ENTURES AMONG THE ARABS A. FORDER. MR. ARCHIBALD FORDER IN EUROPEAN AND ARAB COSTUME VENTURES AMONG THE ARABS IN DESERT, TENT, AND TOWN THIRTEEN YEARS OF PIONEER MISSIONARY LIF1 WITH THE ISHMAELITES OF MOAB. EDOM AND ARABIA BY ARCHIBALD FORDER LATE OF KERAK, MOAE NEW YORK PUBLISHED BY GOSPEL PUBLISHING HOUSE 54 WEST 220 STREET 1909 CARPENTlirt COPYRIGHT 1909 BY GOSPEL PUBLISHING HousB Printing by FRANCIS E. FITCH New York TO A MUCH LOVED AND HONORED Jfatfjer anfc fHotijer WHO WILLINGLY CONSENTED TO THEIR SON GIVING HIS LIFE TO THE ARABS, AND FOR MANY YEARS PRAYED DAILY FOR THE SUCCESS OF HIS WORK, THIS BOOK IS Sctricatefc M1SSM6 Of the world's pages, one is yet unread; One land still waits the pioneer's tread; 'Tis Arabia, home of steed and palm, With millions needing yet the Gospel's healing balm, So Dim longings draw me on, and point my path, To Eastern sands, to Kedar's mystic land, The cradle of Islam. PREFACE THE object of this book is not to gratify a love for sensational adventure, but to show how a life wholly given up to God's service can be used and spared under circumstances varied and often seemingly hopeless, and in the hope that many may be led to venture something on behalf of that great peninsula of Arabia of which it tells. It shows that the ventures of the pioneer missionary are full of adventures, trying, exciting, and interesting, and should dispel the illusion that his life is all honey and that in far-away lands he gen- erally has a good time. No attempt is made at literary perfection, or at a detailed geographical, historical, or other description of Arabia. My story is a simple record of ventures just as they occurred, a tran- script of personal experiences and beliefs. It is sent forth to what I believe is a sympathetic vi PREFACE public, and if through the perusal of its pages any one is led to a fuller and deeper consecra- tion in the work of evangelizing the nations of the world, my time, labor, and thought will have been well expended. A. FORDER. BOSTON, MASS, CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. A Rough Reception I II. Getting into Moab 6 III. Who was Captured 16 IV. "Who are the Bedouin" . . . . .24 V. New Experiences under Difficulties . . 31 VI. Through Trials Enemies become Friends . . 44 VII. Trying Times in Trying Places .... 52 VIII. Encouragement from Unexpected Quarters . . 65 IX. In Competition with Native Doctors ... 76 X. At the Mercy of Murderers, Brigands, and Raging Seas 86 XI. Unlooked-for Changes and More Persecutions . 106 XII. Into New Regions, among Superstitious Zealots . 120 XIII. Arabia the Desert of the Sea . . . .130 XIV. Attempts to enter Arabia end in Capture, Prison, and Broken Bones 141 XV. A 'Fourth Venture brings me to the Desert's Edge 151 XVI. Between Druze and Arab I get into the Desert . 167 XVII. A Kind Chief but Unkind Subjects . . .180 XVIII. Ten Days on the Desert 198 XIX. The Chief's Plan to capture me for Islam . . 206 XX. A Calamity that nearly cost me my Life . . 224 vii viii CONTENTS CHAPTER PACK XXI. Exciting Times in Desert and Town . . . 234 XXII. The Religion of the Arabs 247 XXIII. Customs substantiating Scripture . . . 258 XXIV. Arabia in its Relation to the Bible . . .280 XXV. A Look Ahead 290 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FACING PAGE An Arab Sheik 3 Arab Encampment 12 A Bedouin Tent 75 Archibald Forder in European and Arab Costume . . Title An Arab Fiddler 277 Arabs of Moab, Dwellers in Tents 24 Arabs of Northern Arabia 212 Aaron's Tomb in Edom 128 Bird's-Eye View of Damascus 289 Bedouin Women, Daughters of the Desert 95 Castle of the Jowf 224 Coffee Maker, The 119 Caravan resting after a Journey 179 Calvary, Outside the Wall 152 Crossing the Desert 205 Christian Woman of Moab 150 Drawing Water at Beersheba 125 Druze Chiefs 166 Enjoying a Social Meal 102 Eastern Caravansary, An 119 Fords of Arnon, The 75 Forder, Mrs., the Wife of the Author 106 Gathering Salt in the Desert 224 Getting ready to move House 166 Hagar's Well in the Desert of Beersheba 125 ix x LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FACING PAGE Interior of an Arab House 9 Mr. Forder's Home in Moab 52 Marid, the Stronghold of the Jowf 205 Map of Arabia 292 Mrs. Khykhan, the Chief's Wife 189 Mr. Forder when sitting with the Arabs 85 North Shores of the Dead Sea 102 Old Tower and Castle at Sulkhu 152 Ovens used by the Arabs 43 Palm with Fruit Ripe unto Harvest 233 Pharaoh's Treasury, the Masterpiece of Edom .... 286 Stone Doors, Bashan 160 Section of the Sik (Ravine) , Arabia Petrea 132 Temporary Hospital in the Desert, A 189 The Chief of Kaf 179 View on the River Jordan 9 View on the River Abana 257 Water Skins filled, ready for a Journey 197 Woman with Money on Head 64 Women grinding at the Mill 277 Woman churning Butter 242 INTRODUCTION [Bv SPECIAL PERMISSION FROM " WITH THE ARABS IN TENT AND TOWN."] CONSULATE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA To whom it may concern: DEAR SIR OR MADAME, This letter introduces Mr. Archibald Forder, who is well known to me. He is a tireless, faithful, devoted Christian worker. He is fear- less, and has labored with indefatigable zeal. He enjoys pioneer and missionary work better than any other man I have ever seen. Only last year (1900) he went alone into the heart of Arabia, and nearly perished because the hardships were so great. He is a regular Livingstone, and if there were still any "un- known continent," Mr. Forder would be the man to open it up to Christianity. In con- nection with some established Society, or under xii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS the direction of some judicious Board of Trus- tees, I am sure that Mr. Forder would do most excellent work. His character is above reproach, and in this country he is respected by all who know him. I remain, yours respectfully, (HoN.) SELAH MERRILL, LL.D. U. S. Consul, Jerusalem. SEPTEMBER 23, 1901. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS For the twin photographs reproduced as frontispiece, we are indebted to J. C. Varney, Haverhill, Mass., and for the photograph facing page 85, thanks are due to Van B. Wheaton, Amsterdam, N.Y. 'VENTURES AMONG THE ARABS CHAPTER I A ROUGH RECEPTION IT was fast growing dark, and we were eagerly anticipating the end of our long and fatiguing journey. Four days we had been on the way from Jerusalem, and one more night should bring us to our new home among the thousands of Ishmaelites, in Kerak, the old Moabitish capital, on the highlands and in the mountains of that little-known region. The leader of our little caravan ordered the loads to be put on the camels and mules for this final stage of the journey. With fear and trembling our faithful men adjusted them, then grasping their heavy sticks and slinging their flintlock guns over their backs, with a " Bis- mallah" "In the name of God" led off, hoping that before daybreak we would be housed in the old city, only twenty-five or thirty miles ahead. We mounted our animals and brought up the rear. In the twilight we could see the caravan ahead of us urged on by our men, but 2 A ROUGH RECEPTION no sound was uttered. For we were now in the land of Moab, among a people noted for their lawlessness, dwellers in houses of hair, keepers of flocks and herds, whose hand was against every man, and every man's hand against them a people who looked with sus- picion upon any one who dared to enter their country uninvited, and who were ready at a moment's notice to attack, rob, and even kill, so that the purses and purposes of the chiefs and their many attendants might be filled and upheld ; and after plunder and even murder return to their camps, pull down and fold up their tents, and migrate to some region inacces- sible to any who might purpose revenge for any such treatment as just described. Was it any wonder that our good Arab at- tendants kept quiet lest they should bring down on us some of the bloodthirsty, greedy children of Ishmael ? But in spite of quiet and care we were not to be allowed to pass unmolested or to reach our mountain home without inter- ruption. It was about seven in the evening, and quite dark, when suddenly, without any warning, we were surrounded by a large number of fierce fellows armed with rifles, spears, daggers, and revolvers. They appeared to come from be- A ROUGH RECEPTION 3 neath, so quickly were they upon us. Their mode of operation was well planned and carried out. First they separated us, then some drove off the loaded animals that in the stampede and surprise had been deserted by their drivers. Others of these unexpected arrivals took as a prisoner one of our little company, and in a few minutes after the attack no one knew where the other was. Who were the newcomers? some will be asking. They were a company of Arabs be- longing to the ruling family of Moab, and known as the Mujellies. They were famous and feared, because of their ferocity and daring. Somehow they had learned of our coming and had been lying in wait for us, prepared to give us not only a surprise, but a rough and dis- couraging reception to their country. It was neither the place or time for talking, so each one, still riding, was led off in charge of three or four of these unwelcome fellows. I heard my wife calling for me, her voice came from somewhere on my right, so without any notice to my captors I slipped off my horse, and before they realized what had occurred I was running in the direction from whence the sound of my wife's voice had come. Stumbling over stones and bushes in the darkness, I at 4 A ROUGH RECEPTION last came upon a little group. In the midst was my wife, still seated upon her mule. Around her were some six or eight men, some on horses, others on foot. They were trying to make her understand that they wanted any valuables that she might have. Fierce and lawless as they were, their social custom kept them from laying hands on a woman, much as they might covet and wish to have any valuables that she might pos- sess. I had already been overhauled, with a very poor result, however, for I had nothing worth taking, having anticipated some such experience as this. I had stoutly resisted the first man who started to make the acquaintance of my pockets and saddle-bags. Thinking to frighten me into submission, he drew out a long curved dagger and held it in a threatening way over me, but I put up my arm and knocked it out of his hands, and he thought it wise to desist from interfering with me. Pushing between the horses and men that surrounded my wife, I, by signs and shouting, protested against their actions. At that time I only knew a few words of Arabic. They were joined, a few minutes later, by my captors, who had followed me after I had given them the slip. Together we all moved off, I walking A ROUGH RECEPTION 5 by the side of my wife's mule and doing my best to encourage and cheer her. Many times our captors urged me to ride, but to no purpose. All this time we knew nothing about our companions who were able to speak the lan- guage, or anything about the loads or our faith- ful attendants. For about an hour we went on in the dark. Often I stumbled over stones, or put my foot into some hole in the dry, parched ground, but I held on to the bridle of the mule, and in spite of sore feet and bleeding legs, pricked by stout thorns or nettles, at last saw in the distance the lights of camp-fires, and knew that the homes of our captors were near, and for a time, at least, this part of our journey was about at an end. Furious dogs rushed hither and thither, announcing our coming with their shrill, harsh barking. A few minutes later we halted before one of the tents in a large encampment and were in- vited to enter, which we did, conscious of the fact that we were the prisoners of the Bedouin, and our temporary prison a house of hair. CHAPTER II GETTING INTO MOAB previous chapter left my companions and myself captives in a house of hair on the wide plains of Moab. Let me now relate how I reached the place and circumstances already told. My wife and self left England on Thursday, September 3, 1891. We were sent off with many good wishes and the blessings and ear- nest prayers of our parents and friends. In due time we reached Jaffa, the port of Southern Palestine, and were welcomed there by Mr. and Mrs. Lethaby, whose place we had come to take for a time. Here I had my first Arabic lesson one that was short, comparatively easy, but very helpful. The agent who undertook for us in the landing and customs taught me the equivalent in Arabic for "What is that?" Armed with my first two words of that difficult language, I went ahead and soon learned the names of many things, until able to converse with the people. 6 GETTING INTO MOAB 7 As the way to Moab was through Jerusalem, we hired carriages to drive to the Holy City. The railroad was not open in those days. After a weary ride we reached Jerusalem and were lodged in a comfortable home. On Wednes- day morning, September 30, we started for Moab. The old capital, Kerak, Kir of the Old Testament, was our destination, and had we then known all that was to befall us, we would not have set out so light-heartedly. Our companions, Mr. and Mrs. Lethaby, rode in rude crates slung across a camel's back. Mrs. Forder and myself were accommodated in a similar fashion. We moved along like snails, and after having ridden until we were all stiff and tired, our camel man at last yielded to our pleadings and persuasions, and consented to stop and rest awhile. In ten minutes we started again. O dear! that day's journey to Jericho is still in my mind; the jolting and rocking on that camel's back, under the scorch- ing sun, was almost unbearable. To add to our miseries, that stubborn camel would insist on walking along the very edges of the steep precipices so common on the Jericho road. If we touched it on the neck to guide it to the middle of the road, the beast would stop and commence to kneel. The calmness of that g GETTING INTO MOAB beast greatly added to our discomforts that first day out. If it turned back its long neck to knock a troublesome fly off its hindquarters, we thought it was after a bite at our legs, that dangled over the sides of the crates in which we were seated. At last we sighted Jericho in the plains below, and at length reached the village. We were tired and exhausted, and were grateful for the shelter and warm water supplied by the woman in charge of the Russian hospice there. We tried to sleep, but the heat and innumer- able occupants of our beds made it impossible. About two next morning we were up and again on the move. In the dark our camels followed their master across the level plain of Jericho. At daybreak we reached the banks of the historic river, and our man, throwing aside his garments, proceeded to ford the Jor- dan. In turn both camels were led through the river; two donkeys swam across, closely following the camels. Our man carried our packages across on his head, and after many fordings at length got everything over. It was an interesting sight in the cool and light of the early morning. We rested about half an hour, and had our breakfast off dry bread and Jordan water, which, if not luxurious, was satisfying. PHOTOGRAPH BY A. FORDER VIEW ON THE RIVER JORDAN This view on the river is near the fords over which the Israelites crossed. It is about five miles from Jericho. The picture was taken from the wooden bridge that spans the river at that point. Mr. Forder crossed here on his first journey into Moab. INTERIOR OF AN ARAB HOUSE This shows the fireplace in the middle of the floor and the mud bins in which grain, salt, or flour is stored. In the recesses on the left side the family sleep, the floor generally being occupied by guests. These houses have neither windows nor chimneys. GETTING INTO MOAB 9 The ride across the plains of the Jordan was long and tiresome. The heat was terrific, and the Moab mountains seemed never to come nearer. But they at last were reached, and the ascent commenced. Slowly and calmly those camels went about their difficult task up and down places that seemed impossible for any animal to venture, along the edges of deep ravines, over rocks with surfaces worn smooth and slippery by much traffic and exposure to storms and winds, and at last out on to the extensive and fertile plains of Moab, at that season of the year dry and cracked after the heat of the long summer. We passed close under the shadow of Mount Nebo, but were too weary to realize it or give much thought to the first leader of Israel who died there on that lonely spur in the mountain range. Fifteen hours after leaving Jericho we reached Medeba, a large village on the plain. How thankful we were for the warm welcome given us by the chief of the place ! He spread rugs and comforts on the floor for us, on which we lay, glad to stretch and rest our weary limbs. The house was just one large room ; on each side were raised recesses, in which the family slept or stored their goods. Wide arches supported the roof, which was made I0 GETTING INTO MOAB of a thick layer of mud and earth held up by beams of wood. In usual Arab style supper was prepared and served. Two baked fowls, boiled rice, and warm bread made a very decent meal. We ate our fill ; what remained was given to those who flocked in to gaze at us. Coffee followed, served in small cups; a tablespoonful was all we got, and for us it sufficed, for it was thick and strong, and minus milk or sugar. By that time a lot of men had crowded the house and had seated themselves around the fire, which was in a hollow in the middle of the floor. Midst their noisy jabber and the smoke of the fire and numerous pipes we fell asleep, and for a short time were oblivious to our new and strange surroundings. Awaking soon after, we were not long in discovering that myriads of minute bloodsuckers had attacked us, evidently with the intention of drawing all they could from the newcomers. We learned to our dis- may that Medeba was the residence of the king and queen of the flea community, and that they never delayed investigating any one who tarried for a time in their domains. A few snatches of sleep refreshed us and helped to pass away that lively night. I ought to have said that our heavy baggage GETTING INTO MOAB II left Jerusalem on five mules about two hours before us the day we started ; these we over- took at Medeba. We did not expect to set out again for a day or two, but about ten o'clock Friday morning they said they were going on. Our camels had gone back to Jerusalem, so we commenced the second stage of our journey on horses and mules. The next two days' ride meant danger and delay unless we were fortu- nate enough to get along unseen. Late in the afternoon we entered the enemy's territory and kept moving on until quite dark. About forty men and animals now formed our caravan, many having decided to travel with us, because in numbers there was safety. Without a sound from each other we traversed those plains in the dark. Suddenly we were surrounded by ten or twelve men of the Ham- eideh tribe, through whose country we were travelling without consent. In the starlight they looked awful fellows, armed with rifles, revolvers, and swords, and spears about twelve feet long. After much shouting and talk, which to us was unintelligible, they separated us, and drove off all the loaded animals, after which they left us to come together again and proceed on our way, not knowing what had gone with our baggage. 12 GETTING INTO MOAB After about two hours we reached an en- campment of houses of hair, where we passed the remainder of the night Before morning all the loaded animals were driven in, having been regained by our faithful muleteers. By daybreak we were again on the move, hoping that before night we should be safely housed in Kerak. Soon we descended into the grand but deep gorge of Mojeb. We crossed the river Arnon, which flows through the bed of the valley, and were delighted with the abun- dance of white and pink oleanders that grew on its banks. We reached the Kerak side of that magnificent gorge about ten in the morn- ing ; here we decided to stay till sunset, for we had now reached the territory of the robber chiefs of Moab, known as the Mujellies. Our men knew that if we fell into the hands of these dreaded chiefs, they would show us no mercy. We found shade and shelter under a large rock, so placed that even passers-by could not see us unless we wilfully exposed ourselves. We had not been in hiding long when we heard a noisy wrangle going on among our men. Mrs. Lethaby crept out and caught sight of the long spear of a sheikh, or chief. He had come upon our men and said that some of them had robbed one of his GETTING INTO MOAB 13 tribe of a gun, and he must have something in return for it. After a stormy quarrel he drove away a mule on which he had loaded our beds, a box of our clothing, and my baby organ. We gave up all hope of ever seeing them again, but counted ourselves fortunate in get- ting them returned to us several weeks later. The remainder of the day passed quietly, and the rest prepared us for the events re- corded in the first chapter. There we were in a Bedouin tent, and from that point I take up the story. My wife and self were taken into one of those goat's-hair homes. Carpets were spread for us to sit on. Men, women, and children crowded in to stare at us, and we concluded that they were all gratified at the capture that had been made. Soon it occurred to one of them that we might be hungry, so they asked us by means of signs if we would eat. We nodded our assent, and soon they baked us some large, thin cakes of bread, which were very good. They also made us coffee and brought us a large bowl of milk. It was perhaps well for us that we could not talk to them ; we wished we could have done so, then we might have got tidings of our com- panions and our belongings. In about an hour's time one of our men came I 4 GETTING INTO MOAB to us and made us understand that we were wanted elsewhere. We got up and followed him. He led us to a tent on the far side of the encampment, and there we found our com- panions. They were in the tent of the chief, surrounded by his wild sons and rapacious reti- nue. The chief demanded money for our pas- sage through his country. Fifty dollars must be his before we were released, or else he would keep us and all our goods. To many the sum demanded would have been small, but to us and to them it was much, so we refused to 'gratify the crafty Arab's demands. We prayed to God for wisdom and deliver- ance, then laid down on the bare earth and fell asleep. On awaking next morning, we saw some of our boxes lying about the camp at any one's mercy. Soon the women began to pull down the tents and move the camp, and we plainly saw that we must settle something or else lose all we possessed. We promised to pay the amount demanded on the condition that we were escorted to Kerak in safety, and all our baggage restored to us. Three of the chief's sons were appointed to go with us and take us to our mountain home. Another start was made, but after an hour or so we were accosted by more Arab horsemen, all GETTING INTO MOAB 15 excited and furious. Every one was allowed to pass but my wife and myself. These new claimants to us were from another family con- nected with the ruling sheikh, and they de- manded their share of the plunder before we could pass. After much wrangling our pro- tectors got us away and we overtook the others. At three in the afternoon we reached Kerak, all weary, tired, and faint, for we had had neither food nor drink for fifteen hours. In this man- ner I was introduced to the Arabs. Ofttimes afterward I talked with those wild fellows about that night, only to have them reply " What's past is past, and what's dead is dead." Through all those first experiences, new and hard on fresh comers, we showed no outward signs of fear or terror. We realized then, as we have many times since, that " the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." It was only the commencement of much, and even worse, that was to follow before the love, respect, con- fidence, and