An Incident of Travel

AN INCIDENT OF TRAVEL 111

world trip, were proceeding on board a Russian steamer from Alexandria to Jaffa, the ancient Joppa and the sea port constitut- ing the gateway to Palestine. We had shared each other's com- pany in travel by sea and land for many weeks, and after a few more days together, to be spent in the Holy Land, we were to sep- arate, and I would have to pursue the rest of my journey alone. It was very early in the morning. I had gone, the first of our party, upon deck, .'and by the first beams of the rising sun could see the glittering spires and rounded roofs of the city of Jaffa. I was startled by the voice (so strange in those parts) of one who could speak good English. It came addressing me very courteously, announcing that the speaker was an Englishman of liberal culture and means, and an officer in the service of the Egyptian government under the English regime, and was then taking his vacation, which he expected to spend to the extent of six weeks or more in the Holy Land. He said his intention was to go right up to a certain hospice, the Carsinova, just outside the walls of the City of Jerusalem, and present his credentials, when he would be furnished, entirely free to him, with everything he desired for a most extensive and enjoyable trip through Palestine and Syria, and that he could just as well take along a companion of his own choosing without any expense to either. He said he had picked me out as soon as he saw me as being a very desirable person to accompany him, and he was very solicitous that I would accept his rare offer. All the details seemed to be most fitting for my purpose at that time, and the whole looked nothing less than providential. I promised him an answer within an hour, which would be before disembarking at Jaffa. He had handed me his card, which bore the name of Charles Helfield, M. B. This I took down to my companions, and asked their advice. The prop- osition, they said, looked very fine upon its face, but as to the genuineness of the character described, not having seen him, they could not conjecture. After retiring and spending a few mo- ments privately in supplicating the Throne of Grace for divine guidance, I set out, announcing that I was going to arrive at a conclusion after a very brief investigation. I had noticed, and

remarked, that the gentleman's card was apparently in his own handwriting, not printed or engraved, which gave it an air of cheapness. I also observed that he was found so early on deck, in the midst of Arabs and other orientals who had spent the night under the open canopy of heaven, and during our voyage of sev- eral days' duration we had not once seen him at the dining table in the ship's cabin. I approached one of .the ship's officers, and

asked him if he knew the gentleman whose card I exhibited. "Why," said he, "that is the fellow who applied yesterday for work. I am engaged in the government service, but I never heard of his being employed in any capacity by the Egyptian or

FOUNTAIN OF MOSES, SUEZ the English government." My conclusion was formed at once, and when Mr. Helfield appeared he got a straight refusal. I heard no more of Mr. Helfield until upon our return to Port Said I met Mr. Backarat, as I have described. From this typically shrewd old Syrian dragoman, I learned that he (Mr. Backarat) was at Jaffa when our party had disembarked for Jerusalem, and had been approached by a certain Dr. Robison, who enlisted his services as one of the dragomen or professional guides of the country. That this Dr. Robison had told him a beautiful story, got him to advance means to pay the doctor's transportation, Jaffa to Jerusalem, second class, which was worse than any third class I had ever seen on any railway before. That the doctor had applied at one of those fine, charitable institutions just without the walls of the Holy City, and on presenting his papers was immediately admitted and cared for. This, how- ever, had not prevented his first putting up his story to his dragoman, that he, the doctor, had large deposits of money at Beirut and also at Cairo, but was just then temporarily short of funds. The dragoman loaned him what he seemed to need. Presently a message came to Mr. Backarat from the doctor. They met again, and soon a bargain was closed for the dragoman to conduct a party of thirty people over a long trip covering Bethlehem, Jericho, Hebron, Galilee, Nazareth, Damascus, Beirut, etc. For this expedition the dragoman proceeded to arrange all preliminaries, meanwhile making the necessary advances for hire of mules, camels, attendants and the most complete and modern eouipment. Then came another message, responding to which the dragoman was told that the doctor needed at once fourteen pounds in ready money, and that the dragoman should bear a telegraphic order on Damascus for the amount. The dragoman advanced the money, despite a hardship it entailed upon his family, and sent off the message. Within another day or two he

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was called to dine sumptuously at the consulate at Jerusalem, with great dignitaries, which he did, never surmising that it was all at his own expense. Soon after he was sent for by the doctor and entreated to go down to Suez, a distance of several hundred miles by land and sea, to meet the doctor's party and bring up his baggage. The dragoman responded, at his own expense, and it was when he reached Alexandria, in the course of this journey,

that his suspicions were first aroused. Then he went at once to the British consulate. He learned that the consul knew the doctor described, and said : "Why, yes, he is a thief, an embezzler, who has been scarce a fortnight out of jail." The consul at once dispatched a message, requesting the immediate arrest of the doctor. When this was being sent, the dragoman found a telegram had arrived for himself, dated at Jerusalem and reading: "Proceed quick through Alexandria, awaiting letter Suez." Next the dragoman learned that the consul had received a wire from Beirut, saying the doctor had left the country, having sailed from Beirut just the day before. During the conversation, in which Mr. Backarat detailed these facts to me about his own experience, he showed me, among other papers, an "I O U" from Dr. Robison for fourteen pounds, several telegraphic orders for money, upon which nothing could be realized, and some high-sounding letters of recommendation, and assured me by the strongest kind of evidence that he was the loser to the extent of not less than sixty pounds ($300), besides lu's time, trouble, and further outstanding obligations for which

he was responsible, all through this same Dr. Robison. He told me he was a Christian, living at Jerusalem, and had a large family to support. I was already certain in my own mind of the identity of the "doctor," but now I verified my conclusion by a few well directed interrogatories which Mr. Backarat answered in a saddened whine between his sobs. The Dr. Robison was no other than the gentlemanly Charles Helfield, M. B., who had so courteously made the proposition of pleasure and travel throughout the Holy Land, to the heart's full desire and without expense, to your humble servant.

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