CHOICE OP CAMP. 207 months, to let the rainy season pass over, and then continue our conquests. At last the Pascha and his followers galloped up. I drew his attention to the spot where we had halted being highly suited for the camp; as it was open on three sides, to the east leant on a perpendicular wall of rock, and water was near. He thought a better place could be found, and we had to ride on for an hour, till we reached a ravine, in the bottom of which we saw the village of Kadmin, or Assunia, at the foot of the immense masses of rock of the main mountain of Kassela-el-Lus. But the ground here was cut up by rocky ridges, and it was plain that the hill shed down a part of its waters on it. The Pascha rode backwards and forwards, dismounted and received some of the people of the village, who made queer faces when they found the camp was to be pitched immediately over their heads. I had already discovered a somewhat raised spot, where we had made our dromedaries lie down, thus taking possession of it for our tents ; the Pascha looked at us, again mounted his Arab, and we followed him back to the flat, I had at first proposed as our camping-place. Our first business was to get up our tent as quickly as possible, and to send for water, as my brother was complaining of violent headache, although as yet the Pascha had given no orders to encamp there. No sooner was our tent u\), than all the army began to pitch theirs round us, as if by higher orders, and as now the Pascha had also had his pitched, I hastened to him, begged liim to have sufficient extent and i-oom given the camp, and, for that purpose, to place some pic([uet3 out, so as to at least give it some regular figure, oblong or square. Inside the difl'crent detachments of the army sat down as they pleased, but always as far off as they could from the I'asdia, so as not to be overlooked by him, or at least as little as possible. By this there was left a kind of clear space in the centre of tin- camp, on which, to our great joy, stood isolated the Paseha's tents and ours. Such was the beginning of the city to be foundtd here,— a picture of what was jjcrhaps only a repetition of \vh;it had occurred in founding other older cities.

With gloomy face, silent and thoughtful, sat tlu Pascha, now the Kubicon was crossed ; and then first soui;ded the cannou-