admiration of those semi-civilized children of Ishmael were gained, never to be lost. CHAPTER III WHO WAS CAPTURED SOME knowledge about the author of this book and his early life will enable the reader better to follow and understand all that these pages may contain. Silver spoons were not floating around in the home where I first saw the light. I was one of seven children, who were fortunate in having godly parents in the fullest sense of the word. Worldly prosperity was not ours, neither were we poor, and the future promised no more for me than the humdrum plod, plod, of every- day life. It was when I was a lad of eight years that an announcement, made throughout my native city, created a desire in my young mind to hear a public speaker. Robert MofTat, the pioneer of missions in Africa, was coming to speak, and I gained permission from rather unwilling parents to go and hear him. The unwillingness came not from any wish or thought that it was no place for one so young in years, but rather because they thought that 16 WHO WAS CAPTURED Ij bed was a more suitable place than a crowded hall for one of so short an existence. When the night came, I had a front seat in that hall. The lights, crowds, close attention paid to the speaker, and other things still linger in my memory, but the veteran pioneer, with his bald head and long, gray beard, held me as no other ever did. The plea for the Hotten- tots and for volunteers appealed to some, but perhaps the thing that pleased me as a boy was the story of the lion jumping out of the jungle and gripping Mr. Moffat by the shoulder, and his faithful servant killing the wild beast, thus saving his master's life. Before that meeting was over I had made up my mind that I would be a missionary when I grew up. I made known my boyish resolve to my mother on my return home that evening, and for a time no more was heard of it. Later on my interest in foreign missions was renewed by hearing one who had spent many years in China, and I again determined to spend my life among the heathen. For a few years I was quite an enthusiastic and successful collector for foreign missions. Most of my half-holidays, which came on Wednesdays and Saturdays, were given up to going from door to door asking for contribu- IS WHO WAS CAPTURED tions in the box that I had gotten from a mis- sionary society. Discouragements and rebuffs did not deter me from going ahead, and I was soon noted for being a successful collector. This work was often made pleasant by some incident like the following. One hot afternoon I was out collecting. A knock at a door brought a kind-hearted do- mestic to inquire who was there. " Will you please put something in my missionary box ? " was the request. The response was not money, but, " Come in, little boy, and I will ask my mistress." I entered and was shown into a nicely furnished room to await developments. The servant told her mistress about me, and in a short time the lady of the house appeared. She asked a few questions, which I answered, evidently to her satisfaction, for she rang the bell, and in came the servant again. " Bring in some refreshments for this boy," said the lady, and soon the domestic came back with a small tray, on which were some fancy crackers, cake, and a bottle of wine. A glass of the latter was poured out and offered to me, but being a Band of Hope boy, I refused to accept it. My refusal resulted in lemonade being substituted for the wine, to which, along with the cake and crackers, I did WHO WAS CAPTURED IQ boyish justice. After refreshments I returned to business, and had the joy of seeing a coin, worth about sixty cents, added to the collection in my box. When only thirteen years of age, I left home and was apprenticed to the baking and grocery business, in which I served for three years. At the end of that time, and during a brief stay at home, I was led to give my heart to Christ, through the patience and persuasion of my old Sunday-school teacher. No better prepara- tion than this could possibly have preceded my going to live in the great city of London, a place full of dangers and temptations to young fellows from country towns. Arrived in the great metropolis, I soon got a good position in a wholesale and retail grocery store, in which, after a remarkably short time for one so young in years, I soon became manager. I owe my success in those days to two things : my not being ashamed of my re- ligious convictions and my strict adherence to my temperance pledge. After business hours my evenings, as well as my Sundays, were given up to work in slum missions, Sunday- schools, or young people's temperance societies. I was made missionary secretary to a large Sunday-school in London and raised the mis- 20 WHO WAS CAPTURED sionary collections in that school from about eighty dollars a year to more than three hun- dred. I came into contact with missionary pioneers and veterans from all parts of the earth, and all the while was getting more and more saturated with missionary zeal and information. About this time I applied to the pastor of my church, who was in close touch with the missionary society of the denomination to which I belonged, and asked him if he could assist me to get into the foreign-mission field. He heard me patiently, and then with grave face and solemn tones addressed me thus : " Young man, I fear you are one of the most unlikely to get into the mission field. Many things are against you: you have no college training, you do not come of a ministerial stock," and other things, all true, but not neces- sary to the preaching of the simple gospel in any land. I left that study thinking that there was no possibility of my ever leaving my own land to preach the gospel in any other, so settled down to do my best in the home land. In 1888 I married, went into business on my own account, but in my spare time kept busy with Christian work of one kind and another. I had yet to learn the truth of the WHO WAS CAPTURED 21 words spoken by the ancient seer, " My ways are not your ways ; " also that God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform. God looketh at the heart of man, and knows his desires, whilst man looks at the outward appearance and possibilities, so let none despair. I was quite settled in my home and prosper- ing in my business when unexpectedly my opportunity came and my long desire was re- alized. It was nearly three years after my inter- view with the ministerial sage that the whole course of my life was changed. I had returned from my Sunday-school duties, and was reading a missionary magazine. It contained an article on mission work among the Arabs in the old land of Moab on the east side of the river Jordan. The work was one of great danger, hardship, and difficulty, and was being carried on by a married couple and one young woman. As I read I was interested, and especially with the last words, in which an appeal was made for a young married man, practical, healthy, and ready to rough it, to go and help in this work, so that the tired-out workers might have a much-needed rest. I closed the paper, and as I laid it aside a voice seemed to say to me, " That is for you." 22 WHO WAS CAPTURED I could not get away from the impression made on me, and in a few days wrote to the secretary of that little mission, which was sup- ported by a few of God's own whole-hearted people, most of them by this time in the glory land. The secretary was the Rev. George Piercy, one of the pioneers of missions in China. The answer to my letter was a visit from the head of that work and a promise of favorable con- sideration. But there were difficulties in the way of my acceptance, a paying business, a comfortable home, and it meant sacrifice to give up these and go and start life among the Arabs in the isolated and dangerous land of Moab. For four months the matter dropped. Then came a letter saying if I was still in the same mind, the committee would consider sending us out. We were accepted; in a short time my business and home were disposed of satisfac- torily, and we were free to go. A few months of practical training in hospitals was given each of us, which over and over again has proved invaluable during the past fourteen years. My leaving England for that far-away, little-known land was a severe trial to my parents ; quite recently they had buried two of my brothers, and WHO WAS CAPTURED 23 my going away was like a third break in the family circle. They, however, committed me to God, and have never regretted the sacrifice it meant to them to see me leave my own land, possibly never to return. The reader will now understand better the conditions and reasons that led to my entering the mission field. It was " Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord," and now that many years have passed since I started that new life, and circumstances many and various have been crowded into my life, I can truly say, I am sure it was God's call to me, and I have never regretted the step I took, or the sacrifice I made, to enable less fortunate ones to come to a knowledge of him who " i<< not willing that any should perish, but tha* all should come to repentance.' 5 CHAPTER IV " WHO ARE THE BEDOUIN " THE preceding chapter has told briefly what circumstances led the writer to a people most of whom live " 'neath houses of hair." It will here be suitable to introduce the reader to the nation among whom the ex- periences told in these pages occurred. The modern Arab is a perpetuated reality of the ancient Ishmaelite. Next to the Jews, no nation has had such an unbroken or interesting history. It would be out of place in this vol- ume to attempt any detailed secular account of the history of the Arab ; let the Biblical ac- count suffice. There can be no doubt that Ishmael was the founder of the great Arab race. Four promises made concerning the seed of Abraham and Hagar are fulfilled before us in these days. They were as follows : To Hagar (Gen. xvi. 10). " I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude." 24 ARABS OF MOAB, DWELLERS IN TENTS These are the three men who were with Mr. Forder when the horses so intelligently gave the alarm on the approach of robbers. The man on the left-hand side is " Old Faithful," who has accompanied the author on so many of his journeys among the Arabs. These men belong to the same tribe, and generally camp east of Kerak in Moab. "WHO ARE THE BEDOUIN" 25 To Abraham (Gen. xvii. 20). " As for Ishmael, Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly, . . . and I will make him a great nation." To Abraham (Gen. xxi. 13). " Of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed." To Hagar (Gen. xxi. 18). " Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thy hand ; for I will make him a great nation." Thirteen millions of people, proud of their descent from Abraham and Ishmael, represent the fulfilment of these four promises. " He shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren" (Gen. xvi. 12) has its fulfilment in an unbroken occupation of their land by the Ishmaelites as a nation. Invaders, one after another, have tried in vain to get the Arabls country, but have failed. Ishmael, represented by the Arab, dwells before all the nations of the earth to-day, and no section of his country has been taken by any of the Christian powers of the earth, although at a few points on the coast protection is guaranteed to some of the chiefs by Great Britain or France. The names of the twelve sons of Ishmael, recorded in Genesis xxv. 13, 14, 15, have not 2 6 "WHO ARE THE BEDOUIN" altogether been' superseded by more modern designations. Many of the names with only some slight variation in pronunciation or trans- posing are still found in Arabia. Towns, lo- calities, and even families bear some of the names exactly as they are given in the above reference. That Arabia has always been the home and land of the Arab proper there is no doubt. Long before the children of Israel possessed the promised land, the descendants of Abra- ham through Ishmael possessed their land. "And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt" (Gen. xxv. 18) is sufficient proof that they occupied the peninsula of Arabia. A thousand years later their land was spoken of by Isaiah as " the desert of the sea" (xxi. i). Division of the Nation. The Arabs soon became divided into two communities, the set- tled and the nomadic. The Revised Version of Genesis (xxv. 16) speaks of the villages and encampments of Ishmael. Hundreds of years after, in Isaiah xlii. u, we read of the encamp- ments that Kedar doth inhabit, " lit." Later again Jeremiah speaks about the tents, cur- tains, flocks, vessels, and camels of Kedar, and also refers to this people as a nation, " wealthy, "WHO ARE THE BEDOUIN 1 ' 2? dwelling without care, having neither gates nor bars, dwelling alone" (Jer. xlix. 28-31). The Bedouin are that section of the great Arab nation that are referred to above. Every Bedouin is an Arab, but all Arabs are not Bedouin. A Bedouin is one who neither ploughs nor sows ; he breeds flocks of goats and sheep and herds of camels. His home is in the wilderness or desert. His food he gets from the towns and villages of Arabia, giving stock in exchange for dates, grain, and the few other necessities of life. The dwelling of the nomad or Bedouin is a black tent, literally " a house of hair," so called from its being made entirely of goat's hair, which is collected, spun, and woven by the women in those lands. " Black as the tents of Kedar " (S. Sol. i. 5) is not an imaginary expression, but a literal one, the hair of the Arabian goat from which these tents are made being black. Kedar, the second son of Ishmael (Gen. xxv. 13), was probably the founder of the nomadic section of the Arab race now called Bedouin. Nebaioth, the first-born of Ishmael (Gen. xxv. 13), settled in the caves and dens of the moun- tains of Arabia, and later in their history built houses which eventually became settlements. The settled Arab looks despisingly at the 28 "WHO ARE THE BEDOUIN" Bedouin and considers him much below him in every way. Call a town or village dweller a Bedouy and you insult him. On the other hand, the desert dweller pities the settled peo- ple, because they are debarred from enjoying the liberty and healthy life of the desert. Both sections, however, have many things in common : their hospitality is proverbial and wonderful ; in religion they hang together, al- though the city people are more strict in their religious observances than the unfettered nom- ads. The style of dress varies little. The women in the towns and villages are generally secluded, whilst the women of the " houses of hair " go unveiled and have their liberty. The Arabs as a nation have not always been prominent in either Biblical or secular history, but certain allusions to them, from time to time, strikingly remind us of their continuous exist- ence. It was to a company of Ishmaelites that Joseph was sold and taken into Egypt. Picture the swooping down upon the servants of Job, their being slain, and the oxen and asses being driven off. Who were the marauders ? The section of Ishmaelites known as the Sabeans. From whence did the Queen of Sheba come to visit Solomon ? From the land of the Arab. And probably the men who came from the East, "WHO ARE THE BEDOUIN" 29 seeking the infant Saviour, belonged to the Bedouin of Arabia. The New Testament gives evidence to the existence of the Ara- bians, for they were present in Jerusalem at the day of Pentecost (Acts, ii. u). Later secular history occasionally pushes the Arab to the front to be heard of for a short time, and then to retire into seclusion again. The experiences of the Arabs have not always been of such a nature as to help them to a better state either socially, religiously, or com- mercially. From the time Ishmael with his mother was driven away from the tent of Abraham, their " hands have been against every man, and every man's hand against them." Physically, they are a fine race, slim and wiry, able to stand fatigue and privation. To an enemy they are treacherous and cruel, but to their friends, faithful and kind. Once gain the confidence of the Arab and you have made a lifelong friend. As a nation they have no contact with in- toxicating drinks ; immorality is promptly and severely dealt with by the killing of the guilty parties. They are fond of their children, especially their boys, the advent of a son into the family causing a change in the name of the father ; henceforth he will be known as the 30 "WHO ARE THE BEDOUIN" " father of - ," whatever the name of his first son may be. The greater part of the Bedouin are free from any form of government. Every tribe and family has its sheikh, or chief, to whom they refer in times of doubt, difficulty, and danger. His decision often settles matters. The position is not hereditary, but is often kept in the same family, the only reason for choosing one from another family being the inability of the son of the late chief to conduct affairs or rule his people. The events and experiences related in this book may lead some of the readers to conclude that the Arabs are a very unsociable and dan- gerous lot to live among. After many years among them, I firmly believe that ignorant fa- naticism, coupled with deeply embedded super- stition, has been the cause of much that I have passed through. Give the Bedouin a chance, gain his respect and confidence, and you have made a faithful and lifelong friend. Since the day that Ishmael was cast out into the desert, it seems that every man's hand has been against him, but a brighter day is dawn- ing for him. AN ARAB SHEIK The sheik, or chief, is one who controls a tribe, town, village or encampment. Tribal disputes are referred to him for settlement. Among the nomads, he orders the camp to be moved and selects the new " pitch." This sheik, who is a Christian, is the chief of Me- daba, and a good friend to the author of this book. CHAPTER V NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES OUR arrival in Kerak was the cause of much excitement for many days. The enormous demands of the avaricious chiefs caused us much annoyance. The Turkish government had no authority in the region, and we had no one to appeal to for help. The ruling sheikh was unable to control either his many sons or others who considered them- selves of importance. In time our baggage was brought in, but we discovered that some of it had been opened, and many things were missing. We made our home in a room about twenty feet square, half underground ; there was neither window nor chimney, and the only opening into it was the door. The fireplace was in the middle of the mud floor, and the smoke had to escape as well as it could. If an adverse wind kept it from going out at the door, \ve went out instead, driven by smarting eyes and chok- ing lungs. We had no means of keeping out 3' 32 NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES the many curious ones that came to investigate the new arrivals, and the only way to get pri- vacy was to close and lock the door and con- sign ourselves to semi-darkness. We found a small boy's school which had been carried on by our predecessors. Many of the lads spoke good English and had be- come quite civilized and well behaved. One of these lads was put at my disposal as inter- preter; by his aid and my own persistence I soon gained a practical knowledge of the Arabic language. My time for the first few weeks was divided between attending the sick who gathered about my door and fixing up our primitive home. Tables, stools, and cup- boards had to be made from packing-cases, and thankful I was that I had learned to use a few tools. The Arabs were all interested in my doings, and would sit for hours and watch me. Gradually I became an M.A. to them, so clever did they esteem me. One of my earliest experiences gave me a good record among the men who were inclined to shun me as one to be feared. I was passing up through the narrow streets of that Moab city, and hearing some yelling turned aside to find out what it meant. I entered a house, dimly lighted, and saw a man being held down NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 33 by four or five others. One was leaning over him and doing something to the fellow's mouth. My appearance caused a pause in the opera- tions, and on inquiring I was told the man stretched on the floor had the toothache and had come to the blacksmith to have it taken out. I asked him why he yelled so. He told me " because the man with the pinchers got hold of several teeth and part of his tongue and pulled." I suggested that I could make a better job of it than the blacksmith, at which he got mad, because that meant a loss of some wheat which was to be his payment. My suggestion prevailed, and the sufferer made his way to my house to await my return. When I arrived, I found a good crowd waiting to see what would be done for the man with the toothache. I got my forceps, which were thoroughly examined by all present. The suf- ferer was fearful lest I should fail to accom- plish what the blacksmith had attempted. He asked for proof that I could remove his tooth. I showed him a bottle with a few teeth in, and assured him that what I had done for others I could do for him. He yielded, and in a few moments was relieved. Taking his tooth he went out into the sunlight, threw it toward the sun, exclaiming " O sun, take the tooth of a 34 NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES donkey and give me the tooth of a gazelle." He then turned to me and asked me to put in a tooth in place of the one I had extracted. I told him it was impossible to do so, and he went off disappointed but grateful. My fame began to spread, and soon I had as much surgi- cal and medical work as I could do. This gave the natives confidence in me, and some that had treated me badly began to become friendly. They brought me all sorts of things to mend, boots, wooden bowls, saddles, boxes, and to the best of my ability I fixed them. In the noon I had a class of boys that came for one hour to learn English. I think I learned more Arabic from them than they did English from me, but the hour spent together was a mutual benefit. Often I would go to some encampment of Bedouin to attend some who were sick or had been wounded in a fight. One of my first experiences in an Arab camp will be of interest to the reader. We heard that a fierce fight had taken place between some of the Keraki Arabs and those of a neighboring tribe, the latter being famed for their ferocity and daring. In the fight eight were killed, and the next day brought into the city to be buried. We heard that many were wounded and three likely to die. NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 35 Next day two men came to our house and asked if I would give them medicine to take to the wounded lying in a camp away on the plains. At the same time a man came with a message that the sheikh who was in the city wanted to see me at once. With my lad as interpreter, I went to him, and found him with several of his sons and minor chiefs sitting on a housetop holding a council. I shook hands with them all round, and then took a seat by the side of our chief. The last time I was in their company was under very different circum- stances. Then I was their prisoner in a house of hair; now I was their guest, by invitation. The old chief said to me, " It is my wish that you go and doctor the wounded out in the camp." It was about five hours' ride away from the city, but they told me it was quite near. The chief said I should have an escort to keep me from interference, and that he would provide a horse for me to ride. I told him I would go, and would be ready in half an hour. My boy, Mohammed, was to accompany me, to act as interpreter. After eating some food, for Mrs. Forder got me a hasty meal whilst I packed my knapsack with medicines and instruments which I thought I should most likely require, I made my way 36 NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES up into the city. In a few minutes a horse was brought for me and a mule for my boy, and away we went with