
Egypt.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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