Higgins shifted his weight in his saddle while looking straight ahead as he started his lecture.
"It started with the Crusader leader Baldwin just before he became king of the Latin Kingdom in 1100 AD. The monks of Saint Aaron summoned him to Petra and he had little choice but to go. They were a rather ambitious order of monks who found themselves at the far end of the Crusaders reach of control. The records show that they claimed they were being harassed by "the Saracens." Baldwin wasn’t king yet and the monks had connections with several factions at court so Baldwin had to go. After rescuing the monks Baldwin spent some time with them before returning to Jerusalem where he was soon crowned king. Nice coincidence wasn’t that? Anyway it has been suggested that his time with the monks of Aaron caused him to rethink the Crusader strategy and he soon recognized that there were no fortified points south of The Castle of Saint Abraham at Hebro. So he hastened to mend that deficiency by building fortresses at Kerak, Sho- bak, Tafilah and elsewhere in Jordan. He even erected a fortress in the Wade Musa, or as we call it, the Valley of Moses after the legend of Moses who supposedly visited Petra. This legend was thus given official recognition by Baldwin’s actions. Obviously, the monks of Saint Aaron had much to do with this whole affair, all the better to establish their right to demand Crusader protection. So what better place to find another manuscript is there Mr. Rowe? However without a firm lead and with the difficulties getting to Petra no one has had the opportunity to conduct a search. Until now I hope."
The last sentence was said softly with the hint of wistfulness hugging it close to Higgins’ mouth.
The day ended like the first with Mahoud and Hamil deciding on when to stop and make camp followed by Higgins sitting on his horse demanding we continue. The Bedouins started referring to Higgins as the goat that roars much to Shara’s delight.
That night after dinner Higgins, Aurturo, Shara and I were sitting around our small campfire. Higgins wanted to decide on a plan of what to do when we reached Petra but first Shara insisted she make us coffee. She calmly explained that no one in this part of the world would decide anything of importance without a cup of coffee. Aurturo immediately agreed and Higgins also seemed pleased with the idea so we waited silently as Shara started the Arabic ritual of making coffee. She removed a handful of pale gray green beans from a small leather pouch. She dropped them into a shallow pan that she sat on the coals of the fire. As she slowly shook the pan the beans rolled around with a soft clatter. Soon they turned dark and started sweating their fragrant oils giving off a rich pungent aroma. They then began turning a shiny slick black, which darkened until they were nearly burnt. Shara tossed them into a small stone mortar and started crushing them with a wooden pestle. The rhythmic beat of the pestle only stopped when the coffee was a fine powder. She then poured the coffee into a brass coffee pot followed by steaming water. After a minute she skimmed off the foam and then poured the coffee into another smaller pot. She added some spices and skimmed it again. Finally she poured the tar like coffee into four small cups without handles and gave each of us one. I admit watching Shara wasn’t unpleasant and the coffee was divine. We sipped in silence until finally Shara smiled and said.
"I hope the coffee isn’t too thick for you Mr. Rowe? It must be different from what you drink back home."
"It’s not really too different from the coffee I grew up drinking. We had cattle on our ranch and during the roundup we’d be gone for a few weeks and at camp we would just pour the ground coffee into a pot of hot water and put it back on the coals. Then when it was boiling we’d drop in some eggshells."
"What did they add to the taste of the coffee?"
"Nothing. The eggshells caused the coffee grounds to drop to the bottom of the pot. It was better than screening them with your teeth."
Shara smiled and for some strange reason that pleased me but before I could continue Higgins spoke up.
"Fascinating Mr. Rowe really fascinating. I must remember that when next I have some left over eggshells. Now if you don’t mind I think its time to discuss what must be done tomorrow."
Higgins cleared his throat before beginning.
"Humph… Since we don’t know where to look I suggest we divide the city into segments and start a systematic search. Aurturo you and I will start at the Kazneh temple while Shara and Mr. Rowe will start with the Monastery. From there we will go to the tombs of Petra…"
"How many tombs are there?"
Higgins frowned at me before scratching the side of his nose.
"A few hundred if I remember correctly."
Aurturo’s voice suddenly cut in.
"More like 800 if I remember correctly."
Higgins wasn’t pleased with the interruption and Aurturo smiled at Higgins’ discomfort and continued.
"Any better idea what we are looking for?"
Higgins squirmed in seat before finally answering.
"Not really. Look for anything that is out of place and anything that is, shall we say, too in place. There are inscriptions throughout the city so read as many as you can and look for any anomalies or possibly double meanings. Ask yourself where would you put a message that would not be noticed until you wanted it to be? We know that someone has set up an elaborate plan for seeing that the manuscripts are found. We just have the misfortune of not knowing the key."
"Or the plan."
Higgins was just about to snap at Aurturo when I asked.
"What about Brown and Green?"
"They and the Bedouins will stand guard. There are many ways in to Petra but they are small and difficult to maneuver through. There is only one main entrance at the Siq and my men will watch it."
Shara finished her coffee.
"Just how much time do you think we have before my father’s murderers arrive?"
I didn’t like the sound of that and apparently neither did Higgins.
"Don’t forget Shara that our job here is to find what Petra hides and get out before our competitors arrive. Any thoughts of revenge will have to wait. Now if they weren’t there when Casper yelled Petra then I think it’s doubtful they could decipher the texts and get here before ten days to maybe two weeks."
At the same time Higgins was stating his false sense of security Vetterman was saying.
"I know you’d rather ride horses but my friends don’t use them. Besides these are more dependable than horses. You aren’t afraid of them are you?"
Wolfgang stood staring at his camel’s ugly face. The camel stared back and didn’t seem impressed with Wolfgang.
"No it’s just that we weren’t trained about camels. I hear they spit. Is that true?"
The old man already on his camel rode up to where Wolfgang and Vetterman were talking.
"Enough talking. Is your friend ready to lead us to Petra, Vetterman?"
"Yes, he says it will take four or five days to get there."
"Then lets have less talk and more action. Mount up!"
Wolfgang yelled.
"MOUNT UP!"
Seven heavily armed men snapped to attention beside their camels before climbing on their kneeling camel’s backs. The noise of the camel’s displeasure reverberated around the men as the beasts slowly rose up from the sand and stood protesting their indignation at being ridden. Vetterman’s Bedouin friend watched these Europeans try to control their camels and grinned. With a yell the Bedouin started out into the desert with the rest trying their best to follow. The old man and Vetterman caught up to the Bedouin and the rest struggled farther behind. Many hours of hard riding would past before they rested.