two wild-looking men, quite intending to return on the morrow. It was a very long ride, and tiring as well, up the hills and over mountains, down into deep valleys and across never ending plains, until just before sun- set we came upon the camp of about ninety tents pitched in a valley. I was very glad to get off my horse and stretch my legs, but I was anxious to do what I could for the sufferers be- fore dark, so asked where they were, and also for the man that was wounded the most. I was taken to a large tent, in which lay a man who had nine wounds from guns, spears, swords, and daggers, and it was evident to me that I needed the knowledge of a fully qualified surgeon for the task that was before me. As I stood over the man and saw the cuts from the sword, some six inches long, and the gunshot wounds, I shook and trembled like a leaf, but offering up a short and silent prayer to my Master in Heaven for courage and wisdom for o the task, I set to work to sew up and bandage one place after another, until the poor man was a little more comfortable than before. All the time I was doing this I was surrounded by some seventy or eighty men and women, who NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 37 were surprised to see me sew up the open cuts. I then asked for the next man. Although it was now dark, I said I would do the three men that were so badly hurt, but they quickly told me there were twenty-two like the one I had just seen. Of course I could not attend to all of them that evening ; so, doing my utmost for three, I went back to my first patient, and asked for something to eat. They said I was to sleep in this tent, and then they set about making bread for me and the lad ; this was made in large, thin cakes, and was very good. They gave us three eggs to eat with the bread. I asked for water so that I could make some tea, but what they brought was like mud, and I could not use it. In a short time a man came in with some sheep's milk, and we gladly drank it; this was our evening meal. Whilst we were sitting round the fire I told my boy to ask if we should read to them from God's Book. Some said yes ; so, having an Arabic copy of Deuteronomy and of Matthew with me, I told Mohammed to read the Com- mandments, and I said a few words to accom- pany them. Some of the men were attentive; others only mocked and laughed at us. In this tent there was the usual Arab 38 NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES mixture, and visitors are supposed to make themselves quite at home amongst it all. The varied inmates of our tent were : men, women, and children, goats, kids, sheep, lambs, dogs, and puppies, two donkeys, three cows and one calf, two horses and one mule, and fowls without number. Now you will guess that, with the noises from all these, I did not care much about 'the situation, and outside the tent were hundreds of goats and sheep contributing to the noise. About eight o'clock the owner of the tent asked if I wanted to sleep, and as I was very tired, I said yes ; so he laid a thin rug over some dry heather and grass, and motioned me to lie down. After having silently prayed to God for protection, Mohammed and I lay down without a covering and tried to sleep; but the groans and cough of the sick man, the coarse laughing and shouting of the men and women, and the different animals inside and out made sleep almost impossible. At last I did fall into a good sleep, and had forgotten all my surround- ings, when I felt some one shaking me. Opening my eyes, I saw the man who was ill being held up on his legs by several men, and, on awaking my lad, found out that they said " he had a pain and wanted medicine " ; NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 39 they thought it would do him good to walk him about. I quickly made them lay him on his rude bed, and told them that was the way to kill him. Giving him a sleeping draught, I again lay down and tried to sleep, but the wind had risen in great force and was blow- ing through the tent, and it was very cold. At last I again fell asleep, when another good shaking aroused me, to find that the rain was coming down in torrents and dripping through on me ; there was quite a pool in the place where I was lying. For the rest of the night I sat over the fire listening to the wind and rain, and again and again wished that I was safe in our humble abode at Kerak. At last the morning dawned, but with it no improvement in the elements. Having eaten some bread and drunk some milk, I told them I would see the other wounded. I dare not attempt to describe the awful state of the poor men ; every one of them needed the care and attention of the best hospital in the world. However, God made me useful to them, and I carefully washed, sewed up, and bandaged all their wounds. Some of them were very thankful and kissed me over and over again ; some of their mothers and wives gave me raisins and prunes and other things to eat. By the time I 40 NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES had finished, the rain was over, and I asked to be taken back to the city as arranged, but not one man would move to go with us, so I said I would walk. They all said I was to stay until the wounded men were well, and they should not let me go away from the tents. They also said that our sheikh told them I was to stay ten days ; this was a lie, and I told them so. Then the rain began to pour down again, and I and my lad started to walk to Kerak, and set off up the hill. When we reached the top, some twenty of the men came running after us and took away my boy from me, and one man, who afterward proved a true friend, took off his large " abba," or cloak, and put it over me to keep me dry. Then three or four of them pushed and carried me back to the camp, and put me in the tent where I had slept the night before. This tent was a miserable shelter, and the man who covered me with his coat seemed to understand that I was not as comfortable as possible, so he took me away over another hill, and we came on about twelve more tents, in one of which he lived. Here he put plenty of rugs for me to lie on, and then told the woman to make a big fire, to warm and dry me. Next he asked what I would eat should they kill a NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 41 sheep, goat, lamb, or kid ? Anything that " was in my heart " he would do for me. I asked for a fowl, and some salt and onions ; these were quickly brought in, and I cleaned and cooked this fowl in my own way, without any native messes. They baked me bread, and Mohammed and I made a decent meal, after which my Arab friend made me coffee with sugar and milk in it. We found out afterward that this man had lived in Damascus and Beyrout, and had seen a little of European ways and manners. After we had eaten, we went round to the worst of the patients and made them easy. One man had his nose cut clean off, and his mother produced this severed member for me to sew on again, but I could not comply with her request, although she entreated me to do so. Night came on, and I was made very com- fortable by the fire. I asked if we should read to them from God's Book; they assented, and my lad read, and I explained the Command- ments and a few verses from St. Matthew ; they were very attentive. Afterward they began to question me on many subjects : How much money did I have to pay for my wife ? Where was my sword, dagger, gun, and spear? To the first I replied, " English people do not buy their wives." To the other question I said that, 42 NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES God was stronger than man, and He took care of me. They could not realize this, and one man offered to give me his pistol. Questions followed about the Queen ; then they asked " whether the people in my country had such nice tents to live in as they had." I told them of the large and beautiful houses we had in my land, in which they were interested. At a late hour I fell asleep, and slept till daybreak, when I arose ; having eaten some bread and drunk some milk, I prepared to walk to Kerak. I looked round for my Arab friend, but he had gone away with some flocks. Then one well-dressed man came up and said if I would go and see his brother and dress his wounds, he would take us both to Kerak. I did so, and then looked for my man, but he was missing; three times I had been treated like this, so I determined to set out, as there was every prospect of a fine day. Again we climbed to the top of the hill, some thirty or forty men shouting after us to come back ; then they tried again to force us back. In the middle of the struggle my Arab friend suddenly appeared. I believe God sent him just then. He quickly scattered the ravening wolves, and said he would take us to the city. As he had only just recovered from an attack of fever, he said 2* heated the^ elsily broken OVENS USED BY THE ARABS by the W , m l n a ? d harden ed in the sun, answer their purpose well. and , bru shwood are used to heat these mud ovens, and once & g time ' hey take many days to constru ct and are NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES 43 he must go back to the camp and get a horse. Leaving his "abba," pipe, big boots, and head- dress, as a pledge of his return, away he went, and in a quarter of an hour returned, and we started for Kerak. After about three hours, walking over ploughed ground and soft turf, we came in sight of the old castle at Kerak, but still two hours' ride from us. My lad said, " See, Mr. Forder, the castle ; I am very joyful ! " So was I, and sang in real earnest the beautiful hymn, commencing : As when the weary traveller gains The height of some o'erlooking hill, His heart revives if 'cross the plains He sees his home, though distant still. We plodded on, passing two hyenas and some foxes, and about three in the afternoon reached Kerak. Our return caused quite a commotion, but all seemed glad to see me again. Thus ended my visit by invitation to an Arab encampment. Though rather rough and unpleasant, yet it was an experience that I can now look back upon with pleasure. To be used by God to help those poor ignorant people was an honor ! CHAPTER VI THROUGH TRIALS ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS THE first six months of my life among the Arabs had passed quickly, and I trust profitably, to those to whom I had gladly minis- tered. A kinder feeling toward the mission was manifest, especially from those who had been its opponents since it was commenced. Mr. and Mrs. Lethaby left Kerak two weeks after our arrival and went to England for a well- earned rest. Mr. Lethaby never returned, and his wife only came back, with much sorrow of heart, to take away their few things. Events sad and mysterious prevented the founders of that mission from returning to it, and I was left to carry it on. Assisted by my wife, whom the Arabs had learned to love and serve, I worked from sunrise until evening, helping the people and teaching the boys. On Saturday morning, May 7, 1892, just eight months after we entered Moab, my wife fell 44 ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS 45 dead in our house. Without any sign of failing health, or time for a parting word, she was called from earth to heaven. The Arabs were broken-hearted about it and showed me great kindness in those days of darkness and sorrow. The sad news spread rapidly, and before night- fall many of our chiefs had come into the city. We settled to bury my wife on Sunday morn- ing; so early on the Lord's day the chiefs of Moab carried to her grave the body of the first one who had given her life for the salvation of the Bedouin of Moab. Those same men a few months before had captured us as we entered their land, now they shed tears as they com- mitted that body to the grave. After the burial those same men came to me, saying, " You must not think of leaving our country now. Having buried your dead in our midst, you have become a son of the land ; we are now brothers, so do not go away." Enemies had become friends through a variety of events permitted by an All-wise God but hard to understand. Our nearest post-office was a hundred miles away, and it was necessary for me to go and send home the sad news. I started the same day and was escorted by two of our chief's sons to the limit of their territory. I returned after about eight days and was again met by some of 46 ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS our chiefs. They insisted on my going to their tents with them, which I did. They killed a sheep, made coffee for me, gave me presents of milk, eggs, bread, and sundry other things, and treated me in the kindest possible way. I slept in the tent of the head man, and early next morning set out for the city, accompanied by two of the younger chiefs, who brought me to my house safely. The news had reached the city that I was returning, and every one turned out to welcome me. Our schoolboys and my English class came running down the mountain side to meet me. Meals were prepared in many homes for me, and numerous presents of food, fruit, and more things were forced upon me. What a dif- ferent reception to the one I received less than a year before, and since then matters have im- proved and such experiences belong to the past. My only companion and fellow-worker in those days was an English woman who had gone to Kerak two years before me. She, like myself, made many friends among the Arabs, until cir- cumstances compelled her to retire, never to return to the mission field again. My first letter home after my return gives some account of how my time was spent and how I made more friends ; a part of it reads thus : ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS 4? " Now I must tell you how busy I have been since I returned, and what dreadful doings have taken place. Last Wednesday, the 25th, a fight took place between Mujellies and the next tribe, the Skour ; two brothers, sons of Sheikh Khalil, were cruelly murdered, not killed in fair fighting, but captured and killed in a barbarous manner. These two were our best friends among the Mujellies, so that it is to us a really serious loss; they were fine young men, and much respected by the Keraki. Besides these, two more, sons of sheikhs, and two Keraki as well, were killed. On Thursday morning the sad news was brought to the city, and at once men, women, and children joined in the wailing, strong men crying like children from real grief. Two hours later the bodies arrived loaded on three camels ; the sight was one I shall never forget, and the wailing of the women cannot be described. When the bodies were washed, I stood by and saw all the wounds ; it was a dreadful sight ; such butchery I never want to see again. During these proceedings and the funeral following, a request came that I should at once go out to the tents to see a wounded man, son of one of the sheikhs, a cruel man. At first I refused, as a boy only was to go with me, 48 ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS and the country was in such a disturbed state, the Skour being bold enough to come into Kerak territory ; the sheikh then said, ' Wait until the morning and I will go with you myself.' Next morning we started at six o'clock, tak- ing plenty of medicines, etc., with us. After four hours' ride we reached the tents, and I found the poor fellow dreadfully wounded ; I sewed up spear and sword wounds, and made him comfortable. In the afternoon the head sheikh, who had lost his two sons, came from the city, accompanied by all the other sheikhs ; they did all they possibly could to make me comfortable, killed a sheep for me, and kept me well supplied with coffee and milk. I slept with them that night, and the following day returned to the city to get more suitable medicines. This family of Mujellies, who have been so cruel to Mr. and Mrs. Lethaby, now swear eter- nal friendship, and I really think they would not hurt a hair of our heads. I am glad that I have been used of God for their good ; con- tinue to pray for them especially, that they may accept the Saviour. They sorrowed with us, and we are permitted to be with them in their time of trouble. It is to these I am going in an hour or two. ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS 49 We had made up our minds to have a quiet Sunday. The boys had come and gone, and I was having a tune on the baby organ, previous to a short service, when two heads appeared over the gate. On inquiry, a request was made for me to go out and see a man badly wounded, lying in some tents about one and a half hours' ride away ; he had been wounded in a recent fight, and had been brought on a camel as far as he could come. Feeling it to be a call of duty, I had to put de- sires aside, and although very tired from the two previous days' work, I soon packed my saddle- bags and set off. I found the man in a dread- ful state, the worst case I have had as yet. His arm was deeply cut above the elbow ; I had to put five stitches in it, in his chin two, chest one, back two. With lint and plaster and bandages, after two hours' work, I got him in a comfort- able state. After eating some eggs and bread, I started back again, reaching our house just after 3 P.M., quite tired out. I shall have to go out several times to this man before I can leave him to the care of his own people. If I could read and explain the Bible to the people, I have plenty of opportunities to do so, but I am at present only the advertising agent of the Kerak mission. In my spare time I read a 50 ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS little Arabic, and when possible read with the boys in the school ; I get on very well with the talking, but don't seem to make much progress with the written language." Hardly a week passed but I was called to go to some village or encampment to attend some sick or wounded man. Thanks to the simple and open-air lives the people live, my patients generally recovered, and the Arabs were sharp enough to recognize that my presence among them was a benefit rather than a misfortune. These frequent visits to and sojourns in the tents of the Arabs gave me splendid opportuni- ties to observe and study the everyday life and customs of the people. Gradually I got accus- tomed to the rough-and-ready life, and could eat almost anything they set before me pro- vided I did not see it prepared. I passed many sleepless nights in these houses of hair, kept awake often by the furious barking of the dogs, who were keeping off some wild beast intent on attacking the flocks. The wailing of the women over one of their men lately killed deprived me of many a night's rest, as did also the drawn-out groans of a one- stringed fiddle played by the man whose duty it was to watch and await any alarm of attack on the camp or flocks. ENEMIES BECOME FRIENDS 51 Under such circumstances as these I made friends, some of whom have faithfully served me during trying and dangerous journeys, even risking their lives so that mine might be pre- served. But this for another chapter. CHAPTER VII TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES AFTER my arrival in Moab, and gradual acquaintance with the Arabs both in town as well as in camp, the mission had pros- pered sufficiently to encourage us to attempt new things in the way of buildings. Medical and school work could not be carried on satis- factorily in the porches of our houses, and if the work was to be efficiently carried on, something must be done to procure more suitable accom- modation. A short visit to England for consul- tation with our committee resulted in sufficient funds being raised to lease land and erect houses, in a much better style than the ordi- nary " dugout " of the Arab. Our new buildings were above ground. Windows, cupboards in the walls, good doors, and other conveniences savoring of civilization were innovations that interested the Arabs. The woodwork and much of the plastering had to . be done by myself, and we were in- 52 / ff&fij s '' ^v. TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 53 deed thankful when we moved into our new quarters. On my return to Moab the journey from Jerusalem was again one of exciting interest My sister returned with me and had her first and only taste of life in houses of hair. Her own words shall tell the story as written at the time. " We left Jerusalem about 7 A.M. with three camels, three or four donkeys, and two men, and kept on until eleven, when we reached a khan and remained there for about half an hour. Then we went on through mountains until nearly 3 P.M., when we reached Jericho. The hotel was shut up, as the season was over, so we had to sit outside in a kind of farm-yard with men, women, and children all around, and animals as well. After a rest we made a start for the Jordan ; this time we had a plain to cross. It was very hot, as we were on a level with the Dead Sea. At 6 P.M. we were on the banks of the river; it was so different to what I expected. Instead of green hills and fields it is all sand, quite like the seashore, and on both sides very many people and animals were waiting to cross. There is only one barge, and this has to be pulled to and fro by means of ropes. We managed to get over about seven 54 TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES in the evening, our boxes, camels, and men in one load. I felt very tired after so much rid- ing, and after making some tea we tried to sleep, but it was impossible, owing to the noise of the animals and men. Among the crowd were hundreds of goats, and from these one of our men obtained a supply of milk, which we thoroughly enjoyed. It was full moon, so we could see quite well, and it looked so strange to see such a lot of men and animals lying in the open air, and the big blazing fires to keep off wild animals. About two o'clock in the morning the men told us they wanted to go on, and we were not sorry, because then we should finish the Jordan plain before the heat of the day. By six o'clock we were at the foot of the mountains beyond, and by the waters of Heshbon I got my sponge and soap and knelt on a stone and washed in the river, which was very refreshing. Here we had a meal, and by eight o'clock were on our journey again. We went on up, up, up, until I thought we should never have finished. Men at the Jordan told us not to go to Medeba as it was not safe, so we kept on till about eleven o'clock, when we came to some Bedouin tents and there put up, for we were tired of riding. We went into their tents and lay TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 55 down, but I could not bear it, the men and women made such a noise with their talk, and it was so fearfully hot ; and worse than that, the women and children came crowding round us, and they were so fearfully dirty. You cannot imagine people living in such a state. After a while we found a little shed place at the end of the tents, which was much better than being in the midst of the people. We stayed here all the next day. At sun- set the women began to make bread and pre- pare supper; then the flocks and goats came wandering over the hills, and they all had to be milked ; some did one thing and some another. They gave us plenty of milk, which was delicious. When the men came home, fires were made, and sitting around the same pot we ate our evening meal. Again the animals kept us from sleeping, and at two o'clock the men said they were ready to go, so up we had to get, and off once more, this time for Mien instead of Medeba, which we reached about eight in the morning. We went to the native schoolmaster's house, such as it was, and as soon as we got inside, men, women, and children came flocking in to look at us ; there they sat on the floor, which was of earth, and smoked. Then our 56 TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES host brought us bread, and we had a tin of jam with us, so we had our breakfast, and by this time I had taken a survey of the house. It was a fair-sized vault, underground, and frequently we had showers of dust from the roof. The room was very dark as the door was small and low down. The only furniture was two large heaps of stone covered with mud plaster, one on either side; these were their beds of course no blankets, sheets, or pil- lows. The family father, mother, and two boys, one about twelve years old and the other about two slept on one, and my brother on the other. Arch made me a little room for myself in one corner by standing our boxes one on the other ; some boxes made a bed, so I was better off than the others. A coffee-pot was about the only civilized thing they possessed, besides two or three tin pans, which were used for everything for us to wash in and to eat from. They simply poured a little water over their hands and let it go on the ground when they washed. They gave us plenty of their native bread and some honey; it all came in these tin pans, and we had to sit one on each side of our boxes, the pan in the middle on the box, and dip our broad in, and this had to continue for a week, TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 57 because we could get no men to take us on to Kerak. You can imagine the days seemed very long, as we had nothing whatever to do. We could not go outside all day because of the heat. At last we got a man to promise to take us on, but my brother had to pay him good money before he would face the dangers of the road ; then when we thought to start, and had all our things ready for loading, the man sat in his house doing nothing, and said it was not convenient then he would go in the morning. Of course we could only wait, and finally got away about eight o'clock next day. We started for the Hameideh tents to get a guide to take us on ; these we reached about 5 P.M., very tired, but could not get free of the women and children for some time. Directly you are in the tents they swarm round you, and some would feel my dress and boots, and some my face, I suppose to see if I was flesh and blood like themselves. We had some milk when the goats came home, and one was killed in honor of our visit, but I could not touch it. I had tried it once before, and that was enough. Again the goats, horses, donkeys, camels, cows, sheep, dogs, etc., pre- 58 TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES vented our getting much sleep, and just as we did get off, which was about three o'clock, the men wanted to go on, so we got up and once more made a start. The ravine of Mojib was before us, so we had to 'make our hearts strong ' a native expression. It is impossible to describe what this place is like so that you could fully understand. It is like climbing enormous rocks; there is stone enough to build cities. I thought we had come to the top two hours before we did ; we stopped about two hours by a little mountain stream, and sat under oleander trees, which were so lovely after the hot sun and glaring rocks. I walked down a good way; it was more than I could do to ride a horse down such a fearful place. Going along one very narrow mountain path, one donkey slipped, or rather the earth gave way under it, and the poor animal, loaded with my tin box, another box, and my fiddle, went sliding down about twenty or thirty feet. I stood and trembled for my fiddle, but it was an earth hill, about the only one passed, and only a little damage was done. We reached the top about seven, where we came upon an en- campment of tents made of goat's hair and had to be stared at again, and then, after a good TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 59 drink of milk and a rest for four hours, we made our last start for Kerak, and this time had level ground to go on. It was just eleven when we set out. It was not nice riding in the dark, but we had rest and comfort in view, so did not mind ; we came to the Mujelli tents about three in the morning and passed them safely, and had a first view of Kerak about six ; it looked so nice from the hill, but we had to go down and up before reaching it. We went down very well and were about halfway up when we met a young fellow who took a fancy to my brother's morea the rope round his head . It was a new one he had bought in Jerusalem. The man wanted him to take his old one, and give him the new one ; my brother remonstrated, but the man was determined and pulled out his dagger. I was terribly frightened, and to quiet me the robber was allowed to have his own way. One of our men had gone on to tell that we were near, so before long the school children were scrambling over the rocks to meet us ; Miss Arnold met us just outside her house. The people soon brought us presents ; we had thirty-three eggs, two live fowls, a big bowl of butter, which is like lard, two bowls of honey 60 TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES in the comb, fish from the river, and several other things, while the landlord killed a goat for us, as a thank offering for our safe arrival." After a stay of a few months in Moab, I ac- companied my sister back to Jerusalem. Inter- tribal fighting closed the way by Medeba and Jericho, so we had to take the route round the south end of the Dead Sea and through Hebron. The journey this latter way is to be dreaded for two reasons, the scarcity of water, and the liability to attack by robbers, the mountain region and the desolation being very well adapted for the haunts of highway robbers. We travelled with a company of traders, mostly Hebron men, returning from the villages and plains of Moab, where they had been among the Arabs bartering the necessities of life for native produce, such as sheep, goats, tobacco, olive oil, butter, and other things that would find a ready sale at good prices in the markets of Hebron and Jerusalem. This trip we rode on donkeys. All went well for the first three or four days, when more exciting experiences occurred, resulting in the loss of our goods and a narrow escape with our lives. One morning early, we left our camp near the western shores of the Dead Sea, and commenced the weary and steep climb TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 6l into the mountains. About eight o'clock we halted for breakfast, unloaded the animals, and prepared to rest under the rocks during the heat of the day. We were eating our simple meal when twelve men appeared on the brow of a hill near by. The word " robbers " was passed round, and fear seized every one in the company. They came down the hillside, guns in hand, and when they got within easy distance of us, they fired a volley at us, wounding two of our company. This was followed by a volley of stones, which scattered our men in all direc- tions. Before we had time to realize what was happening, a man covered my sister with his large cloak, and lifting her up bodily made off with her. He carried her some distance, then put her in a cave in the rocks, where he knew she would be out of harm's way. I picked up my saddle-bags and followed, but was pursued by one of the robbers, who shouted as he ran " Drop them, or I'll shoot you." I dropped the bags, which he secured, leaving me to follow my sister and find her hidden in the cave. She had not realized what had happened, but sup- posed that the men were hunting wild beasts. After a time, wanting to know what was going on, I crept out, and saw our men and 62 TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES the robbers quarrelling and righting over the spoil and animals. One of the robbers caught sight of me, came over, and grabbed my cloak, head-gear, and shoes, leaving me in my cotton shirt, which, being native-made, reached to my heels. Our comforts and rugs were taken, and some of my sister's clothes ; the latter were returned, because it would be a shame, even among robbers, to take away the things of a woman. Money was demanded from me, but having none, I was unable to meet the request. The man at whose mercy I was saw on my finger the wedding-ring of my late wife, so determined to have it. Finding he could not easily remove it, he applied his dagger, and was about to cut off my finger, when the chief of the robber band, seeing what he was about to do, stopped him, saying, " Don't spill the Chris- tian's blood ; let him alone," so I was spared the loss of a finger, besides much suffering. The animals were loaded and driven away by the robbers, who made off over the hills, taking with them our meal bags, water-skins, animals, and coverings. I went after them and begged a donkey for my sister to ride on, also a covering for her use at night, both of which they gave me. I then appealed to them for my outer garment, which had been taken. It TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES 63 is against custom to keep that over night (see Ex. xxii, xxvi, xxvii). All I got from the robbers was an old sack, into which I slipped during the three succeeding nights passed in the open air on the Judean hills, exposed to the dews and cold so frequent in those parts. With my head-gear and shoes gone, and my outer garments taken from me, I was exposed to the burning sun by day and the cold winds of those moonlight nights, but under such adverse circumstances I experienced the fulfilment of the promise, " The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night " (Ps. cxxi. 6). After three days of weary travel, we reached the vineyards and olive-groves of Hebron. At daybreak I presented myself at the door of a missionary's house, but my outward appearance kept the servant from allowing me to enter. She no doubt thought me a beggar. Persever- ance conquered, and after continued knocking and calling, those inside realized that some one was in earnest. They recognized my voice and at last admitted me, and accorded me a hearty welcome. That same night I went on to Jerusalem in the borrowed clothes of my friend, my extremities conspicuous by reason of the shortness and tight-fitting garments of one so much shorter than myself. 64 TRYING TIMES IN TRYING PLACES The night after my arrival in the Holy City I was seized with violent pains and fever, caused by the long fatigue, exposure, and absti- nence from food and drink. Good Dr. Merrill, the American Consul and friend of the needy, showed me great kindness at that time, and by God's goodness I was soon raised up and back again, ministering to those resident in stone dwellings and in houses of hair also. Following chapters will record other trying experiences under trying circumstances ; for the present these must suffice. We will now con- sider a brighter and more encouraging side of the life lived and spent in the interest of the dwellers in the land of Moab and regions beyond. * ARAB WOMAN WITH MONEY ON HEAD This woman has one hundred and ntteen coins on her head. They are part of her wedding dowry, and are much prized. Only in a few villages are such headdresses seen, and it is considered a shame for a woman to expose herself sufficiently to be photographed. Mr. Forder has frequently visited the village where this woman resides. CHAPTER VIII ENCOURAGEMENT FROM UNEXPECTED QUARTERS I HAVE already stated that the work to which I had devoted my life was sufficiently encouraging to compel us to consider better accommodation in which to carry it on. Many pleasing incidents had come to our notice that must be recorded, so that others may be induced to go on with similar undertakings, although beset by hindrances and unfavorable surroundings. We were pleased by the action of two little boys, brothers, who were in our small school, and from whom we did not look for such things. I had been absent from home for some time attending some wounded men lying in an en- campment some distance from our station. Nothing had been heard from me, until one morning a man leaned over the gate of our school yard and informed the boys that I had been murdered and that my body was lying out on the sand, no one caring to interfere with it. The report was a false one, for nothing had 65 66 UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT occurred to suggest such a rumor. The lads were much concerned about my safety and troubled over the news they had heard. When they were dismissed, they were more discon- certed by hearing their relations and neighbors discussing the rumor which one and all hoped was untrue. Two little fellows, on reaching their home, if such a word is permissible to describe the place where they lived, were met by their father, who was ignorant, fanatical, hard-hearted, and cruel. He detailed to the boys the news of the morning, finishing up by telling the lads to give no heed to the teaching of the mission- aries about God caring for them, or to the be- lief in Jesus as the Son of God. The little fellows did not attempt to argue with their father, but disappeared into an underground vault. Their father wondered why they should go there, so followed them. He heard them talking something after this fashion: " We come in here to pray God for our mis- sionary and to bring him safe home, and if we pray, we must say something. What shall we say?" They settled that the Lord's prayer would be the best they could repeat, and said the elder lad, only about eight years old, " If we do not say just the right thing, we shall have UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT 67 said something, and God will know what we mean." Then a second difficulty came to their youthful minds, viz. did God understand their difficult language, or would the English lan- guage be easier understood ? After a few mo- ments' deliberation they decided to say their prayer in both languages. So, kneeling on the damp, dirty floor of that dimly lighted vault, together they repeated the prayer, " Our Father who art in heaven," first in English and then in Arabic. This over, they left the vault and were again met by their father, who, with oaths and curses, reviled them for daring to approach Ullah, " God." Going up to the flat roof of the house, they looked out over the city. Down the steep mountain side away in the distance rode a horseman. The lads saw him, then commenced to run toward the mission house. On reaching the gate, they shouted between their gasps for breath, " He's coming, we saw him, God heard, so we came to tell you." It was all true. Whilst the little boys had been offering their petition in the vault, I had crossed the ridge of the mountains that encircled that Arab city. The horseman they saw was their missionary, and when I rode up to the gate of our house, I was not received in Oriental style and with 68 UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT voluminous salutations, but with such words as these : " We knew you would soon come, be- cause we asked God to bring you ; " the joyous faces of the little fellows showing how happy they were. Would the reader not be encouraged by some such experience as the following? After car- ing for scores of people stricken with that dread disease, smallpox, I at last was stricken with it. For a long time I lay helpless and unconscious, and to add to the fears of my native attendants, delirious. No comforts or suitable treatment were available, and I was at the mercy of such food and doctoring as the Arab mind conceived. Slowly I returned to consciousness and health, and was pleased and encouraged to be told that all through that long sickness four of those Arabs had undertaken to attend me, two dur- ing the day and two at night. Faithfully they did their self-imposed duty, refusing to accept anything by way of compensation. Every day numbers of men and women came to my humble abode and in subdued voices inquired how I was, and when for a time they feared I was dying, they begged to be allowed to enter. My attendants refused their request, only to be met with such words as these, " He was our friend when we were in trouble, he came to us UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT 69 when others were afraid, let us come in and just look at him for a minute ; we will not speak or make any noise, we only want to see our friend." As I recovered the natives came to congratulate me, some bringing with them as a thank offering a few cakes of bread, some eggs, milk, or fruit, others bringing a fowl or some firewood. All tried to show their gratitude for the help I had given them, and although much of what they brought was un- suited to one in my condition as a convalescent, still it encouraged me to do more for the al- most helpless and neglected descendants of the bondwoman. Soon after getting the good-will and confi- dence of the people, I thought it well to let them know the main reason for my being among them. Every morning a crowd of men, women, and children gathered about my door for medical and surgical help. I thought such an opportunity to preach the gospel ought not to be missed, especially as most of the people were unable to read for themselves, and all of them quite ignorant of the things contained in the Bible. Some came only once and would never return, and unless they heard the Good News when present, possibly no other chance would be theirs. 70 UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT One morning I introduced the Bible, telling the people that it was God's word and I wanted them to hear it read. Reverently and atten- tively they listened as some portion of the Old or New Testament was read and explained to them. Some would ask questions, many of them intelligent and surprising. Several came time after time only to listen. Ofttimes they were not satisfied with the portion chosen, and because of its shortness and interest they would request more. One morning I purposely commenced giving the medicines without any reading or even explanation, when I heard re- marks such as these : " No reading to-day ! what does it mean?" Then one man said, " You have not read to us this morning." I replied, " Do you want the reading and teaching from God's Word ? " The general answer was, " Of course we want to hear it ; no one but you reads and tells us such good things, so you must not leave off, and if you have no time, we will forego the medicine and listen to you read and speak." On Sundays I had morning gatherings for men, which were well attended. During the ploughing and harvesting seasons not so many attended, but no Sunday morning came round without some one coming to hear the Word spoken and read. UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT 71 I was called to a sick man on one occasion, and after treating him asked him if I should read to him from God's Book. He assented, and I read and spoke to those assembled in that simple home. After I was through, a man in the company said, " Sir, I heard you read and tell us that we must not curse or take God's name in vain like we do, and I have not for- gotten it; every day I try not to do so; your book tells good things ; I want to obey it and do as you teach us." Many were the opportunities for sending copies of the Bible or some tracts to some part of the country we could not reach. We always did so, believing that the " word would not return void, but accomplish the thing whereunto it was sent." One day a man presented himself at my door who had come a journey of two days. He had been shot in the shoulder and wanted treat- ment. For want of a better place we allowed him to lodge in the porch of our room. We noticed how attentively he listened to the daily reading and exposition, and on leaving us he asked fora book so that he might read for him- self. We gave him a John's gospel in Arabic, of which he was proud to be the possessor. Two months later he turned up again, not for 72 UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT more treatment for a lacerated or shot limb, but with a request for a Bible. Said he : "I have read the little book you gave me to the people in my town ; they like it very much ; now I have come to ask for a big book, so that we might read and know more." Such inci- dents encourage me to believe that many read- ers of God's Word in different parts of the great Mohammedan world, also in the lands where I have travelled and preached, will come to a knowledge of Him who " willeth not that any should perish, but that ALL even Arabs should come to repentance." Was it no encouragement to know that a party of Arab boys, taught in our school to pray, were daily remembering me when out among the Bedouin? If only those riper in years and experience were as faithful in back- ing up the worker in far-away lands by their prayers, how encouraged many a weary one would be, instead of feeling that he was alone in the work ! Was there no encouragement in the fact that whereas an Arab would not trust his best friend or nearest relation with money or anything he valued, yet he would come voluntarily and desposit any quantity with me without even thinking of asking for a receipt or paper of any kind ? UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT 73 Surely it was matter for thankfulness, and one full of encouragement, that when fighting took place between the Keraky and Turkish troops, and men were shot down before my eyes that I had known for years, their wives and children came to us for shelter and deliverance, feeling perfectly secure and safe under our roof; and then, when they had to leave for their work in the open fields or gardens, to have them put with us for safe-keeping their few jewels and trinkets. And then at last when the news spread that I was leaving, they came and besought that we would not leave them for good, as they had no one but us to turn to for help in trouble, threatening that they would stop us setting out, which, to prevent, we did one morning at dawn. Later years have not been without signs of encouragement. One day a young Arab pre- sented himself at our door in Jerusalem, saying he had brought his father to us for treatment. He had come more than a hundred miles, prov- ing that some amount of faith in our methods had resulted from our life and work at Moab. Was it no cause for joy to us when the old chief of Moab, who in one day was bereft of two of his sons, chose to turn aside to us for comfort and cheer rather than be among the 74 UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT howling crowd of his own relations and people ? That man had been one of those that had caused me to be taken prisoner and money paid for my release when first I entered Moab. The account of my journey into Arabia, given in other chapters, cannot be read with- out seeing between the lines much that encour- ages us to press forward ; the readiness of the people to buy the Scriptures, the kindness shown by those in high places, and last but not least the workings of a watchful, kind, and gracious Providence always bringing to mind the remembrance that " The Lord reigneth," and that His Word says, " I will be exalted among the nations." If any worker in either the home or foreign field that reads these pages is discouraged, let him take to himself the promises that cannot be broken and go forward, remembering that the " Well done " is not promised to the good and successful worker, but to the good ^xA faithful servant, who is to enter into the joy of His Lord. Walking down the street called Straight, in Damascus, a man accosted me that I had no memory of. He was surprised I did not recog- nize him. " You attended me in an encamp- ment away in Moab when I had been shot in 1OTOQRAPH BY A. FORDER A BEDOUIN TENT This is the dwelling of the nomad, and named by him " the house of hair." These tents are very strong and heavy, and last for many years. The sides are fastened to the top by wooden pins about six inches long. So closely woven are they that water rarely pene- trates through them. THE FORDS OF ARNON, MOAB . This stream is in the bed of a very deep valley that terminates on the shores of the Dead bea. It divides the territory of the Amorites and Moabites. In the Pentateuch this place is frequently mentioned. After heavy rain, this stream is impassable UNEXPECTED ENCOURAGEMENT 75 the neck, and when I left for my own place and people, you gave me one of your gospels. We have all read it and like it very much," was what he told me. Before leaving me he asked me to come among them and tell them of our religion. CHAPTER IX IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS MISSION work of every kind in all lands is always accompanied by times of dis- couragement. That the former are allowed by God it cannot be doubted, but all admit that these times do come, and are ofttimes blessings in disguise, although not always discerned at the moment. Without such times coming into our lives, there might be danger of pride or self-exaltation over any little success that was attending our work ; and so these discourage- ments occur, maybe sometimes to remind us that it is " not by might, nor by power, but by My spirit, saith the Lord," all success in our labors is brought about. Again, discouragement may teach us many lessons and enable us to gain valuable experience which otherwise we would not have gained, and thus temporary dis- couragement may result in lasting blessing, not only to individuals, but also to communities. New work in out-of-the-way places among a strange and ignorant people always finds much 76 IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS 77 to discourage. The idea in the mind of the Arab is that you are among them for personal benefit to yourself and not to them. The mon- arch of the nation you represent has sent you among them, and is paying you a heavy sum to stay among a hard and degraded people, or, as was often told me, I must have killed some one or committed a great crime to cause me to leave my own land and settle among the Arabs. Such opinions as these from those whom you are trying to benefit are neither helpful nor en- couraging, rather the reverse, and ofttimes one is sorely tempted to leave the people to their foolish imaginations and go elsewhere. Perhaps some of the greatest discourage- ments I had was in connection with the medi- cal work at Kerak. Although the Arabs there were ready enough to apply to us in time of need, it was with difficulty that we could get them to exercise patience for any length of time. Medical or surgical aid from us was supposed to have an instantaneous effect on the patient, and if it did not, very little persua- sion was needed to put away the unknown remedy or treatment, and apply one that was suggested by the women near by. The native doctor was our greatest hindrance, no doubt because he was jealous for his craft, and al- ;8 IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS though the natives acknowledged that our way was best and our medicines more effective, yet they preferred ofttimes to pay the native quack a heavy fee for some visible and painful applica- tion rather than have our untried, slow-restoring remedies free. They could not understand why, for a bad headache, they should have medicine given them to drink. Why not do like the native doctor, apply a hot iron or a bleeding glass to the spot and so scare away the pain ? What good liquids did for medicine when fever was in the system could not be understood. Fire, and blood taking, with a few dangerous drugs, are the remedies for everything among the Arabs. To wash a wound and allow it air or drainage was madness, even sin, on my part; they would plaster it with filth and exclude air, and thus, instead of improving matters, make them far worse. Rest and quiet are rarely per- mitted to a patient ; on the contrary, the room, or tent, of the sick man will be crowded with men, women, and children making plenty of noise. I have known many a one to die that might have lived if only our advice had been carried out. One case in particular comes to my mind even as I write. One noon I was having my IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS 79 meal when a man ran into my room breath- less, exclaiming, " Come run quick ; a man murdered ! " I jumped up, seized my emer- gency bag, and without coat or vest followed the messenger. Up in the city, lying in the road in the midst of a crowd was a man in a pool of blood. He had been attacked from behind by the avenger of blood, and his abdomen ripped across, causing his intestines to protrude. I set to work alone; no man cared to interfere, lest the poor fellow should die and they get the blame. Carefully I stitched up the gash, replac- ing the protruding mass as I proceeded ; the fellow behaved well and kept up beautifully. Having finished, he was carried on a carpet into a house near by and was supposed to re- main there. I persuaded the men to go away and leave him to get sleep and quiet, and hav- ing given him a sedative I promised to return in an hour. I did so, but found the house fastened up. Inquiring of some people near, I was told the owners of the house had gone out to their tents, and the wounded man had been helped to walk to another house. Thither I went, to find the place crowded and the poor fellow exhausted, yet being kept awake to talk to these so-called friends. I scolded them and sent them all out, and decided to stay myself. 80 IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS Soon he was asleep and rested quietly for two hours. On waking I left him in charge of a woman to go to another case, promising to re- turn and possibly have him taken to my room so that he might be well cared for. I returned about sunset, and to my astonishment found my man was not in the house I left him in. The woman very coolly told me, " We feared he would die, and did not want it to be under our roof. You will find him in 's house." Off I went and found him again, but he was too low to be moved ; they told me he could not walk, so they had put him on a donkey. I saw the poor fellow was very exhausted, so stayed with him until he died, which happened about three hours later. Truly " the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty." I went home disheartened, but had learned a lesson never to be forgotten. On another occasion I was called to a young man that had violent fever. The native doc- tor and the women had done all they knew, but to no effect. I went and listened to all they had to tell me ; then I told them if they would leave off treating him, I would do what I could. They agreed, and for some days all went well, but the patient was not up and about as they expected he would be. One IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS 8 1 morning I went as usual, but got a cold recep- tion. I guessed something was up ; I gave the medicine and left them. A little later on I returned and gave them a surprise visit. Before I reached the door I heard cries of pain, so waited a minute, then crept gently to the door and looked in. I saw my patient being held up by three or four men whilst others applied hot irons to his spine, causing him to yell from pain. So intent were the men and women on their cruel work that they had not noticed me, so when I spoke, they were surprised, though not ashamed of their doings. The excuse they made was " he had a pain in his back, so we were driving it away." After that I left them a few days, but returned again to treat both back and fever. The young man recovered and was always very grateful. Another time a young baby was brought to us for treatment, " because it cried"; something was given it, more to please the mother than anything else for babies will cry and away they went, and we heard no more of them. Some days after I was in the encampment of our sheikh and was asked to look at a baby that was ill. It was brought to me ; on un- covering the mite I found it was quite raw and of a dark color. I asked what they had been 82 IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS doing to it to make it in such a condition. The answer was, " Because it cried we rubbed it with the medicine you gave the chief to paint his knee with, but it did not profit." Some time before I had given the old chief some liniment iodine for a swollen knee, and they thought what was good for that was good for a crying baby. Needless to say, a little grave was the result of such treatment. On me it had a good effect, that of discouraging the giving of medicine or drugs into the hands of those ignorant of their use. Our patience was sorely tried by another family that we did our best to serve. A man was cleaning his loaded pistol with his little seven-year-old girl near to him ; suddenly it went off, the charge entering the little maid's thigh. Our help was asked and willingly given, one of our lady helpers going twice a day to dress the wound and do what was necessary for the little sufferer. One morning she went as usual and applied clean dressings. The after- noon visit revealed a different state of affairs. The fresh dressings had all been removed, and in their place a plaster of various abominations had been put. An old woman, supposed to be very clever, had advised this, and so it had been done, and a fee given for the advice and plaster. IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS 83 The parents were talked to about their foolish doings, but to little effect. Patiently the dirty plaster was removed, the wound cleansed and dressed once more. All went well for a few days, when again the good done was all upset. A knuckle bone supposed to work wonderful cures had been worked into the wound, caus- ing the little girl excruciating pain as well as opening the wound again. Here, then, was un- done all the patient care and attention of weeks past. The reason given was " that the native doc- tor said there was blood and matter inside that ought to come out," and they had listened and acted accordingly. So discouraged were we that we refused to take the case up again, unless they paid for the dressings and trouble, which they did, but the child is lame, owing no doubt to the attack on the wound with the knuckle bone. One more instance must suffice ; although discouraging and trying to the human being, yet it eventually made us some good friends from among those that had been our greatest tormentors and hinderers. Our chiefs had gone on "ghuzzu," a plundering expedition, and in a skirmish the eldest son of our sheikh, and heir to the chieftainship, was badly wounded in the head, the scalp having been 84 IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS cut by a sword. I was called out to attend him in his tent in an encampment about three hours' ride from Kerak. I found an ugly wound stuffed with ground coffee and flour that had been mixed and forced into the cut " to keep out the cold." It had set like cement, but by dint of patient working I gradually removed it, much to the objection of the inter- ested onlookers. Doing what I could during the few days that I stopped, I was able at last to leave him, promising on the third day to return and see him. They promised me they would not interfere in any way with my dress- ings. The third morning I rode out ; it was snow- ing, but I wanted to keep my word. I reached the tent, tied up my horse, and before any one was aware of it I had pushed aside the tent cloth and entered. What did I see? The native doctor at the head of my patient put- ting on a plaster made of donkey's manure and cow's urine ! I stood and looked ; no one spoke. I went over to the patient, calmly took the plaster off his head, and put it on the fire, then told the native quack to get outside at once. Without a word he obeyed. Then they told me my medicine had not cured the man, so they had called in the other and paid him five MR. FORDER WHEN SITTING WITH THE ARABS In Arab tents or houses chairs are practically unknown. With their legs folded under them, the natives rest quite comfortably, whilst the large cloak covers any appearance of awkwardness by sitting in such a position. The loose flowing garments of the Orientals are very suitable for such an attitude of repose. IN COMPETITION WITH NATIVE DOCTORS 85 mejedies, about four and a half dollars, for his supposed cure. I pretended to make for my horse to leave them, but they begged me to stay and do something; all the lint, bandages, and ointment I had left had been burned by the quack's orders, so I could do little but again cleanse the cut of the filth of the past two days. Three times they served me thus, but in the long run I won, and the fellow got about again. The ride through the snow-storm im- pressed them, made because I would not break my promise to be with them on the third morn- ing. The recovery of the young chief was at- tributed to my careful and wise treatment, and many of that family became favorably disposed toward us. The foregoing have all been connected with a people hardly semi-civilized, and so in some ways to be pitied for their ignorance and treat- ment toward those who wanted to help and be- friend them, but the time came when heavier burdens in the way of discouragements had to be borne, from those who are supposed to be civilized and rank with the nations of Europe. CHAPTER X AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS, BRIGANDS, AND RAGING SEAS IT is not given to every missionary to un- dergo hardships, dangers, and trials. Some, during long years of patient breaking-up of new ground, or seed sowing, have to endure things that the reaper has no experience of. The dan- gers and trials endured by Mackay, of Uganda, or John Paton, in the South Sea Islands, were followed by remarkable times of reaping by those that came after them. The workers at Kerak in Moab are not called upon to endure the hard- ships or humiliations of those who started that mission in face of danger, fatigue, and privation. How true the Scriptures respecting work of to- day and many of the workers, " One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor; other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors." Happy those who so labor " that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together." Unfortu- nately, sometimes the reaper forgets the long 86 AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 8/ years of weary breaking-up and sowing before he went in to gather in the sheaves. " Render therefore to all their dues; honor to whom honor is due," and praise to whom praise. The life of the pioneer, whether missionary or otherwise, must of necessity be one full of danger, trial, and fatigue. The difference be- tween the two classes is this, that the explorer, scientist, or hunter generally goes relying on his firearms, or foregained knowledge of the people or land, to carry him through, whilst the missionary should, if he does not, rely solely on God for protection and guidance under all cir- cumstances. A man in the possession of fire- arms will be sorely tempted to put his trust in them when danger comes, and so weaken his faith in God, and to spill blood among the Arabs would mean lifelong enmity and per- petual absence from the country and people where such a thing had happened. This chapter is not written to create sym- pathy or pity, but that the reader may know that there is a God that can, and will, deliver, and also that a missionary's life is not all honey. The first marked deliverance I had after I reached Moab strengthened my faith in the living God. As I was attending the patients gathered about my door one morning, a big 88 AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS burly fellow, son of one of the sheikhs, came up, and, pushing his way through the crowd, laid claim to my medicine chest. To him it was useless, but he thought to me most valu- able, because without it I could not doctor the people, and so my allowances from the Queen of England would cease and I would suffer loss. He refused to give up the chest unless I gave him money. He not only claimed the chest, but entered the house and sat himself on the ground, saying, " Here I stay until I get the money." He sat some hours, although many attempts were made to persuade him to go away. But he was immovable ; I noticed that the key of the door was in the lock on the outside, so rising and going toward the door I jumped up the four steps, pulled the door to behind me, turned the lock, and had my unwelcome visitor prisoner. He began to shout and kick the door, asking that it be opened, but I went away and left him inside. Up into the city I went, and came upon my prisoner's father, and other of our chiefs and their sons, sitting in a circle in the sun. I went into the midst of them and told them what had happened, and how I had Abdullah prisoner. They laughed, but were angry, told me to go and release him, and they would tell him not to trouble me again. I AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 89 requested that two or three of them should go with me and bring him away, so jumping up three called me to follow them. I gave one of them the key, and told him to unlock the door, which he did, and out came the prisoner with a bound, not to meet me, as he expected, but into the arms of his fellow-chiefs. He cursed and raved, and swore by the life of God and Mo- hammed that next time he met me out he would kill me. Thinking it likely he had taken some- thing from my room whilst locked in, I asked that he be searched. They felt his garments, but found nothing, but I noticed that one of his arms did not move freely, so got hold of it and lifted it up before he knew what I was up to. From under his cloak fell my small clock ; he had secreted it in his armpit, thinking no one would notice it. At last he was taken away, and I was left alone with his threats in my ear. I saw nothing more of him for three weeks, although hearing from one and another of his purpose to harm me. One morning I was riding out to an encamp- ment to attend a wounded man. I was alone. Coming toward me over the plain, I saw in the distance a horseman. Soon he commenced to canter, then came on at full gallop. As he came nearer I saw it was my prisoner of three 90 AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS weeks before. He was armed with his long spear, and as he rode up to me, pulled from his side a revolver and levelled it at me, laughing and saying, " God has given me my opportun- ity; now I will kill you and throw your body into a pit, and no one will know where you are or what has come of you." I replied, " If no one else knows, God will, and He will punish you." At once he dropped the arm holding the deadly weapon and said, " I never met a man like you: had you been one of our own peo- ple, you would even now be dead. Why are you not afraid ? " " I trust God to protect me from evil," I replied, "and that is why you could do nothing." " No," he said, " when you said * God will know,' all the power went from me." He then asked me where I was going, and on being told said he would return with me and see that no harm came to me. So he did, and next morning returned with me to my home, and from that time we were fast friends, I ofttimes appealing to him for help in time of difficulty or need. Some months later I had a different experience, this time at night. I had been to attend the chief of a village about six hours' ride away. I found he had been badly shot and cut about by some of the young chiefs of Kerak, because of a quarrel over AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 91 some sheep some time before. By careful at- tention to the wounded man, I was able, after about eight days' stay, to return to my home in Kerak. There were two ways to the place I had gone to, one very lonely, leading through large boulders of rock that had fallen down from the sides of the valley. I had been taken this route, but returned alone another way. On arriving at my room I was asked by my fellow-worker, a young woman who lived in the next house, if I had been molested on the way. I replied, "No; why?" I was told that the three men that had tried to kill the chief I had been attending were hiding between the rocks on the way, with the intention of shooting me on my return. They were very angry because I had helped restore the wounded man to health, hence their action ; but as I had taken the other road home I had escaped them. That night I had gone to bed and was asleep in my room all alone. About midnight I was roused by a banging at the door. I called to know what was wanted, because it was so un- usual to be disturbed in this way. The an- swer was, " Open the door or we will break it in, quick." " Who are you, and what do you want ? " I asked from inside, but I only got the same reply as before. I got up, lit the 92 AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS lamp, put on some clothes, and went and opened the door. Without any formalities, in walked three men, their faces covered with handkerchiefs, with only their eyes visible. They shut the door behind them and said to me, "We are come to kill you." I walked up to them, one at a time, pulled the covering off their faces, and recognized them, saying, " You are Bedr, you Mc-mood, and you Salamey," three of the cruellest and most bloodthirsty of 'our tribe. They were rather surprised at my action and that I knew them. I asked them to sit down, stirred up the ashes on the hearth in the middle of the floor, and soon had a fire going. Whilst I was doing this and making some tea I had an eye to them. They had daggers and revolvers with them, the latter fully charged, as they soon showed me. They made me sit down with them and answer ques- tions. " Why do you go to our enemies ? " " Where was the man wounded ? " " How did you treat him ? " " Will he recover ? " and such like, all of which I answered. Then they went on to tell me why they had tried to kill the man, how they had waylaid him and shot him, and how angry they were when they were told I had gone to doctor him. They said they had been waiting five days for me to return, and AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 93 had intended shooting me from behind the rocks. Hearing I had returned, they came to the city, and without any one knowing had come to me in the night with the intention of murdering me. " In the morning you will be found dead here ; we shall be away from the city before then, and no one will know who killed you," they said. I told them I was not afraid of being killed, but if no one was near to see them, God would know all about it, as He knew everything. They showed me their daggers and pistols, and I told them to be quick or to go and leave me. They were slow to act and talked among themselves in an un- dertone. At last they said, " If you will give us each ten mejedies, about ten dollars, we will do you no harm." I soon told them I should do nothing of the kind. They lowered the amount, and finding I still refused they be- gan to threaten. I kept firm, and again they held a conference, the result of which was a demand to be shown the pictures the magic lantern. They had heard about it and must have a show to themselves. I told them of the trouble to fix up the sheet and lantern, but they insisted, so I had to get it out, fix it up, and give them an exhibition. They were highly pleased with the pictures, all Scripture 94 AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS subjects, and what I had to say about them, working in all the gospel I could. Having seen about twenty, they asked to be shown " the one that boils," meaning the chromotrope. I put it in and set it turning, in and out, out and in, and they were delighted. One of them, on turning round to see the lantern, noticed that the day was breaking and told the other two of it, and they said they must be off or they would be seen leaving and have to give an account of themselves and their being out so early. They asked me to promise them I would never again go to their enemies, but I refused. Then they asked me to give my word that I would not tell any one of their doings that night, and to please them I prom- ised, and away they went, leaving me to ponder over the night's doings and the wonderful way I had been protected and upheld. On another occasion I was sitting with two of our lady workers in the living room after our day's work was over, when all at once, without any warning, the door burst open and in came a young man named Fellah, the only son of his father, a much-respected chief. This young man was well known . for his daring and bold- ness, and so had taken the liberty to enter a house in which were two single women, and BEDOUIN WOMEN, DAUGHTERS OF THE DESERT These three women faithfully represent millions who live in tents in the solitude of the desert. Their large garment is of blue cotton and made in one piece. Few women wear shoes or even sandals, and most of them smoke. They have many superstitions about the " evil eye," which makes it very difficult to secure pictures of them. It was quite a favor for Mr. Forder to be allowed to photograph these women. AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 95 that at night. I met him before he got far in and ordered him to leave, but he only laughed at me and refused. Finding he was obstinate, I took him by the back of the neck, and before he knew it I had him not only outside the house, but beyond the outer gate. To be treated thus hurt his dignity, and he com- menced to shout and threaten all kinds of things that he would do to me. Hearing the noise, our landlord's son came over from their room near by, and tried to pacify the young man, telling him how different our customs were from theirs and such like. But his anger was roused ; he hurried to a house near by and came back with a rifle. Placing a loaded car- tridge in it, and one in the hand of the land- lord's son as a confirmation of what he said, a custom among them, he swore that he would not sleep or eat until he had killed me. He called on Abraham, Mohammed, and others to witness the oath he had taken. Meanwhile others had come, attracted by the shouting and much talking. I was inside with the ladies, not knowing then all that was going on outside. In due time we had prayers, and I went out to go over to my own room ; the young fellow had taken up his position on my roof, but had not seen me cross over to my room. I went to 96 AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS bed, but was kept in mind of his presence on the roof by the constant thump from the butt end of his gun. He kept his watch all night, and then day came. The people, as they gathered for medicine, were much concerned for me when they heard the story. I got up, had my breakfast, and much against the wishes of the natives commenced the medical work. The young man on the roof was shouting out threats against me, accompanied by awful curses ; I bore it as long as I could and then went out, up on to the roof, and straight up to him. " If you want me, here I am ; do what you wish, or else be off away from here," I said to him. He was cowed and said nothing. I in- sisted on him getting off the roof and leaving me to my work ; after some hesitation he went down and I followed him, and as he went away he said, " I will give you a bullet when I meet you out alone." Some of the leading men of the city appeased him for the time by a little raw coffee, but he stuck to his determination to harm me, because of his vow and the car- tridge he had given as a pledge, and which he would not take back, although urged to do so. The next time I saw that young man was under very different and sad circumstances which it may be of interest to relate, thus proving how AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 97 true the Arab's proverb, " Mountain may never meet mountain, but man may meet man," teach- ing that it is best on separating to be friends and not foes. There had been a wedding at an encamp- ment some four hours' ride north of Kerak, and all the young chiefs of the tribe had been called to join in the festivities. As is customary, the young men played on their horses, racing and wrestling, the horses seeming to enjoy it as much as the riders. A sham fight was in pro- cess when my troublesome friend of some weeks before galloped his horse across the course of a bullet shot from a rifle, the missile entering the windpipe on one side and coming out on the other. He was carried to a tent, and a horseman despatched for me, the name of the wounded man being kept secret. On arriving at the encampment, I was taken to the tent, to find it was Fellah that was down and needed attention. His first words, spoken with difficulty, were, " How could you come to me after the way I served you ? " My answer was in their own style, " What's past is past and what's dead is dead," equivalent to " Let by- gones be bygones." I did my best for him, stay- ing five days and nights. One afternoon he was leaning on my arm, and I was feeding him 98 AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS with some milk, when suddenly he fell back dead on my breast. Great was the consterna- tion among the crowd of sympathizers in that tent; the women screeched and rent their clothes, the immediate relatives falling on the body, hugging and kissing it, whilst the men wrung their hands in agony or cut off their hair as a sign of their great grief. At once the cry of " Revenge ! " was raised ; the men jumped up, seized their rifles, and, mounting their horses, were soon galloping in the direction of the camp in which the young man was from whose rifle that bullet had come causing the death of the chief's son. Accidents are not recognized among the Arabs ; life had been taken, and the custom requires a life in return. I took the opportunity to ride away on the only horse left, and was first to tell the sad news in the city. Said one man to me that evening, " Fellah swore to give you a bullet, but got one himself ; it is the work of God; every one must eat his fate." Next morning the body was brought in to be buried, and the sight was one I shall never forget. To complete this incident I must tell that the supposed murderer saw the armed horse- men coming toward the camp, guessed what AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 99 had happened, and claimed the protection of the chief of the encampment, and so saved his life, although afterward the penalty of two years' exile and the loss of all his belongings was put upon him, the dead man's relatives getting all the property that had been forfeited as the price of their lost son. Another narrow escape came about in quite another way, and under very different cir- cumstances. I had been into Jerusalem, and was returning to Kerak, but had to take the route by Hebron and the south end of the Dead Sea, one generally avoided for two rea- sons, viz. the scarcity of water and the fear of robbers, because the road via Jericho and Medeba was possessed by a tribe of Arabs unfriendly to any from Kerak. I had with me three Arabs, one an old man named Salem, who had travelled much with me and had always proved faithful, and to whom on this occasion I owed my life, not excluding of course an all- seeing Providence. We were going along the eastern shore of the Dead Sea, and came to a tiny stream of fresh water, where we determined to camp, as the sun was about setting. The place was very stony, and not such a one as we generally choose, preferring, if possible, open ground, so 100 AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS that any one or anything can be seen approach- ing, but as there was no water ahead of us we had to stay there or go thirsty. We had our supper, and put the nose-bags on the horses, but noticed that they did not eat. Old Salem said to me, " The animals are restless and cannot eat their suppers." Time passed and still our patient steeds remained supperless, but not motionless. With their ears pricked up and their heads well lifted, they were keeping a sharp lookout ahead of them, first in one di- rection and then in another, turning this way and then another. Their behavior told my experienced old Arab that somebody besides ourselves was about, and the horses could see them moving about, although it was dark. This was causing their restlessness and ab- stinence from their suppers. We all made up our minds to sit and watch, but weary with a long day's ride I soon fell asleep under the cover of a great boulder. It was about mid- night, and I was lying half awake and half asleep, when almost together, within a few mo- ments of each other, the horses whinnied, and old Salem called to me, " Get up, quick." Up I jumped, and on looking out I saw three men running away as hard as they could go. They had crept up to us under cover of the large AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS IOI stones, no doubt thinking we were all sleeping. But the horses saw the nearest one, and gave Salem the alarm. He saw the nearest man standing over me with a huge stone in his hands that any moment might have been dropped on my head and so have killed me. As I jumped up quickly, the stone missed me, the men making off on finding that they were discovered. After this the animals settled down and ate their supper. Old Salem would not sleep, how- ever, for, said he, " Just before dawn, when it is darkest, and the robbers think we are weary with watching, they may return, so we must be prepared for them." Sure enough, they came again at the expected time, but a good fire gave warning that we were about, and at dawn we loaded up and went on our way. We never knew who the thieves were, or where they came from or went to. We were thankful for the escape from them, and our steeds had an extra feed for the share they took in warning us of the presence of an enemy. That same morning we met a band of wild fellows that far outnum- bered us and helped themselves to such things as they fancied as they leisurely turned over our belongings, leaving us lighter than they found us, and me with a few bruises from 102 AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS blows of heavy clubs because I objected to their behavior. The foregoing dangers and deliverances all have been experienced on dry land, but one yet remains to be told that took place on the water not the blue ocean of either the At- lantic or Mediterranean, but on the historical salt sea, or, as is better known, Dead Sea. Our recollections, however, lead us to let go the title " Dead," and substitute " Living." It came about in the year 1895, if memory serves me right. I had come in from Kerak to Je- rusalem to take back my wife and four-months- old baby. About that time a good-sized sail- ing boat was going, as wind permitted, between the nearest point to Jericho on the north and Morab on the east. By this route the journey to Kerak could be shortened by three days, and was less fatiguing. We found out the time fixed for the boat to set sail, viz. sunset, and made arrangements accordingly. Our heavy luggage was sent by mules, and some Keraky were to meet the boat on the eastern side and take us up to the city. Our party was made up of two friends going on a visit with us to Kerak, my wife, baby, and myself. We reached the seashore in good time, saw our few belongings put into the boat, PHOTOGRAPH BY A. FOROER THE NORTH SHORES OF THE DEAD SEA This shows the only boat on the Dead Sea. It was just back from a rough trip on the lake when the picture was taken. The foam on the beach shows with what force the sea conies up on the stony beach. PHOTOGRAPH BY ARABS ENJOYING A SOCIAL MEAL Among the Arabs, food is served in one large dish. The chief :lr>vitos his guests," to sit round and eat, but will not join them; he counts it an honor ' spoons and forks, fingers have to serve every purpose. absence of AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 103 and then we took up our places. The boat was loaded with iron girders and timber for the Government in Kerak. This was good because of the buoyancy of the water. A good breeze blew from the north, and we sailed along merrily. All went well for five hours ; the moon rose and we knew we must be nearing our goal. The wind had increased, and we were going at a good speed. Our two boatmen, like real Arabs, were both asleep when they should have been most awake. All of a sudden we stopped, the boat veered over on one side, and the waves, now quite high, came dashing over us, wetting us through and through before we could recover ourselves. Poor baby got a drenching as well as all the others. The sudden stop roused the man at the rudder, and we soon found we had run sideways on a sand-bank. So fast were we going along that the boat had cut deeply into the sand and was immovable. It was about 11.15 and moonlight. The men tried to move the boat by pushing her off, then we got down into the water, which was chest deep, and pushed, but all to no purpose. We threw the iron girders into the sea, then the timber, but the boat stuck. Baby was crying for milk, so had to be content with it cold ; no spirit stove 104 AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS would remain lit a minute for the wind and water. Meanwhile the boat was getting more and more on one side, so we perched up on the side highest from the water. We guessed we were near the land because reeds were near by. I got down into the water and set out landwards, but soon found that mud was abun- dant and the water deeper as I neared the reeds, so I returned to the boat to await the day- break. We shouted ourselves hoarse, hoping to attract the attention of any Arabs that might be near, but it was no use. Then our two boat- men, after many attempts and appeals to Abra- ham and Mohammed for help, said they would swim off and try and get help. So away they went, leaving us alone until past daybreak. Then we saw them away on the shore, and they came off to us, followed by our kind Arabs that had been waiting for us according to our orders. They had heard the shouting in the night, but thought it was the Arabs near by keeping the wild pigs off the grain and gardens, so had not responded. I made one trip to land, walking through the sea and mud for about three hundred yards, then, hav- ing an idea of the way, returned to the boat, took the baby, and carried him to land, held high up out of the water. He enjoyed the AT THE MERCY OF MURDERERS 105 trip more than I did, and was safely deposited with an Arab on shore whilst I returned to the wreck. My wife and our lady friend had been obliged to take to the water, their skirts making their progress difficult and slow, but with the aid of our willing Arabs at last reached the land and took shelter in the tent that was pitched a short distance away. One or two more returns to the boat brought our belongings to land, all spoilt by the salt water of that "lively sea." The boat remained fast for some time, but at last was set free by the combined strength of the Arabs of the district. Our men had the good sense to have ready for us a large pot of chicken broth, with plenty of rice in it, and a good kettle of tea, of which we imbibed a good quantity. Clothes were washed in a stream of fresh water near by. Whilst this was in process, the ladies were isolated in the tent until their garments had dried sufficiently to be donned. I stalked around in a pair of my friend's trousers whilst my own were drying. Fortunately the place of landing was in the plains, and so very warm, or the consequences to our health might have been serious after the night's exposure to wind and waves. We were thankful to have escaped with our lives, although we lost nearly everything else. CHAPTER XI UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES, AND MORE PERSECUTIONS THE first three years of my life among the Arabs passed all too quickly. Although there had been discouragements, opposition, and bereavements, these had been counteracted by advance, the breaking down of prejudice, and the making of many and fast friends. Every- thing seemed to be going well and promised fair for the future. During one of my brief visits to Jerusalem I met my second wife. She had been in the land some years and was already acquainted with the language. Our aims were one, the salvation of the people. She returned with me to Moab, where she lived until circumstances compelled us to retire to Jerusalem. Much of what is recorded in these pages is due to her readiness to remain at home, and her willing- ness for me to go into regions unknown so that the way of the Lord might be prepared in the desert. Let not a one-sided thanks- giving or admiration be any result of the read- 106 MRS. FORDER, THE WIFE OF THE AUTHOR Mrs. Forder is a Scotchwoman who has lived in the Orient for many years. She speaks^ the Arabic language, and is much beloved by the Arabs where she is known to them. Ten years ago her name was changed by the Arabs to " Umm Jferius," i. e., mother of George, in honor of her first child whose name was George. She is in full sympathy with the work being done by her husband among the Arabs. UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES 107 ing of this volume, but let all remember that " as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff." Staying home without news for weeks and months is more difficult to endure than the actual being away, the anxiety and suspense sometimes being increased by rumors of rob- bery and even murder. Progress had been made with new buildings which were the admiration and wonder of the Kerak people ; school, medical, and evangelistic work were all going on in regular order and with an encouraging measure of success. One day we heard rumors of the coming of a Turk- ish army to put our district under control, es- tablish a civil capital, and place a garrison in the very city in which we were living. We were saddened by the news, because we knew that the incoming of the Turk would mean opposition and hindrance to our work, also oppression, heavy taxation, and bloodshed for the natives. We were not long in seeing and experiencing all these come about. A few weeks after the rumor several thou- sand troops camped on the plains opposite our mountain home. Field cannon were mounted on the highest hills overlooking the city, and every plan arranged to take the place. The 108 UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES people were alarmed ; women and children fled to the encampments or the mountains on the west side of Kerak toward the Dead Sea. The men prepared to defend their city and homes and meet the unwelcome enemy as soon as they attempted to enter the place. Warning was sent us that we had better leave at once, but we preferred to stay by our many friends, be- lieving that they would need our services before very long. We were not mistaken, for as soon as the enemy had gained an entrance into the city they were turned loose on the helpless people, and many of them were shot dead, or wounded, because they defended their homes and women from the intrusion and insults of the soldiery. For a week we were besieged ; every day the troops tried to scale the steep sides of that Moabitish town. They were repulsed and turned back by the huge stones rolled down from above by the natives and by the bullets of those possessing rifles. At length, through bribery and the promise of large money and costly presents, the chiefs of Moab allowed the wily Turk to enter, believing him when he said, " We will only stay three months." With bullets whizzing over our heads every hour of the day, cannons facing us from the hilltops, UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES IOQ and an excited, fanatical army eager to take possession, we entered into the experience of the Psalmist under like circumstances. " The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? . . . Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident." The day the Turkish army entered Kerak will long live in our memory. It was in No- vember, 1893, and from that time on for another three years obstruction, opposition, and humilia- tion at length led to our separation from our hardly won Arab friends and the land which had become ours by adoption and, as the Arabs often reminded us, by reason of my dead having been buried in it. The man who had been appointed civil gov- ernor of the new district was one who had been a leader in the massacres in Armenia, and because of his successes in those parts had been promoted to this important post. He took up his abode in the Greek priest's house, and turned the boys' school into a court- house. The day after his arrival he requested our presence, and informed me that from that time on our school and medical work must 1 10 UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES cease. Said he, " You have the favor and hearts of all these people, and now that I have come for the Sultan of Turkey you must leave. If I cannot wean the people away from you, I will separate you by force and persecution." Soldiers were placed around our premises to keep the people from coming to us, and if by any means some did reach our doors and were caught going away, they were arrested, put into prison, and heavily fined. The chiefs protested to the governor, but to no purpose. They argued thus with him, " You have deprived us of the help our friends gave us when sick or wounded, the schools in which our children were being taught you have closed, our best friend you forbid us to visit, and you give us nothing to replace what the English were giv- ing us." The men working on the new buildings under my supervision were again and again driven off the work by the soldiers, who made my innocent laborers' backs smart with the lashes of heavy whips. Time after time I faced that governor, demanding from him the return of my tools and the liberty for men to work for me. Again and again he told me, " If you were an Arab, or one of our own subjects, I would have had you killed long ago, for no one UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES in has ever spoken to or treated me as you have." On every occasion he had to yield to my demands, but not until after many stormy inter- views which needed grace, patience, and wisdom. I well remember one occasion when I made this despot yield to my demands. I received word one morning that my best man, " Old Faithful" I called him, had been put into prison without any apparent cause. His old father appealed to me to get him released, assur- ing me that there was no reason why his son and my friend should be imprisoned. I went at once to the governor and asked why the man had been arrested and thrown into prison. He told me because the man had said he would become a Christian, also because he would per- sist in coming to our house to supply us with eggs and milk. Both these statements were false, and had been fixed up by some enemy of my "Old Faithful." I told the governor the charges were untrue, that I had not seen the man for quite a month, and that I wanted him released at once. The hard-hearted, wily Turk laughed a contemptuous laugh, and said, " You have the hearts of all these Arabs ; every day before me they are praising you, say- ing that you are their father. I have tried to 112 UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES wean these people away from you, but now I will force them to leave you, and this man now in prison will be an example and a warning to the others, for I will treat all thus, and will not rest until you are compelled by me to leave this land. I will not release the man ; let him remain in the prison a time, so that others may be afraid to disobey my commands." Before a crowd of wondering Arabs, chiefs, and soldiers, I stood my ground and persisted, and finding that he would not yield, I finally said, " I will not leave your room in which I now sit until that man is released and given over to me." Hour after hour I sat there ; time after time he told me to go, it was useless to wait. Supper time came, and I was still there ; bed- time came, and I was prepared to pass the night there. That official had to learn that my word on such an occasion could not be changed ; one of us had to yield and that one was not to be the writer. It was nearly ten o'clock, and the governor wished to retire, but could not go away and leave me alone in his room. A last persuasion and another refusal resulted in a command to a soldier to have the man set free. I demanded that he be brought from the prison and delivered to me so that we might go away together. From the prison in the old Moabit- UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES 113 ish fortress near by, my Arab friend was brought, and together we left the official room of that governor, who was none too pleased that right had won and he had been humiliated before the people. Does the reader wonder that I have many friends in Arab lands ? Few indeed have been the friends poor Ishmael has ever had, and they, like people in other lands, appreciate and re- spond to kindness. Next morning I was sum- moned before the angry official, who addressed me thus, " Mr. Forder, if your Society are not proud of you, they ought to be ; no man ever faced me as you have. I am sorry you are an Englishman, for you would make such a good Turk. Yesterday you gained your victory, but I will gain one yet, for I will not rest until I have got you out of this place." Then followed a time of trial, humiliation, persecution, and suspense that few have had to endure. That governor laid false charges against me, to my Society and to our consul in Damascus. Soldiers followed my wife and myself wherever we went ; from early morning until late at night our gates were guarded, and no one was allowed to come to us with food or other things to sell. Messages were sent us again and again that unless we were gone in 114 UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES so many hours soldiers would be sent to drive us out and break up our home. To all this we gave no heed ; we simply " committed our way to the Lord, trusted also in him, and he brought it to pass." It would take a volume to detail all that we endured for nearly three years at the hand of that Turkish governor, but it must remain untold in these pages. It sufficeth to say that he went to such extremes that he overreached himself, and at last, through our complaints and the demands of an energetic consul in Damas- cus, he was removed and degraded, much to the delight of the natives and many of the minor officials. All through this time of opposition and dis- couragement I forged ahead with the new buildings, so that by the time the oppressor was removed we had ready for our work five roomy houses, all above ground, with windows, air-shafts, and paved floors, also a dispensary, consulting room, and large assembly hall, in which the people now gather to listen to the gospel message before being treated by the medical missionary. With the going of the governor the opposi- tion and hard measures ceased, and better times began to dawn. The coming of the Turk to UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES 115 Moab was not only a time of disaster for our work, but also for the Arabs. Two calamities followed the advent of the troops, viz. the coming of the locusts, which resulted in a time of semi-famine throughout the land. Midst times of doubt and perplexity amusing inci- dents occurred to break the monotony of the situation. On one occasion we had invited a lot of women and children to partake of a warm meal. They gladly responded to the invitation in spite of the orders of the governor forbidding any to enter our premises. As they were eating, a furious knocking at the locked door was heard. Those outside were soldiers, who had been sent to take to prison the women and children who were satisfying the demands of hunger at our expense. I refused admittance to the soldiers, so they decided to await the dismissal of the frightened and helpless people. The feast over, I helped the women and children to leave by means of a ladder leading to our flat roofs. Many got away without being detected, but somehow the last ones were seen getting away, followed by the soldiers, and stopped. The order to line up and walk to prison was not obeyed by the daughters of Moab. Instead, they sat down in the street and mockingly told Il6 UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES the soldiers, " If you want us in prison, carry us there, otherwise we shall not get there." Whilst this street scene was being enacted, much to the delight of even the sedate Arab, I was having a stormy interview with the gov- ernor in his room, and sarcastically taunting him with some such words as these, " The government of the Sultan was becoming bad indeed, when its representatives had nothing better to do than to imprison women and chil- dren for appeasing their hunger. Had it come to prisons for women in a land and empire where they were considered more or less free from interference by men?" Such arguments prevailed, and orders were sent that the women and children were to be released and not mo- lested again. Such trials and experiences endured for any time unknowingly have their effect upon hu- man nature; we felt the long strain severely and were glad when it was relaxed. No sooner, however, was one term of difficulty over than another, from a less expected quarter, came. We had been supported for some time by the Episcopal Church Missionary Society, with whom we had worked amicably and acceptably, when the question was raised concerning our denominational standing. I had been trained UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES 1 1/ and brought up in the Wesleyan Methodist Church, and was now employed by the State Church of England. Everything, except in one point, was favorable to my continuance as a missionary of that denomination ; the missing qualification was that I had - never been con- firmed. Ritualistic and religious barriers ex- cluded my being engaged as a missionary of an Episcopal Society, so I had presented to me the choice of two things: first, being con- firmed and becoming a fully fledged Episco- palian and remaining where I was ; and second, that of retaining the beliefs and teaching of my early days and conscience, and sever my relation with the Society I was serving. The temptation to hold on was strong, but con- science prevailed ; refusing to become an Epis- copalian practically meant commencing life over again, but God gave me courage and grace to stand by my convictions. A few months later we left the people and land, both of which we loved and were willing to spend our lives for. The separation was a hard one; the people never understood why we left them for others to take our place. God grant that they never may know of the jeal- ousies that keep men bearing the name of Christ from becoming one under that name! Il8 UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES At dawn one morning we quietly left oui mountain home in Moab, driven out not by the semi-civilized Arab or the jealous, fanatical Turk, but by those who put ceremonial require- ments and sectarianism before the qualifications, suitability, and willingness of those willing to give their life for those still in the bondage and darkness of heathendom or Islam. I left Kerak knowing that I had done my best for every one I had tried to serve, whether the Moabite in his city or the nomad in the wilderness. It was at least encouraging to know that those I was leaving were sufficiently satisfied with the way I had served them to give me the following recommendation : " Mr. Archibald Forder has been engaged in mission work at Kerak on the east of the Jor- dan for five and a half years, three of which have been spent in connection with the Church Missionary Society. Mr. Forder is a very ear- nest Christian and a most energetic worker, and the present promising position of the mission work at Kerak is due largely to his zeal and enterprise under God. " During the first two or three years that Mr. Forder was at Kerak the work was specially difficult and full of danger on account of the wild and uncivilized state of the people. They PHOTOGRAPH BY A. FORCES AN EASTERN CARAVANSARY These temporary shelters are found in all Eastern cities. Man and beast may have shelter and drink for about six cents a night. A fountain in the center of the inclosure yields a constant supply of fresh water. THE COFFEE MAKER Coffee is the only beverage of the Arab. After the berries are roasted, they are pounded in a large mortar. The chief always drinks first, then serves his guests. No milk or sugar is added. A woman is never allowed to make coffee. UNLOOKED-FOR CHANGES 119 were at that time beyond the control of even the Turkish Government, and every man did what was right in his own eyes. The greatest credit is due to Mr. Forder for the tact with which he dealt with the people, which was used by God to the opening of doors for the procla- mation of the gospel in very many ways. We are all very sorry to lose Mr. Forder from our mission band, but we trust and pray that the Lord will speedily thrust him forth into other work for Him, and own and bless him even more than whilst he was at Kerak. Wherever he may take up work, the C. M. S. Palestine Mission will always regard him as one of their number. " J. R. LONGLEY HALL. " Jerusalem, February ijtb, 1897." Thus, for sectarian reasons only, was lost to a difficult mission field well-tried, acclimatized, experienced, and all-round good workers. But larger possibilities were in the future, although the means are still needed to adequately carry them to a successful issue. CHAPTER XII INTO NEW REGIONS, AMONG SUPERSTITIOUS ZEALOTS AFTER leaving Kerak we retired to Jerusa- lem, and began to consider plans for the future. We had before us some serious and important questions to face and answer. 1. Should the Arab suffer for our leaving Moab? 2. Should the commands of our Lord about " all the world " and " every creature " be passed by heedlessly, with our knowledge of the need of Arabia and its people ? 3. Ought we to allow the action of those we had served to hinder us from going ahead to win the Arabs for Christ ? To all this there could be but one answer No. My desire was to go ahead with what I had in the way of experience and my knowledge of the language. Prayer and patience were soon answered, and doors opened, and supplies forthcoming, to enable me to penetrate new regions and reach tribes and peoples never before preached to. For a time unevangelized districts within easy reach of Jerusalem claimed 120 INTO NEW REGIONS 121 my attention, and some account of the visits made to these localities will occupy the space given in this chapter. Some may ask why I did not stay in Moab and carry on an independent work among the people I knew so well. That was considered, but finally abandoned, because we felt, as did many of our best friends, that an opposition mission would cause questionings among the simple people that would be difficult to answer, and we would not have any work ruined by the Arabs knowing that among Protestants sec- tarian differences were sufficiently strong to allow one section of the church to treat another as they had me. But to return to my story. I spent three weeks among the villages around Hebron and with the Arabs in the wilderness of Beersheba. For the first time in my journeys among the Arabs I used a tent; a friend gave me some money toward it, and by doing a little work myself in spare time I made up the sum needed to buy it. I found it very useful and a great boon. It was a place for the people to come to, so I always had a congregation. Of course, tenting in that land is a hard life sleeping on the ground, always under a hot sun, and no companions save the Arabs. I often get weary 122 INTO NEW REGIONS and long for a soft bed and the comforts of home. But this is the only way to reach these wandering people, so I am thankful for health and strength and the language of the people. I left Hebron one morning about nine, my things on a mule and I on a donkey, the owner of the animals walking. After about four hours' jogging up hill and down vale, we came to a large village named Dawimee. At the entrance I asked where the guest-chamber was ; being shown, I went there and found a lot of men in it. I sat down and was given some coffee ; no one welcomed me, and I saw I had a hard lot to deal with. After about an hour a chance occurred to me to talk about sin, leading up to Jesus. Presently a man said to me, " Do you know you are preaching in our mosque, and you a Christian, unclean, an infidel, and one of the heathen; only a short time ago we killed two Jews here and you are all alone ! " Then they all got up and went out very angry. I was thinking what I should do, when in came a man and asked me to go to his house and stay the night. " The people are very bad here," he said ; so I went with him. He put me in a corner of his yard, and as it was sunset I had my supper. After this my host and his uncle came and sat down with me and I began to tell them of Jesus INTO NEW REGIONS 123 the Saviour. For two hours they listened very attentively, and asked many questions. On into the night we talked. They said, " We never knew these things before, now we have no excuse ; we are glad you came ; there is no way but Jesus." Next morning early I lay as they thought asleep, I heard them telling others all I told them, so my visit was not in vain. I left during the morning, glad that some at least were will- ing to hear me. After riding about two and a half hours I saw a man in a large cave near the road. As it was noon and very hot, I went to him. He received me kindly, invited me in, and gave me dinner, bread, oil, and dirty water. Soon after came two more men that stayed with him in the cave. They were there har- vesting. I began to talk with them about Jesus, and for a long time they listened. Then one said he could read. If I had a book to give him, he would like one. So I gave him the Gospel of Matthew, and left him reading it to his companions. From here I reached an en- campment of Arabs, put up my tent, and soon had a crowd to stare at me, but, finding them noisy, I shut down the door and went to the guest-tent. During the day I had no chance of speaking about Jesus. The people had some 124 INTO NEW REGIONS visitors and had business to settle, so I got my supper of bread, onions, and water, and then, when all was quiet, went and sat down on the ground in the middle of some twelve or four- teen men. As it was full moon I could see them all. On telling them I wanted to speak with them, they told me to go on and talk. When I got to the death of Jesus, a man began to play a native fiddle, but was soon told by the others to be quiet, as they wanted to listen. So here again, far on into the night, I talked with them, and they agreed that all I had said was good and true. Next day found me at Beersheba, the home and favorite camping-ground of the patriarchs. Thousands of Bedouin gather there from all parts of the sandy desert, to draw water for their numerous flocks of sheep and herds of camels. Beersheba remains much the same as it was in the days of Abraham. The seven wells dug by the "father of the faithful" still remain, and from some of them water is still drawn. During my first visit there an old Arab, sunburnt, half clad, and ignorant, pointed with pride to one of the wells, and was delighted to inform me that their father Abraham dug it and watered his flocks from it. The old stones, deeply grooved by the rubbing and wear of the DRAWING WATER AT BEERSHEBA A primitive windlass turned by a camel is used to draw water from the wells at Beersheba. These erections are quite modern, although water has been drawn trom the wells tor centu- ries. All the woodwork is done by native carpenters. PHOTOGRAPH BY A. FORDER HAGAR'S WELL IN THE DESERT OF BEERSHEBA The Arabs believe that this is the well from which water was taken by Hagar to give drink to Ishmael (Gen. 21 19). The grooves in the stones have been worn by the ropes ot the shepherds as they draw water, and prove how ancient this well is. Ine shatt is ten feet in diameter and one hundred feet deep. INTO NEW REGIONS 125 ropes, bore undisputable testimony to the an- tiquity of these life-giving resorts in the dry and desolate region known as the Negeb. It was not difficult to engage the Arabs in conversation about religion, and to those able to read, Scriptures were disposed of with a prayer that the reader might get help from it. Ofttimes fanatics had to be faced and dealt with, and many unpleasant incidents occurred which might have resulted seriously but for an overruling Providence that makes even the wrath of man to praise Him. Not only was Beer- sheba visited, but farther into that dreary waste I went. The story of the boy who became an archer and dwelt in that same wilderness was understood as never before, and the story made doubly real and interesting when I stood by the open well in the desert and from a Bedouin shepherd listened to the story of Ishmael and his distressed mother Hagar, after whom the well is still named. No books have taught these ancient truths to the nomads of the des- ert ; they have come down to them from genera- tion to generation with little change. It was near the well of Hagar that I was forbidden to linger, lest my presence should dry up the water. Guns and clubs were ready to be used if I persisted in remaining too long. 126 INTO NEW REGIONS Falling in with a good-hearted chief, I accom- panied him to his encampment, consisting of about two hundred houses of hair. His people were a surly lot, and but for my host I would have fared badly. I stayed a few days with these dwellers in the wilderness of Beersheba and then induced the chief to accompany me to the historic site of Kadesh-Barnea. Some few men, scared at the presence of a Westerner, attempted to stop me, but my temporary guardian had sufficient influence in those parts to conduct me safely to the oasis so closely connected with the wanderings of the Israel- ites. My presence at old Kadesh-Barnea was resented and strongly objected to by the super- stitious people I met there. Most of them were shepherds, who feared the " evil eye " and the coming into their parts of any with some mysterious qualification that would enable them to cause the springs to dry up and stop the earth from yielding her produce. Rifles were loaded as a warning to me if I attempted any of my mesmeric performances ; but there was no ( occasion for their use, as my actions did not call ifor anything unusual. A drop of cold tea jemptied out of my flask on to the ground near /a spring caused much suspicion and excite- ment, for surely I was attempting to stop the INTO NEW REGIONS 127 flow of the water that meant so much to those ignorant, isolated sons of the desert. Abuse was freely and liberally showered upon my Arab friend, and he deemed it wise to depart and leave his fanatical neighbors to await any dis- aster that might follow our visit. Strange it seemed to the wanderer that no ill effects re- sulted from my advent, either to spring, flock, or individual, and on return visits a more hos- pitable reception has been given me. Not only did the country of the patriarchs receive attention from me, but also those parts south of Moab, terminating in the rock-hewn city of Petra, with its magnificent ravines and wonderful excavations, all tinted by nature in every conceivable shade and pattern. Few have penetrated these recesses. The wild na- ture of the Bedouin and the absence of any human help in case of need debar most people from going to this ancient, rock-hewn city, which is full of historic interest and fascination. My knowledge of the land and people has enabled me to pay many visits there with good results. On my first visit I learned from an excited and fanatical lot of zealots that I was on ground jealously guarded by religious and sacred mem- ory and instinct, and that the presence of the Christian was unwelcome and undesirable. 128 INTO NEW REGIONS By careful and diplomatic investigation I learned from the Arabs of Petra that on the summit of Mount Hor near by they had what they called the Tomb of Aaron. By careful drawing out I learned from them the history, pedigree, and pathetic closing scene connected with the first High Priest of Israel. After hearing them, I read them from the Bible the account of Aaron, dying on Mount Hor in Edom, as it is recorded in Numbers xx. 23-29. They were deeply interested, and assured me that the old tomb on the mountain was still preserved and jealously guarded by them. I expressed a desire to visit so interesting a place, but at once religious zeal and fanaticism came to the front, and I was assured that any at- tempts on my part to scale the mount and approach the tomb would cost me my life. They were prepared to preserve the sanctity of Aaron's last and long resting-place, even if it meant killing me. No Christian had ever approached the place, and the doing so would arouse the wrath of the dead, and bring devas- tation and disaster upon the whole region. So argued and believed these zealots of Arabia Petrea, and the speedy production of firearms and weapons showed that any attempt to force a visit might result in disaster. Reluctantly INTO NEW REGIONS 129 I left those parts, a sad but wiser man. Since then, experience and a better feeling and knowledge of the Arabs there have enabled me to ascend the rugged mount and see for myself the ancient, and without doubt authentic, tomb of the brother of Moses, I count myself fortunate in being the first to secure photographs of this interesting shrine, so carefully guarded and long preserved in the rocky recesses of Mount Seir. Many journeys were made from time to time to untouched parts, and very profitable visits made with the natives in town, village, or camp. More than one volume would be necessary to chronicle my many experiences during first visits to new places. Patience and perseverance, however, generally wins in the long run, and those once opposed and in- clined to be unfriendly are now on my side. Succeeding chapters will reveal still more thrilling and providential experiences and de- liverances than any yet recorded in these pages. All that I have escaped I owe to a covenant and promise keeping God, and the realization of the presence of One who said, " Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." CHAPTER XIII ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA MUCH moving about among the Arabs in the wilderness and region south and southeast of Jerusalem had made me inter- ested in the unknown beyond. From an occa- sional visitor to some camp or town I would hear of the cities, towns, and encampments of Arabia, across the sandy plains that I had so often looked on during my stay in Moab. As I considered the vast expanse southeast of Jerusalem, the desire grew upon me to pene- trate the desert, and find out what the possibil- ities were for one who ventured into those regions, openly avowing himself a Christian. The few works on Arabia, written by men like Palgrave, Doughty, or Burton, did not promise a good time to any who went among the Arabians. I was encouraged to go ahead by people interested in mission work in needy fields, and so prepared to go, and if possible reach the capital of the peninsula, a city named Hayel, and have an interview with the inde- 130 ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA 131 pendent ruler of that land, Abdul-Azeez-ibn Rasheed. I propose in this chapter giving a short account of the land I was then preparing to enter, so that a good understanding of its loca- tion, history, and condition may be gained by the reader. Arabia. Its Location The great peninsula known in these days as Arabia is one of the oldest known parts of the earth. Long before the sons of Jacob went down into Egypt, the sons of Ishmael had settled in the land Providence had assigned them. The boundaries of Arabia are out- lined as early in the Bible as Genesis, xxv. 18. There is no doubt that many centuries ago Palestine, Syria, and the Sinaitic Peninsula were important parts of Arabia. Isaiah speaks of it as the "desert of the sea" (xxi. i), and when one considers it a land largely desert, almost entirely surrounded by water, we conclude that the ancient seer was not far wrong in his desig- nation of the land. Arabia is between Egypt and Persia, to put it widely, also between India and Europe. It has a sea-coast of about four thousand miles. Its boundaries are: on the east, the Per- sian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman ; the south- 132 ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA ern coast is washed by the Indian Ocean ; the Red Sea and the Gulf of Akaba form the western boundary, whilst an undefined desert on the north leaves us in uncertainty as to the exact limit in that direction. Arabia covers an area of over one million square miles ; the pen- insula is about one thousand miles,. long and about seven hundred broad. It is four times the size of France, and larger than the United States east of the Mississippi River. Divisions Arabia is divided into three parts, viz. Ara- bia Felix at the southwest section of the coun- try; Arabia Petrea at the northwest end; and Arabia Deserta, the great interior deserts and high lands. These three main divisions are divided into districts, and known as Yemen, including Hadramaut, Oman, Nejran, and some minor places ; El Hejaz on the west coast, which includes in its borders the two sacred cities of the Mohammedans Mecca, the birth- place of their prophet, and Medina, the place where he died and was buried ; Nejd, the great centre, reaching far north and east, thus losing itself in the districts of Aragand Hassa ; and Jebel Shomer on the Syrian border, which is really a part of Nejd. . FORDER A SECTION OF THE SIK (RAVINE), ARABIA PETREA Arabia Petrea is ten days' journey south of Jerusalem, and famous for the wonderful rock- hewn city of Petra. This city is entered through a long ravine called by the Arabs " The Sik." The rock on either side is of many colors, and in places covered by ferns and creepers. The gorge is about a mile long and terminates in front of a magnificent rock-hewn temple (see page 286). I . 1. '. ! *. .' * T i ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA 133 Principal Cities In Yemen are Sana the capital, Hodeida the principal port, and many smaller towns, but none of importance. Aden cannot properly be called a city, although a considerable place. In reality it is a fortress that guards the way to India. In Hejaz the principal cities are Mecca and Medina, also layf, not far distant from Mecca. The port of Hejaz is Jeddah, and Yambo is used during certain seasons of the year. Nejd has for its capital Hayel. Riad, Aneeza, Bo- reida, and Dooreeyah are large centres of popu- lation tributary to and included in Nejd. Jebel Shomer has only two places of importance, El- Jowf and Sakkaka, both under the government of Nejd. Arag has many towns and cities, of which Baghdad is the most important. Kuweit, Kateef, and Hofoof keep up the prestige of Hassa. In all these divisions and districts towns and villages innumerable are found, but to enumerate them would be beyond the scope of this book. Governmental Control and Influence Three powers control the affairs and move- ments in Arabia. Nearly all of Yemen, Hejaz, Hassa, and Arag is under Turkish government 134 ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA and control, as is the eastern half of the Sinaitic peninsula. The coast of the Persian Gulf and a goodly track of country around Aden are con- trolled by the British ; Nejd, the great interior, has its own ruler, who is independent of any of the great powers, even its neighbor, Turkey. In spite of many attempts to gain Nejd for , Egypt and even Turkey, that great table-land still remains free and independent. The time may not be far distant when a more aggressive and enlightened government may control the peninsula, and use it as a bridge to join East and West and reduce the distance and time between them. What or who that power will be, remains to be seen. Population and Language In a country so little known as Arabia, and where no census is ever taken, it is very diffi- cult to even estimate the population. Various statements have been made from time to time during the last century by those who ventured into the land. Some have estimated eight mil- lions as the total of the inhabitants of Arabia, others have put the number at fourteen millions. It is generally agreed that eleven millions is a fair estimate for the three great divisions that ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA 135 are included in the peninsula. Whatever the number of millions in Arabia may be, we have fulfilled in them the four times repeated prom- ise concerning Ishmael, " He shall become a great nation, that shall not be numbered for multitude." The language of the whole country is Ara- bic, with varying dialects, pronunciations, and vocabularies in different parts. The purest Arabic spoken is heard in Nejd, and may be accounted for by its isolation and non-contami- nation by other languages. The Arabic lan- guage is one of the hardest to acquire. Before leaving for the field the writer was told by a lifelong Arabic scholar, " I have studied Arabic for more than forty years, and am only just beginning to understand it." Let me quote Ion Keith Falconer, who, after pass- ing the Semitic Languages Tripos at Cam- bridge, and taking a special course in Arabic at Leipzig, writes from Egypt, " I am getting on in Arabic, but it is most appallingly hard." Five years later he writes from Aden, " I am learning to speak Arabic quite nicely, but it will be long before I can deliver real dis- courses." Progress in Arabic means years of weary, ceaseless plodding and endless diligence. Arabic for mission use is not picked up. 136 ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA Religion of Arabia Arabia has always been a land of religion. At different periods in its history it has had its followers of and adherents to Judaism, prim- itive Christianity, heathendom, that permitted the most cruel, degrading, and disgusting prac- tices. Star, sun, and fire worshippers have all advocated their beliefs, forms of worship, and sacrifices in Arabia, but it remained for the great enthusiast of the desert to gather the people of the " desert of the sea " under one system and lead them to a belief in One God and Mohammed as his messenger. For thirteen hundred years the Arabs of Arabia have clung tenaciously to the teaching of the Meccan youth, and are now known as Moslems or Mohammedans. In Yemen, Arag, and on the Persian Gulf, thousands of Jews still reside, tolerated by the Moslem because of the service, plunder, and use they can extort from them from time to time. In Arabia the two branches of the de- scendants of Abraham have no love or even respect for each other, although they adore and pride themselves on their patriarchal an- cestry. In another chapter the present-day religion of the Arabs will be described. ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA 137 Products of Arabia From such a land much cannot be expected, and yet different lines of steamers carry away cargoes of things to be used in other lands. Yemen exports enormous quantities of coffee, hides, senna, and incense. From the Persian Gulf shores and the hinterland dates go to all parts of civilization. Nejd, the great unex- plored interior, furnishes the British army in India and Egypt with thousands of camels and horses. The great centres of population in Palestine, Syria, and even Egypt ofttimes have their meat supplies replenished by tens of thousands of sheep and goats bred and fed on the mountains and in the oases of the great peninsula. Animals, Wild and Domestic The nature of the country is not conducive to anything elaborate in this way. Under wild animals may be named wolf, wild boar, jackal, hyena, fox, wild cow, about the size of a donkey, gazelle, and a few rabbits. Domestic animals are few, but important, by reason of their great utility. They include the camel, horse, mule, donkey, cow, sheep, and goat. The dog is everywhere found, and in the desert is the 138 ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA protector and alarmist on the approach of strangers. A few birds and reptiles exist ; none, however, except the ostrich, of any importance. Means of Transportation Until quite recently railroads were unknown in Arabia, and even now only one is in process of construction. Under the Turkish govern- ment, paid for by money from all parts of the Mohammedan world, a railroad is being laid down from Damascus to Mecca. If ever this is completed, it will be a modern miracle, and no doubt will go a long way toward opening up the land and helping inquisitive travellers to get into Mecca. Time alone will answer the inquiry, "Will it be finished?" In the mountains, where water can be had once a day, the mule, horse, or donkey may be hired for a journey at a very low rate. If the desert has to be crossed, and the scarc- ity of water reckoned with, then the unsightly but useful camel must be sought. With his spongy hoof, long neck, quick eye, and abil- ity to abstain for ten days from water, the camel is well equipped for the desert journey. Treated kindly and regularly fed, this patient but much maligned animal will do excellent service and carry its rider many hundreds of ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA 139 miles. Wheeled vehicles are practically un- known in Arabia, except on the coast. What is being done to evangelize Arabia? Little, but thank God something. At Aden a small mission ministers to the physical needs of the Arabs, and in the dispensary the gospel is faithfully preached every day. One man bears the burden there. In the Persian Gulf, on the Bahrein Islands, the Dutch Reformed Church of America has its headquarters of the Arabian mission. On the coast they have a few stations, and they, like others, await the time when, by reason of ample men, means, and support, they will reach the interior. May God speed the time ! These two efforts, with the writer's own, is all that at present is being done for the evangelization and redemption of Ishmael. The writer has been the first as a Christian missionary to go any distance into the country, the account of which succeeding chapters will detail. Arabia needs at once, The Pioneer Missionary, The Medical Missionary, The Evangelizing Missionary, The Teaching Missionary. Would that some readers of these pages might give their money to help the missionary claim 140 ARABIA THE DESERT OF THE SEA Arabia for Christ, just as readily as the million- naires of New York are doing to fit out expedi- tions to find the North Pole and get credit to their country for so doing ! Can we, whose souls are lighted With wisdom from on high ; Can we to men benighted The lamp of life deny? Judging from Arabia, it seems we can. CHAPTER XIV ATTEMPTS TO ENTER ARABIA END IN CAPTURE, PRISON, AND BROKEN BONES THE previous chapter has introduced to the reader the country that it was my desire to enter and open up for future mission- ary operations. As the desire grew on me the difficulties seemed to accumulate, and those most interested in my movements and work strongly urged me not to attempt the journey alone. For many reasons a companion was advisable ; volunteers were called for, and in response two young men offered their services, each assured in his mind that he was called to such an under- taking and work. The funds necessary for such a movement as was anticipated were all pro- vided, and I waited for my companion. Months passed, and one excuse after another was made for delaying the start. Eventually both volun- teers decided to abandon the project, one because he preferred to remain with his newly married wife, and the other lacked the faith and cour- 141 142 ATTEMPT TO ENTER ARABIA age to set out on such a hazardous journey without the assurance of any human help. Since then I have been thankful that the young fellows did withdraw, for the following chapters will tell what trials and hardships awaited us, and the possibilities are that those volunteers would have been a hindrance to me rather than a help. Now the question arose: should the proposal be longer delayed, or should I set out alone ? I decided that I would start alone, so set to work and in a short time was ready. Scrip- tures were packed, my own few necessities arranged, drugs and clothing put in readiness for immediate use, and lastly animals and men hired to convey me to the edge of the desert on the east of Jerusalem. The name of the place I was bound for, as the first stage in my journey, was Maan, a twin town on the northern edge of the great Arabian desert. From Jeru- salem it was about two hundred miles' distance, and from that twin town I felt sure I could find Bedouin, or join a caravan that would take me over the first stretch of desert that would have to be crossed. Toward the end of 1899 I set out, in com- pany with three men known to me. My cases were loaded on two mules ; a third one was at ATTEMPT TO ENTER ARABIA 143 my disposal for riding. All went well for four days, and then my progress was put a stop to in not an unexpected way. We had reached a large Arab encampment which was pitched on the eastern border of the vast plains of Moab. The people had seen me before, in fact I had treated some of them after a severe battle with an hostile tribe, so I had a hearty welcome and was treated in the best style as an honored guest. Next morning I was up early and ready for another stage of my journey, but the people insisted on my spending the day with them in their tents, so I consented to do so. Some part of that day was passed in the guest- tent, where many of the men assembled to talk and drink coffee, but they courteously agreed to listen as I read and spoke to them concern- ing the Saviour and their need of His atone- ment. I found a few men that were able to read, and they accepted Scriptures and tracts from me. Visiting in the tents gave opportu- nity to speak with individuals or give a kind word to some of the women busy about some of their many duties. The evening came, and supper had been served and disposed of, and the making of the after-supper coffee was about to begin, when the sound of horses' hoofs on the hard earth, 144 ATTEMPT TO ENTER ARABIA and the clanking of chains and arms, was heard. The word " soldiers " came from many lips, and hardly had they been uttered when six Turkish cavalry in charge of an officer rode up in front of the long black tent. They dismounted, tied their horses to the tent ropes or stakes, and came into the tent. " Where is that traveller you have here ? " they asked in sharp tones, and for a moment received no reply from my astonished and frightened friends, and as I was dressed in native costume I was not discernible among the many. I rose and went toward the surly officer, tell- ing him that I was the one he was inquiring for, and asked him what he wanted. He told me that he had been sent to arrest me and take me to the Turkish governor in a place about thirty miles distant. It was suggested by the chief that the soldiers spend the night in the camp, but they refused. They demanded animals for myself and baggage, which were soon forthcom- ing, and in a very few minutes we were off, I in the midst of the soldiers, and the baggage animals urged on by the Arabs, who unwillingly had been forced to undertake this night march. We rode for about three hours, during which little was said. Once the surly official cursed me and called me a " dog," because I had been ATTEMPT TO ENTER ARABIA 145 the cause of them being sent post-haste to capture me. That gentleman said little else to me whilst in my company, for he got the length of my tongue, and a reminder that it was neither politic nor advisable for him to call 'an Englishman a dog. He took the scolding and the warning meekly, and I hope became a wiser and more cautious man ; if nothing else, he certainly became a quieter one. About ten o'clock we saw the flames of camp- fires and soon alighted at the guest-tent. The people knew me and were sorry to see me a prisoner. They were not slow to tell the soldiers how I had helped them in times past, one man giving visible proof by showing the mark on his arm where he had been cut by a spear and I had sewn it up. That night I slept between my captors, and early next morn- ing was roused and escorted on the journey. After about four hours we reached the place from whence the soldiers had come. They took me to the government house and delivered me to the official in charge there. He soon found that he had no great catch in me, but told me that I must return to Jerusalem under escort, as his orders were that no traveller was to pass that way without special permission from Constantinople. I stayed a week in that 146 ATTEMPT TO ENTER ARABIA Arab city, disposed of most of my books, and then in charge of three soldiers was sent to Jerusalem. The first attempt had ended in seeming failure, but some knowledge and experience had been gained, which afterward came in useful. My disappointment was His appointment, and was for a wise purpose. Early the next spring I set out again, this time in company with a gentleman who for geographical purposes and scientific research was visiting Edom and going to Maan. As he had government permission, we in due time reached the place I had set out for on my previous trip, but failed to reach. After a few days in Maan my friend returned, leaving me alone, with the hope of soon proceeding farther east. Here too in Maan I found men that knew me because of surgical or medical help they had received from me years before when in Kerak. No one knows the value of the medical missionary as an agency for opening up new lands ; this is another instance among others from other lands. Let none lightly esteem the work of the medical missionary. A house was put at my disposal, and my few belongings and Scriptures deposited therein. My bed was a sack on the hard floor and my ATTEMPT TO ENTER ARABIA 147 only covering at night my large native cloak c For three days all went well ; in return for Scriptures I received eggs, bread, and fruit, and from a spring near by I drew my water for drinking and in it washed my clothes. Late in the afternoon of the third day a soldier appeared at the door with an order for me to appear at once before the local governor. He was one who had taken a leading part in the massacre of the Armenians some time before, and by the Turkish government had been rewarded by the post of governor at Maan. I went to him, and he began to bully me and ordered me to leave the place within an hour. I told him I was within my rights in being there, and pre- sented my Turkish passport. He ridiculed that, and said, " as he was governor there he could do as he liked." He then ordered that I should be shut up in a small room, de- tained till morning, and then sent away under escort. So I was put in safe-keeping with two others, and left through the night. At day- break two soldiers appeared with a mule, on which were loaded my things. I was ordered to mount, two cakes of dry bread were given me, and in charge of two mounted men I was sent away from Maan, and so for the second time turned my back on Arabia, more and more de- 148 ATTEMPT TO ENTER ARABIA termined that I would not be discouraged by these seeming failures. Having tried the southern way twice and failed on both occasions, I determined to try the northern route and endeavor to join a caravan going down into Arabia from Da- mascus. After a few days at home I made an- other start, this time in quite another direction. On the fourth day out, as we were slowly ascending a zigzag road, the horse in front of mine suddenly commenced to kick, and before I knew what had happened I was lying under my horse on the steep mountain path, with my left leg broken. I lay there for several hours while a man went back to the nearest place to secure a doctor. He arrived, and with my leg tied to a stout pole I was carried back to the doctor's house. The bone had been badly splintered, and for weeks I lay without any progress being made toward the use of my leg. At length I was carried home to Jerusalem and was then informed that the limb would never be useable by reason of the bone being badly set. The only hope for me was to go into a hospital, have my leg opened, the bone broken down, some taken out, and the limb properly adjusted. I did as I was advised and in a few weeks was able to get ATTEMPT TO ENTER ARABIA 149 about on crutches, later with the aid of a stick, and then to my joy without any help at all. The entrance into Arabia was again delayed, and sufficient had occurred to quench any superficial enthusiasm, if such had ever existed, which, however, in my case had not. These delays and seeming failures only made me the more desirous to carry out what I believed to be a God-implanted desire in me. Some ad- vised giving it up, for surely Providence was against me. But I could not see my way clear to do that, for was not the EVANGELIZATION of ISHMAEL and the REDEMPTION of ARABIA at stake, and neither of these could or can be accomplished without seeming failures, disap- pointments, and trials, all permitted by One too wise to err and who Moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform. The capture and imprisonment may have been disappointing and humiliating, and the broken limb looked upon as a bad job, but out of all came blessing in the way of experience, information, larger faith, an extended vision, and, to crown all, the success that many had prayed for and believed in, although long 150 ATTEMPT TO ENTER ARABIA delayed. The sweets were all the sweeter, and the joys more appreciated, because of what had been experienced before they were realized. My next will tell of better days and my arrival 'on the edge of the desert. A CHRISTIAN WOMAN OF MOAB This woman is a resident of Kerak, the capital of Moab, and is a member of the chief family there. Compare her with the three women opposite page i so and the difference made by Christianity is very apparent. Her family is famous among the Arabs for their hospitality, and this woman and her husband always entertain Mr. Forder during h;s visits to their city, in return for services rendered during a long ^in*;e pf SittoesV and trouble. CHAPTER XV I A FOURTH VENTURE BRINGS ME TO THE DESERT'S EDGE PREVIOUS failures had not discouraged me sufficiently to make me give up the idea of reaching the district and town of the Jowf, the most important and largest town in Northern Arabia. Although difficulties, dan- gers, and hindrances had come and might still be expected, to have anticipated them would only have led to discouragement. Many of my friends thought that God's time had come for another attempt to be made to reach some part of the regions beyond Moab and Edom. We had hoped that a travelling companion would even then have been forthcoming, but no vol- unteer was on hand. Accordingly, with some reluctance, our little community had to let me go alone. On Thursday morning, the thirteenth day of December, 1900, a few friends came to our home in Jerusalem, and in prayer we committed each other to God's keeping, not knowing how long it would be before we 152 A FOURTH VENTURE should thus gather round the Mercy-seat again. Meanwhile two packhorses were being loaded outside. Four cases of Arabic Scriptures, tracts, and leaflets, the most limited quantity of bare neces- sities for the anticipated journey, and one man to accompany me the first few days of my journey made up the advance party and equip- ment of the first missionary journey into Ara- bia from the north. A few friends went with me a little way, and the time came to say the final " Good-by." It was easy enough to bid farewell to the grown-ups, but the last straw came from my little four-year-old, when, on stooping down to kiss him, he said, in his childish voice, " Will you be long, Dadda? " It was a question that none could answer. The future was only known to God. Jumping on top of one of the loads, I got away, wondering when I should see those same kind and praying friends again, and pondering, as I rode along, what would be the outcome of this quiet, simple, and inexpensive movement toward the land and birthplace of the great antagonist of Chris- tianity, the religion of Islam. Calvary, outside the wall, and the Mount of Olives, on the east, were soon left behind ; a last PHOTOGRAPH BY A. FORDER CALVARY, OUTSIDE THE WALL The hill on the left side is Golgotha, i. e., the place ot a skull. On the right is the north wall of Jerusalem. The road leads to Jericho, and was traversed by Mr. Forder when attempting to enter Arabia. OLD TOWER AND CASTLE AT SULKHUD These ancient remains of the stone age are on the edge of the